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 7 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2010 calendar year. SPJ Region 7 includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. This year, the contest received almost 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April 9 during the Region 7 SPJ Spring Conference held in Overland Park, Kans. 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 7 Winners

Four Year College/University winners:

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Election 2010 - Terry Branstad - by Dylan Boyle, Iowa State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Students Mourn Death – by Sarah Andrews, Drake University.
• Second Place: Diwali Night - Haema Nilakanta – by Kelsey Kremer, Iowa State University.
• Third Place: Skin Deep – by Ari Curtis, Drake University.

General News Photography
• First Place: President Obama holds "backyard chat" in Des Moines – by Jessica Opoien, Iowa State University.
• Second Place: Career Fair persists – by Carnez Williams, Iowa State University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Drake Magazine Cover – by Jason Oelmann, Drake University.
• Second Place: Sparking a Comeback – by Trina Pham & Julia Smith, Creighton University.
• Third Place: The State of Urban America – by Nicole Salow, Drake University.

Sports Photography
• First Place: Cyclone Stampede: Kickin' Up Dust – by Kelsey Kremer, Iowa State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Native Daughters, University of Nebraska.
• Second Place: Detours, Truman State University.
• Third Place: Trend, Iowa State University.

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Beltway Beginnings – by Catherine Newhouse, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: Crossing the Line – by Rachel Vogel, Drake University.
• Third Place: Don't Look Back – by Laura Johnson, Drake University.

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Index, Truman State University.
• Second Place: The Creightonian, Creighton University.
• Third Place: The Baker Orange, Baker University.

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Southern hires embezzler to teach accounting - by Brennan Stebbins, Missouri Southern State University.
• Second Place: Jon Lacina's body found – by Sarah Haas, Rashah McChesney, Kim Norvell & Jessica Opoien, Iowa State University.
• Third Place: Republican candidates dominate election – by Austin Enns & Jason Strachman Miller, Kansas State University.

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Brennan Stebbins, Missouri Southern State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Writing
• First Place: Unexpectedly Expecting – by Aly Van Dyke, University of Kansas.
• Second Place: Abnormal arms, but ample ability – by Adam Samson, University of Kansas.
• Third Place: With poplar trees, a one-time polluter makes some green - by James Malewitz, University of Iowa.

General News Reporting
• First Place: A Matter of Interpretation – by Elliot Kort, University of Kansas.
• Second Place: Able Life – by Carnez Williams, University of Kansas.
• Third Place: Images of Hope – by Molly Mullen & Kim Sulack, Creighton University.

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: A generation ablaze – by Brenna Hawley, University of Kansas.
• Second Place: Proposition 1: Downtown Cameras – by Victoria Guida, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: Sales of the Death Men – by Keven Hardy, University of Kansas.

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Max Olson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Second Place: Jack Nicholl, Truman State University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Sports Writing
• First Place: Go and catch a falling star – by Scott Miller, The University of Iowa.
• Second Place: Husker long snapper Mangieri prefers to remain hidden – by Mitch Smith, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Third Place: Junior Guard hopes to shine bright this season and beyond - by Matt Entringer, Creighton University.

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: IowaStateDaily.com, Iowa State University.
• Second Place: The Baker Orange, Baker University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Battle Over Judge Retention In Iowa – by Tyler Kingkade, Iowa State University.
• Second Place: Staying Healthy@BU - by Tera Lyons, Baker University.
• Third Place: Going Green - by Marlee Johnson, Mary Loveland & Chelsea Twietmeyer, Baker University.

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Kirsten Jacobsen, University of Iowa.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Radio Feature
• First Place: Unorthodox Piercings – by Caitlin Doornbos, University of Kansas.
• Second Place: Getting Out the Vote – by Brian Johnson, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: Haiti Benefit Concert – by Kyle Stokes, University of Missouri.

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: The Zombie Walk – by Krista Jobst, University of Kansas.
• Second Place: Candidate Vicky Hartzler – by Kyle Stokes, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: KU Quidditch Club – by Alex Tretbar, University of Kansas.

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Patriot Guard Riders – by Nick Gass & Alex Pfenninger, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Extreme Birding – by Rebecca Wolfson & Maggie Berglund, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: Derby at the Fair – by Rebecca Wolfson, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Feature
• First Place: A Hairdresser's Story – by Emily Spain, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: Adults vs Kids: Texting and Driving – by Jennifer Meckles & Scott Schaefer, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: The Story of Amanda McDaniel – by Alex Rozier, University of Missouri.

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Art Walk – by Monica Scherer, Missouri State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: New Signs for Boomer Eyes – by Jennifer Meckles, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: Book Ban - by Adam Hammons, Missouri State University.
• Third Place: Adoption – by Courtney Syberg & Katy Reed, Missouri State University.

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: University of Missouri System President Resigns - by Alex Rozier, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: Rebuilding Together – by Alex Rozier, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: A Tiny Hero – by Alison Schutz (Archer), University of Missouri.

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Target 8: Fulton State Hospital – by Jennifer Meckles & Scott Schaefer, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: Columbia Trailer Park Linked To National Problem – by Emily Spain, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television News Photography
• First Place: Winter Delivery – by John Henry, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Runs in the Family – by Casey Phillips, University of Missouri.
• Second Place: CMU Lineman All-American On and Off The Field – by Josh Frydman, University of Missouri.
• Third Place: Jon Ketz – by Jonathan Ketz & Eric Blumberg, University of Missouri.

Two Year College winners:

General News Reporting
• First Place: The Forgotten Genocide – by Eric Aikin, Joseph Douglas, Andrea Royals & Anna Nowotny, St. Louis Community College - Meramec.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Feature
• First Place: K.C. Pedicabs – by Jason Gould, Johnson County Community College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: JCCC Cavaliers at the "K" – by Rob Ladd, Johnson County Community College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: JCCC Cavaliers at the "K" – by Jason Gould & Caleb Gabauer, Johnson County Community College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

*Mark of Excellence Awards honor only 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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