Times staffers win 32 awards
By Duane A. Beyal
Navajo Times
July 28, 2011
On May 20, our advertising staff won 7 awards at the Arizona Newspapers Association's Excellence in Advertising competition.
On May 21, our news staff won 9 awards at the annual Arizona Press Club's Best in Journalism in Arizona competition.
On July 16, the news staff won 16 awards at the Native American Journalist Association's annual conference.
Among the awards at NAJA, the "Newspaper of the Navajo people" won the General Excellence award, the highest for overall quality.
As with each year's competitions, these awards are a tribute to you, our readers, whom we serve each and every day.
The following is the list of awards from these three contests.
Arizona Press Club
- Health Reporting: 3rd place, Cindy Yurth, "Hoofed healers."
- Environmental/Science Reporting: 2nd place, Cindy Yurth, "Tsé Nani' ahi monument turns 100" and "Doing it the old way, or not, area offers beauty."
- Social Issues Reporting: 1st place, Marley Shebala and Bill Donovan, a collection of stories about eviction of families from housing in Church Rock, N.M.
- Education Reporting: 2nd place, Cindy Yurth, "Finding the heartbeat; Monument Valley High veterinary science program unique."
- Sports Reporting: 1st place, Candace Begody, "A long shot; Female boxer works to qualify for Olympic trials"; 2nd place, Sunnie Redhouse, "For the Peshlakai family."
- Column Writing: 3rd place, Bill Donovan, tribal politics.
- Sports Action Photography: 3rd place, Paul Natonabah, "Whoa, Nelly!"
- Sports Feature Photography: 1st place, Donovan Quintero, "PBR."
Native American Journalists Association
- General Excellence, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: Navajo Times.
- Best Layout, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: Navajo Times.
- Best Feature, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Marley Shebala, "Future MBA"; 2nd place, Jan-Mikael Patterson, "Day by day."
- Best Associate News Story, Division 1: 1st place, Cindy Yurth, "Unlucky horse."
- Best News Photo, Daily/Weekly Division 1: 1st place, Leigh Jimmie, "Wood harvest."
- Best Feature Photo, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Leigh Jimmie, "Winter fun"; 2nd place, Paul Natonabah, "Class of 2010."
- Best News Story, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Erny Zah, "A gathering storm"; 2nd place, Jan-Mikael Patterson, "Saying goodbye."
- Best Sports Story, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Sunnie (Redhouse) Clahchischiligi, "Santa Fe Indian School wins state; In memory of Peshlakai sisters."
- Best Sports Photo, Daily/Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Paul Natonabah, "Whoa, Nelly"; 2nd place, Leigh Jimmie, "Tip Off Classic"; 3rd place, Leigh Jimmie, "Eehaniih Days."
- Best Editorial, Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Duane A. Beyal, "Stop the chaos."
- Best Column, Weekly, Division 1: 1st place, Erny Zah, "Moment of kinship softens raging heart."
Arizona Newspapers Association - Excellence in Advertising
- General Excellence, Division 3 - Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 3rd place, Navajo Times.
- Best Black & White Ad, Division 3 - Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 1st place, Elise Bennett and Vernon Yazzie, Navajo Times, "Stand up comedy."
- Best Paid Ad Series, Black & White, Division 3 - Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 1st place, Elise Bennett and Vernon Yazzie, Navajo Times, "Sammy C's."
- Best Special Section, Newspaper Supplement or Magazine, Division 3 -Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 3rd place, Navajo Times, "Navajo Nation Fair."
- Best Online Ad, Static, Division 3 - Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 3rd place, Elise Bennett and Vernon Yazzie, Navajo Times, "Shelley Jim."
- Best Online Ad, Animated, Division 3 - Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 3rd place, Elise Bennett and Vernon Yazzie, Navajo Times, "Shelley Jim."
- Best Pro Bono/Public Service Ad, Division 3 - Non-Daily circulation greater than 10,000: 1st place, Elise Bennett and Vernon Yazzie, Navajo Times, "Tip a Cop lunch."