For Immediate Release:
4/06/09

Contact:
Lauren Rochester, Awards Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 210, lrochester@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 9 Mark of Excellence Awards winners for the 2008 calendar year. SPJ Region 9 includes Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,600 entries in 39 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were recognized on April 4 during the regional spring conference held at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. First place regional winners advance to the national round of judging, which is ongoing. National winners will be announced in mid-May.

For additional information on the Mark of Excellence Awards, please contact Lauren Rochester at 317-927-8000 ext. 210 or lrochester@spj.org.

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.

2008 Region 9 Winners:

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Natalie Tripp, Brigham Young University, “Human skull found in attic”
• Second Place: Aaron Hedge & J. David McSwane, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, “Penley Resigns”
• Third Place: Staff, Signpost, Weber State University, “Earthquake hits Nevada”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Rochelle McConkie, University of Utah, “Economy in crisis”
• Second Place: Jaime Winston, University of Utah, “Researchers design robotic combat suit”
• Third Place: Cimaron Neugebauer, Weber State University, “Weber County voters rocked”

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Farah Pike, Jackie Craddock, Truett Scofield & Nicholas Seckar, Colorado State University, Pueblo, “Camp Colorado”
• Second Place: Tim Maddocks, Colorado State University, “Braving the streets”
• Third Place: Staff, The Metropolitan, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “Credentials in question”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Angela Honaker, Regis University, “Tennyson Terrace”
• Second Place: Nic Garcia, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “Night Class”
• Third Place: Chelsea Warren, Brigham Young University, “Boarder Bound”

Sports Writing
• First Place: Matt Gerrish, Weber State University, “Academics and athletics”
• Second Place: Paige Fieldsted, University of Utah, “Team remembers coach’s mom”
• Third Place: Gentry Reinhart, Weber State University, “Olympic Bound”

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Staff, Signpost, Weber State University
• Second Place: Craig Blake, University of Utah
• Third Place: Chris Ameson, Laramie County Community College

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Phil Cannon, University of Utah
• Second Place: Willus Branham, University of Utah
• Third Place: Josh Barney, Weber State University

General Column Writing
• First Place: Alicia Williams, University of Utah
• Second Place: Emily Rodriguez-Vargas, University of Utah
• Third Place: Anne Roper, University of Utah

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Sean Star, Colorado State University
• Second Place: Jon McBride, Weber State University
• Third Place: Tony Pizza, University of Utah

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The Daily Utah Chronicle, Utah State University
• Second Place: Staff, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
• Third Place: Staff, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published less than 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The Metropolitan, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Second Place: Staff, Wingspan, Laramie County Community College
• Third Place: Staff, University Journal, Southern Utah University

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Heather Goodwich, Erik Myers & Aaron Hedge, Colorado State University, “Green is gold”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Staff, College Avenue, Colorado State University
• Second Place: Staff, CSU-Pueblo Today, Colorado State University, Pueblo
• Third Place: no award

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Aaron Schwendiman, University of Utah, “Olympics protest”
• Second Place: Lawrence Boye, University of Utah, “Five at the disco”
• Third Place: Cora Kemp, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “Emotions crowd presidential election”

General News Photography
• First Place: Staff, The Metropolitan, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “Five Days”
• Second Place: Christopher Peddecord, University of Utah, “Roberts Portrait”
• Third Place: Ryan Martin, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “In the shadow of history”

Feature Photography
•First Place: Lucas Isley, University of Utah, “Ballet Utah”
• Second Place: Lucas Isley, University of Utah, “Strech”
• Third Place: Erik Daenitz, University of Utah, “Burning ring of fire”

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Andrew Dyl, Houston Woodhouse & Kellie Anderson, Laramie County Community College, “08 Choice”
• Second Place: Dawn Madura, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “The Swing State”
• Third Place: Tyler Cobb, University of Utah, “Economy in crisis”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Lennie Mahler, University of Utah, “Borha fouled on dunk”
• Second Place: Lennie Mahler, University of Utah, “Slide tackle”
• Third Place: Thein Sok, University of Utah, “Reception made”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Michael McFall, University of Utah, “Foreign doctors unable to practice”
• Second Place: David Herd, Brigham Young University, “Homeless”
• Third Place: David Herd, Brigham Young University, “BYU Graduate”

Radio Feature
• First Place: Jason Sparks, Brigham Young University, “Redneck Stonehenge”
• Second Place: Elena Garcia, Brigham Young University, “David Blackinton retires”
• Third Place: Jason Sparks, Brigham Young University, “Ghost Legend”

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Mandy Walker, University of Colorado at Boulder, “No place like home”
• Second Place: Shabnam Kunwar, Brigham Young University, “Giving Back”
• Third Place: no award

Radio Sports Reporting
no awards

Radio Newscast
• First Place: Staff, Classical 89 News, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Josh Middleton, Colorado State University, “Iraq vets march for peace to DNC”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award


Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Caitlin Hansen, Brigham Young University, “Paraglider crash”
• Second Place: Stephanie Stone, Brigham Young University, “Breakin”
• Third Place: David Herd, Brigham Young University, “Rehab”

Television Feature
• First Place: Jeanette Lefrandt, Brigham Young University, “Boatleg”
• Second Place: Erika Bailey, Brigham Young University, “Dog”
• Third Place: Caitlin Hansen, Brigham Young University, “Underwater pumpkin carving”


Television In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Trent Boulter, Brigham Young University, “BYU-Utah Gym”
• Second Place: Ben Dennett & Rachel Hamilton, Brigham Young University, “Ronnie Price”
• Third Place: Benjamin Brune, Colorado State University, Josh Morton profile

Television News Photography
• First Place: Nicolas Tapia, Colorado State University, “Civil Disobedience”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Feature Photography
no awards


Television Sports Photography
no awards

Television Newscast
• First Place: Staff, CTV, Colorado State University
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Mckenzie Romero & Matthew Montgomery, Southern Utah University, “Fire destroys local businesses”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Staff, Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation, “AIDS Awareness”
• Second Place: Staff, Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation, “Rethinking Disability”
• Third Place: Ashley Schiller, Utah State University, Elk are fun, but horses star at hardware ranch”

Online In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Online Sports Reporting
no awards

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Samantha Strong, Brigham Young University, “Black Friday…, Temporary Activation.., and Virtual Packaging”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best Affiliated Web site
no awards

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: Staff, Hard News Café, Utah State University
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

For additional information on the Mark of Excellence Awards, please contact Lauren Rochester at (317) 927-8000 ext. 210 or lrochester@spj.org.

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 on SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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