Eagle staff garners most wins ever at UPA’s Better Newspaper Contest
Twenty-two awards, the most ever, were won by Utah State University Eastern’s The Eagle newspaper staff at the Utah Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. The staff placed in the top three of all but eight categories.
The awards were slated to be announced at the annual UPA dinner in March, but the COVID-19 put the announcement on hiatus as UPA’s Executive Director Brian Allfrey hoped to reschedule the dinner to announce the winners. In an email, he wrote, “We are saddened that we could not meet in person to present these awards due the ongoing pandemic. We are looking forward to next year’s event at Rice-Eccles Stadium in March 2021.”
The Eagle newspaper competes in category three against all Utah college and university newspapers. Its staff won four first-place awards, 10 second-place awards and eight third-place awards.
Nathan Milch, Salt Lake City, won three awards: first place for his best circulation ad titled “The Eagle is Delivered Every Other Week . . . Pick Up Your Copy;” second for his “Let Down Your Hair” cosmetology ad; and third for best editorial “Fighting America’s ‘First Order’ of the Far Right.”
Emma Campbell, Fresno, Calif., won first for her best government/political story on
“USUE DACA Students Not if Favor of Trump’s Negotiations Over Wall.”
The layout staff won first for its Fan Appreciation Night’s White-Out Game” ad.
Julie Park, Riverton, Utah, won first for her best sports page layout.
Kalli Prendergast, Sparks, Nev., also won three awards: second place for her design of best front page; second for her best in-house self promotion, “Before They Fly Away, Grab One Today; and third for her best general news story about “Eastern Student’s Car Hit by Boulder in Price Canyon.”
Cody Phelps, West Valley City, Utah, won second for his best news series on “Recruiting at USU Eastern is a Work in Progress.”
Paige Martinez, Price, won second place for her best community event layout featuring the SUN Center’s Spring Breakaway. Terry Johnson provided the photos. She also won third for best photo page. Her layout/design featured the USU Eastern Rodeo in Price fall semester. Levan Hall, Price, took the photos.
Tai Justice, Huntington, Utah, won second for his best sports columns.
Rilee Jones, Layton, won second place for best lifestyles page featuring Craig Jessop, USU’s Dean for the USU Caine College of the Arts and third for best special section featuring Black History Month.
Les Bowen, Olympia, Wash., won second for best website: usueasterneagle.com
Sara Morley, Price, won second for best news photograph. On U.S.-6, she snapped a photo of a wall of mud and water being washed down a canyon before it covered the road and shut down all traffic between Price and Spanish Fork for almost four days last fall.
Tyson Chappell, Price, won second for best sports photograph of the victory celebration when USU Eastern defeated #13 College of Southern Idaho men at home.
Racquel Bera, Price, won third place for the best business story on the “Soccer Team Scores New Equipment.”
The Eagle staff won third for best news coverage.
Levan Hall, Price, won third place for best feature photograph of dancer, Madison Burrola, dressed as a zombie for the Odyssey Dance Company’s performance of “Thriller” on campus.
Last, the staff won third place for its best infographic about a “Decade of Enrollment Ups and Downs.”
The Eagle is advised by Susan A. Polster, Ph.D. “The Eagle has the smallest circulation in the state, the smallest student body in the state and its staff continues to write and publish one of the best newspapers in the state. It’s a tribute to all the students who have worked on it throughout the years,” she said.
UPA was established 127 years ago to represented Utah’s newspapers and help people gain access to print media.
Its purpose is to function as a collective voice and a legislative watch for all Utah-member newspapers. As Utah’s oldest trade association, it represents Utah’s finest, most respected journalism. Utah Press Association annually recognizes excellence in Utah’s newspapers and presents awards to industry leaders at its Better Newspaper Contest.
