For immediate release

Contact:
Lauren Rochester, SPJ Awards Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 210,
lrochester@spj.org
Andrew M. Scott, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 215,
ascott@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 3 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2010 calendar year. SPJ Region 3 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. This year, the contest received almost 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April 2 during the Region 3 SPJ Spring Conference held at Jacksonville State University in Anniston, Ala. First place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging. National winners will be announced in early May.

The winners are listed below. For additional information on the Mark of Excellence awards, please contact Awards Coordinator Lauren Rochester at lrochester@spj.org.

2010 Region 3 Winners

Four Year College/University Finalists:

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Car Slams Into Campus Bookstore - by Simon Reinert, University of South Alabama.
• Second Place: Man found dead near UCF– by Emre Kelly, University of Central Florida.
• Third Place: AT&T center shooting– by Emre Kelly, University of Central Florida.

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Sarah Quinn, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: Tom Rogers, Savannah College of Art and Design.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Cirque du Soleil – Ovo - by Sean Wright, Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta.
• Second Place: Fear - by Edgar F. Miles, Augusta State University.
• Third Place: Ultra Music Festival – by Chelsea Matiash, University of Miami.

General News Photography
• First Place: Getting Stoned - by Natasha Peat, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: Stopping the sniffles – by Jamie Lynn Black, University of South Carolina.
• Third Place: Grappling with victory – by Emre Kelly and Austyn Bynon, University of Central Florida.

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Money to Burn - by Daniel Shirey, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: Cover - Double Take - by Sean Wright, Maken Imcha, John Nguyen and Amy Troche-Walsh, Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta.
• Third Place: Distraction cover - Intensity. Passion. Competition. The U. - by Rachel Steinhauser, Claudia Aguirre and Christine Shepard, University of Miami.

Sports Photography
• First Place: Jags Still Undefeated - by Colin McGee, University of South Alabama.
• Second Place: Tee for Three – by Wes Blankenship, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: Alabama receiver Julio Jones makes spectacular catch – by Drew Hoover, University of Alabama.

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Journey, Florida A&M University.
• Second Place: SCAN, Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta.
• Third Place: Orange & Blue, University of Florida.

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Of Man and Machine, Where Art and Technology Meet– by Gray Chapman, Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta.
• Second Place: Stolen sea oats – by Jeffrey Garris, Savannah College of Art and Design.
• Third Place: WAR: The Crisis At Home – by Kristen Swilley, Florida A&M University.

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Crimson White, University of Alabama.
• Second Place: The Oracle, University of South Florida.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina
• Second Place: The Vanguard, University of South Alabama.
• Third Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami.

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Election Coverage 2010 - by The Carolina Reporter staff, University of South Carolina.
• Second Place: Student voice not heard in search for Dean of Students - by Polina Marinova, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: ASF Budget Committee votes 6-5 to not fund MSC – by Ashley Carnifax, University of Central Florida.

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Jared Misner, University of Florida.
• Second Place: Wes Blankenship & Daniel Burnett, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Writing
• First Place: Rescuing a Reputation: A journalism professor wins a five-year battle - by Carolyn Crist, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: Eye of the Beholder- by Jared Misner, University of Florida.
• Third Place: Home cooking at ZBT for 51 years - by Jordan Levy, University of Miami.

General Column Writing
• First Place: Trashed but not trashy – by Karla Bowsher, Florida Atlantic University.
• Second Place: Yasmin Yonis, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: No Award.*

General News Reporting
• First Place: Bedbug treatment too expensive for some S.C. residents - by Gwendolyn Weiler, University of South Carolina.
• Second Place: Faking It: A series about the use and troubles of fake IDs - by Jacob Demmitt, Mimi Ensley, Daniel Burnett & Carey O'Neil, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: Trained artists, but can they do the grunt work? - by Justin Fenner, University of South Carolina.

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: University makes millions off credit card debt - by Daniel Burnett, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: A Haunting Past, Pt. 1 and 2 - by Henry Taksier, University of Florida.
• Third Place: Cheating uproar hits UCF- by Emre Kelly & Katie Kustura, University of Central Florida.

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Zach Dillard, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: Emre Kelly, Jeffrey Riley, Mike Balducci & Wes Goldberg, University of Central Florida.
• Third Place: Christina De Nicola, Justin Antweil & Austen Gregerson, University of Miami.

Sports Writing
• First Place: Prothro Still Believes - by Jason Galloway, University of Alabama.
• Second Place: TWO FEW: UGA minority head coaches – 2 out of 16 - by Robbie Ottley, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: Law-gwarts capture Snitch, World Cup title - by Miranda Murphy, University of Alabama.

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: Journeymagonline.com – by Anamarie Shreeves, Florida A&M University.
• Second Place: The Vanguard's website– by Rodney Thompson, University of South Alabama.
• Third Place: The Red & Black website – by The Red & Black staff, University of Georgia.

