The managing editor of the Clearwater Record – Ewing News took home the top sweepstakes award in the 2016 Nebraska Press Women Communications Contest. LuAnn Schindler earned 12 first-place awards on her way to the top spot. In addition to her duties for the News, she contributes to the Neligh News & Leader.
NPW Communications Contest awards were presented April 29, 2017, in North Platte during NPW’s spring convention. The contest recognized top work published in 2016.
The Beel Sweepstakes awards, the highest awards given in the NPW communications competition, are named after the late Marianne Beel, a longtime NPW member and contest director. The Beel Sweepstakes awards are given to the three entrants who earned the most points. Points are awarded based on an entrant’s placement in each category entered, as well as number of entrants in the respective categories.
Carla Chance of Cedar Creek, with eight first-place awards, placed second. She is the marketing and communications director for Video King in Omaha.
Lori Potter, a staff writer, photographer and columnist for the Kearney Hub, placed third with nine first-place awards.
Earning honorable mentions in the sweepstakes awards were Kamie Stephen of North Platte and Erika Pritchard of Kearney.
First-place entries in 60 categories advanced to national competition, which is sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women. Results will be announced at NFPW’s annual convention in September in Birmingham, Ala.
Contest results (listed alphabetically by community):
Cedar Creek – Carla Chance of Cedar Creek, Video King: First-place awards in corporate website editing; corporate social media campaigns; advertising campaign; advertising posters, billboards or banners; corporate newsletters; corporate brochures; catalogs or manuals; and direct mail marketing; second-place awards in science or technology articles; infographics; videos for corporate website; single advertisement; and audiovisuals; third place in headlines; and honorable mentions in arts and entertainment and travel articles.
Clearwater – LuAnn Schindler of Clearwater, Clearwater Record-Ewing News and the Neligh News & Leader: First place in news story for online publications; editorial/opinion for magazines; arts and entertainment, business, health and fitness, social issues and sports articles; general and informational columns; graphics and infographics; and single advertisement; second place in personality profile, 500 words or fewer; education, environmental, hobby and religion articles; humorous columns; infrequent newspaper section editing; photo essay; corporate website editing; personal blogs; and corporate newsletters; third place in agriculture and government or political articles; personal/opinion columns; newspaper page or section editing; newspaper page design and single news or feature release; and honorable mentions in continuing covering; feature story for newspapers; personality profile, more than 500 words; science or technology articles; publication editing, newspapers; magazine page design; and sports photo.
Grand Island – Bette Pore of Grand Island, Grand Island Independent: First place in infrequent newspaper section editing, second place in editorial/opinion for newspaper, headlines; newspaper page or section editing; and newspaper page design; and honorable mention in reviews.
Grand Island – Joni Ransom of Grand Island, Central Community College: First place in news story for magazines or newsletters, and feature story for magazines or newsletters; second place in magazines; and third place in newsletters for nonprofits or educational institutions.
Osceola – Terri Hahn of Osceola, Grand Island Independent: First-place awards in headlines, newspaper page or section editing; and newspaper page design; and third place in infrequent newspaper section editing.
Kearney – Glennis Nagel of Kearney: First place in brochures for nonprofits (with Lori Potter)
Kearney – Lori Potter of Kearney, Kearney Hub: First-place awards in agriculture, education, environmental, science or technology articles; humorous columns; sports photo, photo essay, photographer/writer and brochures for nonprofits (with Glennis Nagel); second place in news story for newspapers; feature story for newspaper; personality profile, more than 500 words; government or political and history articles; general and personal/opinion columns; third place in business articles; and honorable mentions in travel articles, news or feature photos and general photos.
Kearney – Erika Pritchard of Kearney, Kearney Hub: First-place awards in feature story for newspapers; government or political articles; and general photos; second-place awards in agriculture and business articles; news or feature photos; and photographer-writer; third-place awards in news story for newspaper; continuing coverage or unfolding news; personality profile, more than 500 words; and education articles; and honorable mention in photo essay.
Kearney – Heather Riggleman of Kearney; first place for personal/opinion columns.
Lincoln – Jennifer Gjerde of Lincoln, Nebraska Tourism Commission: First-place awards in audiovisuals; non-profit newsletters; single news or feature release; and speeches; and second place in multiple news or feature releases.
North Platte – Lori Clinch of North Platte, North Platte Telegraph: Third place in humorous columns.
North Platte – Heather Johnson of North Platte, Mid-Plains Community College: First-place awards in feature story for online publications; personality profile, 500 words or fewer; personality profile, more than 500 words; magazines; and multiple news or feature releases; and second-place awards in magapapers; and single news or feature release.
North Platte – Kamie Stephen of North Platte, North Platte Telegraph: First place in continuing coverage; enterprise reporting; editorial/opinion for newspapers; news or feature photo; personal blogs; and videos for corporate websites; third place in feature story for newspapers and history articles; and honorable mention in photographer/writer.
Omaha – Sherry Thompson of Omaha, consultant: First place in social media campaign for nonprofits and reports; and second place in newsletters for nonprofits.
Seward – Jill Martin of Seward, Seward County Independent: First-place awards in news story for newspaper; and history articles; third-place awards in newspapers page design; and photographer-writer; and honorable mention in news or feature photo.
West Point – Delores Meister of West Point, freelancer: First-place awards in individual achievement and religion articles; second place in continuing coverage; third place in arts and entertainment articles; and honorable mentions in agriculture, business and history articles.
West Point – Bev Wieler of West Point, West Point News: Honorable mentions in news story for newspapers and feature story for newspapers.
