Steel Reporters is a competition for high school journalists run by ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe. 18 budding journalists entered reportages on the topic of steel. A panel of high-ranking judges selected the best three entries. The winners are Elena Fellner, Andreas Müllauer and Marie Haase (front, from left). The certificates were presented by Ulrich Reitz, editor-in-chief of the WAZ newspaper and chairman of the Steel Reporters judging panel (second from right), and Dieter Kroll, Labor Director of ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG (left). Marcus Hammes, Chairman of the Junge Presse e.V. association, can be seen in the center of the back row.

“The terminator works in the Ruhr region” is the title of the reportage which won Andreas Müllauer first prize in the Steel Reporters competition. The 19-year-old editor-in-chief of the school magazine Frontal at Engelbert-von-Berg high school in Wipperfürth prefers writing about cultural topics. However, his steel reportage shows that he would also do well in the areas of business or technology. Andreas Müllauer is considering a job in the media. Journalism would be one option, a career in the film industry another. Either way, he wants to study political science and film studies after graduating from high school.

Elena Fellner celebrated her 18th birthday on January 14, 2012, so her second prize in the Steel Reporters competition could still be counted as a birthday gift. “Five tons worth of a better world” is the title of the story proving her journalistic talent. Elena Fellner, who is from Buchenbach in the Schwarzwald region, is one of two editors-in-chief on the Kollegblock school magazine and responsible for organization and coordination in the nine-member editorial team. Her dream job is to become a pilot, but a career in journalism could make a good plan B.

“My opinion of steel as a rather boring product has changed a lot,” said Marie Haase about her impressions of the Steel Reporters weekend at ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe. This is reflected in the title of her reportage “A hot and cold affair, or: how I learnt to love steel” which landed her third prize in the competition. Marie Haase is editor-in-chief of the school magazine Der Spargel which was founded back in 1989 at the Erich Kästner high school in Laatzen. She is determinedly pursuing a future journalistic career: She is currently applying for internships at various newspapers for the period after she graduates from high school and in the fall she hopes to start a degree in cultural studies or law, with a minor in journalism.

“There are worse ways to start a career than with a prize,” WAZ editor-in-chief Ulrich Reitz told the Steel Reporters winners. ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe organizes the competition in association with the youth media association Verband Junge Presse e.V. The company aims to support budding journalists and at the same time awaken young people’s interest in steel. The competition comprises a guided tour of ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe’s integrated iron and steel mill, followed by a writing workshop run by business journalist Hans-Willy Bein. The winners receive cash prizes for new equipment for their school magazine editorial offices.