Best Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: District, Savannah College of Art and Design.
• Second Place: Gargoyle, Flagler College.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: St. Augustine Couple Finds Love, Chaos with International Adoption - by Jill Houser, Flagler College.
• Second Place: Doc says fad diets may be more harmful than healthy - by Caroline Young, Flagler College.
• Third Place: Former Flagler student talks about Marine life in Afghanistan - by Cal Colgan, Flagler College.

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Arrested developments: The crime streets of Athens - by The Red & Black staff, University of Georgia.
• Second Place: Is it appropriate? Quality vs. Censorship at Open Studio Night - by Osayi Endolyn, Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta.
• Third Place: Mexican Drug Wars: When Media Silenced, Twitter Alerts Citizens - by Alex Pena, Florida Gulf Coast University.

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Mike Kilbride Refuses To Answer Questions On Almost $8,000 Desk - by Logan Herlihy, Cliff Jett, Kevin Wolkenfeld & Alyssa Metsky, University of Central Florida.
• Second Place: Violence Escalates in Juarez - by Alex Pena, Florida Gulf Coast University.
• Third Place: Rutgers suicide reveals consequences of bullying and discrimination - by Ryan Buffa & Kristin McIntosh, Flagler College.

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Cal Colgan, Flagler College.
• Second Place: District Staff, Savannah College of Art and Design.
• Third Place: Miles Johnson, Savannah College of Art and Design.

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: UCF Knights to Take on SMU Mustangs – by Ryan Bass, Matt Fontana, Cliff Jett & Kevin Wolkenfeld, University of Central Florida.
• Second Place: The firing of Damon Evans – by The Red & Black staff, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: It's like being in the stadium – by Wandoo Makurdi, Florida A&M University.

Radio Feature
• First Place: Hometown Confessions - by Myrriah Gossett & Zak Kee, Savannah College of Art and Design.
• Second Place: New Manatee Rules May Sink Businesses - by Trent Kelly, University of Florida.
• Third Place: UF Marching Band practices on the field as grueling as the football team - by Jason Hackett, University of Florida.

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Airboats Fan Controversy - by Trent Kelly, University of Florida.
• Second Place: PALS program aims to end bullying in Alachua County schools – by Jason Hackett, University of Florida.
• Third Place: Clam Farmers Play the Waiting Game – by Brittany Thompson, University of Florida.

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: University Presidential Transfer of Power - by Turner Cowles, Florida State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: WUFT News – by Andi Babineau, Michael Bakum & Andrew Ruiz, University of Florida.
• Second Place: NewsVision – by UMTV staff, University of Miami.
• Third Place: TrojanVision Nightly News - TrojanVision news staff, Troy University.

Television Feature
• First Place: Humans, zombies prepare for battle - by Jacob Menache, Savannah College of Art and Design.
• Second Place: Ironman Professor - by Christine Scarpelli, University of South Carolina.
• Third Place: Fifth Street Gym – by Ashley Minelli, University of Miami.

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Freezing Manatees - by Erica Rakow, University of Florida.
• Second Place: Craft Beer- by Kelsie Weekes, University of South Carolina.
• Third Place: Honeybee Decline - by Justin Pryor, University of South Carolina.

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: University Police Shoot Grad Student- by Vic Micolucci, University of Florida.
• Second Place: Suspected Gunman – by John Newsome, University of Georgia.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: ‘Lost Boy’ Graduates - by Vic Micolucci, University of Florida.
• Second Place: Hard Times for Pets – by Jessica Silvaggio, University of South Carolina.
• Third Place: Pharmacy Dangers – by Sarah Travis, University of South Carolina.

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: ESPN College GameDay Visits USC – by Jessie Knaak & Derek Phillips, University of South Carolina.
• Second Place: Seminoles end 6-year skid versus Gators – by Phillip Marks, University of Florida.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: More Than Just Jocks – by Kristina Haumschild, Flagler College.
• Second Place: FSU's Basketball Equipment Staff – by Alexa Lampasona & Mollie Scheiber, Florida State University.
• Third Place: High School Lacrosse– by Lee Scurry, University of South Carolina.

Two Year College Finalists:

Breaking New Photography
• First Place: Alex Sink visits Lake Worth Campus – by Luana Goncalves, Palm Beach State College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Michael Beckom, Piedmont Technical College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Writing
• First Place: Censorship, Let the student voice be heard – by Ashley Crane, Palm Beach State College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

General News Photography
• First Place: Will write for food/What we learned – by Ashley Crane, Palm Beach State College.
• Second Place: God got talent – by Teonantra P. Manley, Palm Beach State College.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Sports Photography
• First Place: Amateur wake boarder Juan Mendez - by Ashley Crane, Palm Beach State College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Sports Writing
• First Place: Average joes get a day to ride with the pros – by Ashley Crane, Palm Beach State College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

* Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best in student journalism. Judges are not required to select first, second or third place winners.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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