ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Wins 51 Awards at SPJ ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Chapter’s Excellence in Journalism Contest
HARTFORD [July 22, 2024] - ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is proud to announce that it has been honored with 51 awards at the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Chapter’s Excellence in Journalism Contest. These accolades highlight the outstanding work of our journalists in delivering compelling, impactful, and compassionate stories across a wide range of categories.
The SPJ ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Chapter’s Excellence in Journalism Contest is an annual event recognizing the best in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø journalism. This year's entries showcased the significant contributions journalists make in informing and engaging the community. The contest serves as the chapter's largest fundraiser, supporting scholarships for journalism students and other important initiatives.
Eric Aasen, Executive Editor of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, expressed his pride in the team’s achievements, “These awards are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and excellence of our journalists. Their commitment to uncovering the truth and telling stories that matter to our community is truly inspiring. We are honored to be recognized by our peers and will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.â€
Vanessa de la Torre, Chief Content Officer at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, echoed these sentiments, “Our team is passionate about serving the public through our news and storytelling. We’re grateful for these awards from SPJ’s ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø chapter because they reflect our newsroom’s relentless pursuit of high standards in local journalism.â€
The wins for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø include:
Arts & Entertainment/Broadcast  â¶Ä¯
First Place: A violinist who defied the Islamic State is now performing his music in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø; WNPR; Lori Mack   
Third Place: Disrupted: A candid conversation with comedian Roy Wood Jr.; WNPR; Khalilah Brown-Dean, Wayne Edwards, Kevin Chang Barnum, Meg Dalton  
Breaking News/Broadcast  â¶Ä¯
First Place: 'We're in shock': State Rep. Quentin Williams dies in early morning hours following inauguration; WNPR; Frankie Graziano, Patrick Skahill   
Second Place: 'Put down the guns': Hartford honors life of 12-year-old shooting victim Se’Cret Pierce; WNPR; Chris Polansky   
Business/Broadcast  â¶Ä¯
First Place: Coverage of Lego's departure out of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø; WNPR; Matt Dwyer   
Second Place: Hundreds of West Hartford apartments open on nunnery grounds; WNPR; Abigail Brone  
Continuing Coverage/Broadcast   
First Place: When ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø police investigate sexual assault, some victims become suspects; WNPR; Bria Lloyd, Lori Mack   
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First Place: Conviction integrity units promise a lifeline for the wrongfully convicted. But justice moves slowly; WNPR; Kate Seltzer â¶Ä¯â€¯
Third Place: Housing evictions in CT are rarely violent, but there are no rules to track them; WNPR; Abigail Brone  
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First Place: Educational attainment drops in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø prisons; WNPR; Ashad Hajela, Jim Haddadin   
Second Place: What's a classic car? In CT, 20-year-old vehicles make the cut; WNPR; Patrick Skahill, Jim Haddadin, Walter Smith Randolph, Sam Hockaday  
Diversity Coverage/Broadcast
Third Place: Love for trans son inspires first known LGBTQ+ Pride event in Guilford; WNPR; Kay Perkins  
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First Place: Teen chefs, big dreams; WNPR; Ryan Caron King, Julianne Varacchi, Dave Wurtzel, Tyler Russell  â¶Ä¯
Third Place: Stamford teen and others with severe disabilities are falling through the gaps in CT, attorneys say; WNPR; Sujata Srinivasan  
Feature Story/Broadcast 
Second Place: For these quilters, sewing isn’t just a hobby. Their stitches honor their ancestors' stories; WNPR; Diane Orson  
Health/Broadcast
First Place: Can $500 each month, no strings attached, improve health outcomes for people recently incarcerated?; WNPR; Sujata Srinivasan   
Second Place: A housing activist opens up his backyard to unhoused people; they say it's improving their health; WNPR; Sujata Srinivasan  
Government/Broadcast
First Place: Wrongful conviction claims languish in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø; WNPR; Kate Seltzer  â¶Ä¯
Second Place: CT’s new paid leave program denied one third of claims; WNPR; Jim Haddadin, Bria Lloyd   
Third Place: Former CT Sen. Joe Lieberman says 'No Labels' doesn't mean 'yes' to Trump; WNPR; John Henry Smith  
In-Depth/Broadcast
First Place: More than a movie; WNPR; Dave Wurtzel, Mark Mirko  
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Second Place: Doctor disciplinary records in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø missing key information; WNPR; Kate Seltzer, Bria Lloyd, Jim Haddadin  
Leisure/Broadcast
First Place: Seasoned: The gift of the Buffalo Creek squash; WNPR; Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Tagan Engel, Stephanie Stender, Meg Dalton, Catie Talarski   
Third Place: Why is ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø's fall foliage so stunning? Take a hike through a forest to find out; WNPR; Patrick Skahill  
Local Reporting/Broadcast
First Place: New solutions to assisting unhoused people: Moving beyond the shelter model; WNPR; Sujata Srinivasan, Tess Terrible   
Religion/Broadcast
First Place: In Greenwich, a Black church celebrates 126 years of building community; WNPR; Eddy Martinez   
Second Place: New Haven church installs first African American senior minister; WNPR; Eddy Martinez  
Reporting Series/Broadcast 
First Place: Transforming corrections; WNPR; Walter Smith Randolph, Bria Lloyd, Catherine Shen   
Second Place: Coverage of Latino communities in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø; WNPR; Maricarmen Cajahuaringa  
Sports News/Broadcast â¶Ä¯
First Place: Breaking down the federal ruling on transgender athletes in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø; WNPR; John Henry Smith   
Second Place: Meet a New England woman who just swam the entire length of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø River; WNPR; Jennifer Ahrens  
Feature Photo/Broadcast 
First Place: Bushnell Carousel LED upgrade; WNPR; Tyler Russell   
Second Place: Stamford teen and others with severe disabilities are falling through the gaps in CT; WNPR; Joe Amon  
News Photo/Broadcast 
First Place: Ice storm; WNPR; Mark Mirko  â¶Ä¯
Second Place: Se'Cret Pierce; WNPR; Tyler Russell  
Third Place: No-fault eviction; WNPR; Joe Amon   
Photo Essay/Broadcast 
First Place: Hundreds protest eviction of tenants in New Haven; WNPR; Mark Mirko   
Second Place: UConn students celebrate as men's hoops scores its 5th NCAA title; WNPR; Ayannah Brown  
Sports Photo/Broadcast 
First Place: Nika Muhl; WNPR; Joe Amon   
Second Place: Quinnipiac Frozen Four; WNPR; Dave Wurtzel  
Video Storytelling/Broadcast 
First Place: Climate change along ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s coast; WNPR; Ryan Caron King, Julianne Varacchi, Sam Hockaday
Headline/Broadcast
First Place: Headline portfolio by Patrick Skahill; WNPR; Patrick Skahill â¶Ä¯
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First Place: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø considers a '67 Chevy a classic car. So is a '95 Corolla. Opinions are mixed.; WNPR; Sam Hockaday, Jim Haddadin   
Second Place: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has more than 200 bridges in poor condition. What will it take to fix them?; WNPR; Jim Haddadin  
Innovative Digital Storytelling/Broadcast
First Place: Impacts of climate change along ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s shoreline; WNPR; Ryan Caron King, Sabrina Herrera   
Second Place: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø River flooding; WNPR; Dave Wurtzel, Francesca Fontanez   
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Pro Chapter of SPJ is committed to supporting a free press and fostering excellence among journalists. Their dedication to promoting high standards and ethical behavior in journalism is invaluable, and we are honored to contribute to their mission.