By Lisa Diethelm
Cronkite students captured 29 awards — including four professional awards and all eight first- place awards in the student categories — in the 2020 Arizona Press Club contest.
The students won awards ranging from investigative and feature reporting to photojournalism and sports reporting. Students from Cronkite News, The State Press, News21 and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism placed in the student categories this year. Students working at The Arizona Republic also were recognized.
Winning stories covered such topics as Black Lives Matter, the effects of COVID-19, business, education and sports. They also included investigations of ASU’s process for handling sexual assault cases and and operations of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations agency.
Christina Leonard, executive editor of Cronkite News, said she is thrilled that so many students in Cronkite News, Cronkite Noticias, the Howard Center and student publications — as well as those producing stories for reporting courses — have been recognized.
“I’m just incredibly proud of the work our students put into this, and I’m continually impressed by their persistence and creativity and the way they’re able to go out and find these amazing stories,” she said. “It certainly makes what we do worthwhile, and I congratulate all the award winners and the hard work they put into these stories.”
For the professional categories, students from Cronkite Noticias took first and second in the Spanish-language feature reporting category, while News21 students took first in statewide education reporting.
Students also finished first and third in the statewide business reporting category with articles that were published in The Arizona Republic and The Boston Globe. The staff of the Howard Center also placed second in the Don Bolles Award for Investigative Reporting.
The Arizona Press Club, a nonprofit organization of professional reporters, editors, photographers and designers from publications across the state, work to promote excellence in journalism through the annual contest, training seminars, scholarships and networking events.
Here is the complete list of Cronkite’s Arizona Press Club winners:
Spanish-language feature reporting
First place: Allison Barton, Cronkite Noticias
“Piden equidad en tratamientos de problemas alimenticios en gente de color”
Second place: Tina Giuliano, Cronkite Noticias
“Falta de conocimiento de vital técnica hace más vulnerables a vecindarios hispanos”
The Don Bolles Award for Investigative Reporting
Second place: Staff of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Cronkite School at Arizona State University
Homeland Secrets
Statewide education reporting
First place: Daja E. Henry and Kimberly Rapanut, News21 at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
“‘Hit twice as hard’: Children with disabilities face onslaught of challenges”
Statewide business reporting
First place: Katie Surma, Anne Mickey and Jamie Fields for The Arizona Republic
“Nationwide Insurance bought one of the state’s most valuable parcels of land in Scottsdale. It also got a great deal”
Third place: Molly Bohannon, Jamie Fields, Megan Lupo and Natalie Walters for The Boston Globe
“Closed racetracks are leaving many thoroughbreds with nowhere to go”
Student investigative reporting
First Place: Wyatt Myskow, Andrew Onodera and Piper Hansen, The State Press
“ASU’s sexual assault investigation processes leave survivors traumatized, often without justice”
Second place: Staff of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Cronkite School at Arizona State University
“COVID’s Invisible Victims”
Third place: Wyatt Myskow and Piper Hansen, The State Press
“Incoming Cronkite dean has alleged history of racist, homophobic comments toward students”
Student news reporting
First place: Delia C. Johnson and Jill Ryan, News21
“‘Super-predator’ legacy: How children end up in the adult justice system”
Second place: Emily Dean, Cronkite News
“The hidden homeless: Growing number of older people living on the streets”
Third place: Garrett Stanley, State Press Magazine
“Abandoned in transition”
Student features reporting
First place: Jonmaesha Beltran, Cronkite News
“‘I wanted to do more than hold a sign’: Street medic crew forms out of Black Lives Matter protests”
Second place: Jill Ryan, News21
“A murder victim’s mother finds forgiveness after 27 years”
Third place: Lidia Terrazas, Cronkite Borderlands Project
“One Cuban migrant family’s long, perilous journey to freedom”
Student arts, culture and food
First place: McKenzie Allen-Charmley, Cronkite News
“Many Navajos face pandemic without running water, tribal members urged to ‘lift each other up’”
Second place: Katherine Sypher and Luke Simmons, Cronkite News
“Ajo group bands together to fight food insecurity during COVID-19”
Student sports reporting
First place: Averi Roberts, Cronkite News
“Lending a hand(print): Athletes raise awareness for missing, murdered Indigenous women”
Second place: Michael Gutnick, Cronkite News
“Tale of two brothers: Brinson, Steenn Pasichnuk share hockey journey from ASU to San Jose”
Third place: Amna Subhan, Cronkite News
“A Free Ride: Erick Cedeño cycles 2,200 miles to experience The Underground Railroad”
Student photojournalism: News
First place: Valerie Moffat, The State Press
“George Floyd BLM protests”
Second place: Diannie Chavez, The State Press
“Trump supporter at a “Keep America Great” rally”
Third place: Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic
“Protesters and Border Patrol clash”
Student photojournalism: Sports
First place: Samantha Chow, The State Press
“Gymnast”
Second place: Brady Klain, The Arizona Republic
“Joe Logano Celebration”
Third place: Brady Klain, Cronkite News
“Remy Martin Celebration”
Student photojournalism: Features
First place: Samantha Chow, The State Press
“Feeling blue”
Second place: Diannie Chavez, The State Press
“Demonstrator for indigenous rights”
Third place: Meg Potter, The Arizona Republic
“Zoppe Family Circus”