ADVOCATE BRINGS HOME AWARDS

On Friday, April 26, nine Advocate staff members traveled to the annual Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA) Collegiate Day conference, winning a total of 24 awards for work published during 2018.

Taking place at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, the ONPA event is a half-day seminar and where college newspapers across the state are recognized for their best efforts.

The Advocate placed in the top three in 18 of the 21 categories designated. It earned second place for General Excellence out of all two-year colleges competing, and first place for Best Design out of all schools competing (two- and four-year colleges/universities, publishing daily/weekly).

Mt. Hood’s student newspaper also swept the Editorial category (winning first, second, and third place) for two-year institutions.

Students attended concurrent teaching sessions prior to the awards ceremony, learning from professional journalists. Tom Hallman Jr. of the Oregonian discussed reporting, interviewing and writing techniques; Rachel Alexander of Salem Reporter Online discussed reporting on schools, the Oregon Legislature and other public groups; and Lyndon Zaitz, publisher of the Keizer Times, discussed how to find stories and foster a sense of curiosity. Zaitz will soon serve as executive director of the ONPA. 

Awards won listed below.

General Excellence:Second place

Best Design:First place (out of all three size/circulation groups)

Best Section: First and third place

Best Special Section: Second and third place

Best Headline writing: First place, Cassie Wilson

Best News Story: Second place, Cassie Wilson

Best Feature Story: Third place, Cassie Wilson

Best Editorial: First, second and third place

Best Sports Story: Third place, Jonathan Zacarias

Best Review: First place, Kurt Larson 

Best Sports Photo: First place, Fletcher Wold

Best Columnist: First place, Kyle Venooker 

Best Cartooning: Second place, Sheila Embers

Best Graphic:First and second place: Prisma Flores and Matana McIntire; Eli Rankin 

Best Feature Photo: Second place, Fletcher Wold

Best Photography: First and second place, Fletcher Wold

Best House Ad: Second place 

Best website: Second place