Observer Newspapers nabs 8 editorial awards

Observer Newspapers won eight awards on July 1 from the 2011 Florida Press Association Better Weekly Newspaper Contest.

• Associate editor Isaac Babcock won first place in the Outdoor Writing category for “Miracle Horses”, a profile on the charity organization Freedom Ride at Trotters Park. Babcock also won first place in the Feature Story category for “Will Wright and the art of war”, a profile on the simulation gaming guru Will Wright. He took second place in the Sports Feature Story category for “Leaving a legacy on the water”, which spotlighted retiring Winter Park Crew Coach Dan Bertossa’s 30-year career.
• Graphic designer Eric Sly won first place in the Original Local Editorial Cartoon category for his Observer cartoon depicting an officer on a Segway asking dogs at Fleet Peeples Park for their license and registration.
• Associate editor Megan Stokes won second place in the In‐Depth News Reporting (Non‐Investigative) category for “Lost along the way” (Sun), which depicted the struggling population in the town of Bithlo. Stokes also won second place in the News Story (Gwen Stevenson Memorial Award) category for “Racial tensions high” (Sun), depicting the struggle between Hispanic and white students at East River High School.
• Contributing writer Carmen Carroquino won first place in the Health category for “Giving the gift of life” (Voice), a story about an Altamonte Springs woman donating an organ to a stranger using Matchingdonors.com
• Contributing writer Kristy Vickery won third place in the Education category for “Capturing a dream at any age” (Voice), about the Adult Literacy League.

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2011 Florida Press Association Better Weekly Newspaper Contest

Observer Newspapers awards:

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Sports Feature Story

Division C: under 7,000

Second Place: Winter Park‐Maitland Observer, Leaving a legacy on the water, Isaac Babcock

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Original Local Editorial Cartoon

Division C: under 7,000

1st Place: Winter Park‐Maitland Observer, Editorial Cartoon, Eric Sly

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Health (Single story or series)

Division B: 7,000‐15,000

1st Place: The Seminole Voice, Giving the gift of life, Carmen Carroquino

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Education (Single story or series)

Division B: 7,000‐15,000

3rd Place: The Seminole Voice, Capturing a dream at any age, Kristy Vickery

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Outdoor Writing (Feature‐ Article or Series)

Division B: 7,000‐15,000

1st Place: The Seminole Voice, Miracle horses, Isaac Babcock

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Feature Story25

Division B: 7,000‐15,000

1st Place: The Seminole Voice, Will Wright and the art of war, Isaac Babcock

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In‐Depth News Reporting (Non‐Investigative)

Division A: over 15,000

2nd Place: East Orlando Sun, Lost along the way, Megan Stokes

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News Story (Gwen Stevenson Memorial Award)

Division A: over 15,000

2nd Place: East Orlando Sun, Racial tensions high, Megan Stokes