Arkansas Press Women members took home 41 awards from the National Federation of Press Women banquet on Sept. 26, in Ellicott City, Maryland where communicators from throughout the United States were honored at the conference.
Nearly 2,000 entries were submitted in this year’s contest including entries from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
“The NFPW professional communications contest puts a spotlight on outstanding entries from throughout the United States,” says Helen S. Plotkin, NFPW professional contest director. “Our judges continue to comment about the high quality of entries they judge in the contest.”
Arkansas Press Women members won the following awards:
Laura Antolinez, NWACC Eagle View
- 1st Place — Collegiate / Education > 58 -Writing > 58B – Features for “From Wood to Dreams”
David Barham, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Honorable Mention — Writing > 04 – Editorial/Op-Ed for “Power to the people?”
Andrew DeMillo, Arkansas Advocate
- Honorable Mention — Writing > Feature Story > 05C – Online publication for “An Arkansas organist is playing 18 hours of Bach this year, one lunch break at a time”
Sarah Engebrecht, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- 3rd Place — Graphics and Design > 24A – Graphics for “Purple reign”
Angelita Faller, formerly of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock
- 1st Place — Information for the Media > 55 – News or Feature Releases – Multiple Releases for “UA Little Rock Cybersecurity Program Series”
- 2nd Place — Information for the Media > 56 – Media Pitch for “$1 Coin Released in Honor of Navy ‘Hidden Figure’ Raye Montague”
Antoinette Grajeda, Tess Vrbin, Ainsley Platt, Arkansas Advocate
- 1st Place — Writing > 03 – In-depth Reporting for “Overcrowded”
Audrey Hanes, Occasions Publishing Group
- 1st Place — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07S – Style for “Bearded Bouquet Brings Festive Florals to the White House”
Dwain Hebda, Mark Carter, Mike Bedgood, AY Media Group
- 2nd Place — Public Relations Materials > 53 – Catalog, Manual, or Handbook for “TAGGART: Celebrating 50 Years of Architecture”
Dwain Hebda, AY Media Group
- Honorable Mention — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07A – Agriculture for “All Grit, No Quit”
- 2nd Place — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07E – Food for “Food is Love”
- 1st Place — Writing > 01 – News Story > 01B – Magazine, newsletter/other print publication for “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”
Mary Hightower, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Honorable Mention — Publications Regularly Written by Entrant > 10B – Newsletter/other publication, nonprofit, government or educational for “ONE Division”
Carrie Hill, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- 3rd Place — Graphics and Design > 24B – Infographics for “WWII Arkansan prisoner of war”
Tammy Keith, Freelance Journalist
- Honorable Mention — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07Q – Social issues for “Conway Ministry Center makes final push to open The Refuge”
- Honorable Mention — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07M – Health for “Gina Flake is fighting back”
Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio
- 1st Place — Prepared Report > 28A – Radio for “Arkansas white supremacist group draws international attention”
Josie Lenora, Maggie Ryan, Little Rock Public Radio
- 1st Place — Special Programming > 29A – Radio for “Track One”
Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- 1st Place — Writing > 01 – News Story > 01A – Print-based newspaper for “Baptists’ predator database not done”
- Honorable Mention — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07N – Religion for “State religious figures recall Kirk’s faith”
Casey Mann, University of Arkansas
- 1st Place — Collegiate / Education > 59 – Prepared Report for Radio/Television Student Media > 59A – Radio for “Devil’s Den tragedy renews focus on hiking safety, state park security”
Thomas Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- 1st Place — Photography > 21 – Single Photograph > 21B – Sports photo for “Hog Leap”
- 1st Place — Photography > 21 – Single Photograph > 21C – General photo for “Cheer”
Kristin Netterstrom Higgins, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- 2nd Place — Electronic Newsletter > 40A – Nonprofit, government, or educational for “Arkansas Ballot Issue Education Newsletter”
Patrick Newton, formerly of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service
- 2nd Place — Public Relations Materials > 51 – Report for “Clinton School of Public Service 20-Year Impact Report”
Brittney Osborn, Occasions Publishing Group
- 1st Place — Advertising > 42 – Single Advertisement for “Great Food, Great Vibes”
Kaley Osborne, University of Central Arkansas
- 2nd Place — Advertising > 44 – Advertising Poster, Billboard or Banner for “Chocolate Fantasy Ball benefitting Ronald McDonald House”
Michelle Parks, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, University of Arkansas
- Honorable Mention — Publication Regularly Edited by Entrant > 19B – Magazine/Magapaper for “ReView 2025”
Ainsley Platt, Arkansas Advocate
- 2nd Place — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07G – Government or politics for “Fix for aging Arkansas prison wastewater plant years behind schedule”
Aneyda Reynaga, NWACC Eagle View
- 2nd Place — Collegiate / Education > Writing > 58D – Opinion/Editorial/Reviews for “ICE-Y Thanksgiving”
Kat Robinson, Tonti Press
- Honorable Mention — Writing > 05 – Feature Story > 05B – Magazine, newsletter/other publication for “Sweet! Delta Dirt’s story is rooted in farming and family”
- 2nd Place — Writing > 07 – Specialty Articles > 07I – History for “Thanksgiving Dinner in Arkansas: A Brief History”
- 1st Place — Web and Social Media > 39 – Social Media Presence > 39C – Personal for “Kat Robinson, Arkansas author and food historian”
Caitlyn Shaw, University of Arkansas
- 1st Place — Collegiate / Education > 58 -Writing > 58A – News for “Feeding Fayetteville: How Churches are Serving the People”
Riley Smith, Chelsea Castillo, Aneyda Reynaga, Kay King, NWACC Eagle View
- 2nd Place — Collegiate / Education > 59 – Prepared Report for Radio/Television Student Media > 59B – Television for “No Kings Protest”
Aprille Spivey, Arkansas Children’s
- 1st Place — Web and Social Media > 37 – Blog > 37A – Nonprofit, government or educational for “He Needed to Be in Arkansas: Mobile ECMO Transport to Arkansas Children’s Saves Louisiana Flu Patient”
Klansee Tozer, Carrie Phillips, University of Arkansas-Little Rock
- 2nd Place — Graphics and Design > 26 – Book Designed by Entrant for “Chancellor’s Annual Report”
Nathan Treece, Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio
- 1st Place — Radio and Television > 27 – On-the-scene Report > 27A – Radio for “Thousands take to the streets in Little Rock ‘No Kings’ protest”
Staci Vandagriff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- 1st Place — Photography > 21 – Single Photograph > 21A – News or feature photo for “Bubbles”
Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate
- 3rd Place — Writing > 01 – News Story > 01C – Online publication for “Infertility experts warn against ‘restorative reproductive medicine,’ promoted by new Arkansas law”
Jan Ziegler, Retired Educator
- 1st Place — Speeches > 57 – Speech for “Japanese Americans in the Arkansas Delta During World War II”