Kentucky Kernel Has Award-Winning Weekend

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 31, 2011) − The staff of the Kentucky Kernel, the University of Kentucky's independent student-run newspaper, had a triumphant weekend recently. The Kernel received the General Excellence award in the University division of the Kentucky Press Association's 2010 Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers competition on Friday, Jan. 21. This is the seventh straight win for the Kernel as the best college newspaper in Kentucky. In addition to the General Excellence award, Kernel staff received awards in all three areas of the competition - writing, photography and design.

"All of us in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications congratulate the Kernel and its very talented group of reporters, photographers and designers on their success," said Beth Barnes, director of the UK School of Journalism and Telecommunications. "We always tout the opportunity to work at an outstanding student newspaper as a reason for prospective students to choose UK. This latest round of accolades helps to make that case even more strongly."

The Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association and Kentucky News Photographers Association also announced award winners on Jan. 22 in Louisville. Kernel staff members took multiple awards from both associations. Barnes noted that it is particularly impressive that Kernel staff winners in the Kentucky News Photographers Association were competing against students from schools with stand-alone photojournalism departments.

"It’s always great to get external validation as to the strength of UK’s student journalists relative to their peers in Kentucky," she said.

The Kernel staff is supported by several advisers, including student publications adviser Chris Poore, design adviser May May Barton, photojournalism adviser David Stephenson, advertising director Tim Martin and business manager Patsy Martin.

"These students essentially volunteer to work a lot of long hours. They do it because they love it and they think it's important," said Poore. "I'm so happy that pros have continued to recognize their hard work and dedication in these contests. And I'm proud to watch each Kernel staff set the bar of achievement for the next one." 

In national competition, Kernel staffers have already scored two top-five wins in the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Hearst Journalism Awards Program. The Hearst competition is open to journalism majors at programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

The Kentucky Kernel is a daily, student-run publication of the University of Kentucky with a circulation of 17,000 and a readership of more than 30,000. For more information about the Kentucky Kernel, call (859) 257-2872.

Kentucky Press Association (KPA) category winners:

--Best Editorial — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Best Spot News Coverage — 1st place, Cassie Herrington
--Best General News Story — 2nd place, Austin Schmitt; honorable mention, Roy York
--Best Column — 2nd place, Wesley Robinson
--Best Sports Story — 2nd place, Ben Jones
--Best Sport Feature Story — 3rd place, Nick Craddock
--Best Enterprise or Analytical Story — 1st place, Katie Saltz; 2nd place, Andrew Pillow
--Best Investigative Story or Series — 1st place, Brian Shlowsky, Becca Clemons & Taylor Moak
--Best On-Going/Extended Coverage Story — 1st place, Katie Perkowski, Laura Clark, Austin Schmitt & Landon Antonetti; 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel Staff
--Best Business/Agribusiness Story — 2nd place, Becca Clemons; honorable mention, Brian Shlonsky
--Best Headline — 2nd place, Katie Saltz
--Best Spot News Picture — 2nd place, Allie Garza; 3rd place, Zack Brake
--Best General News Picture — 1st place, Allie Garza; 3rd place, Zack Brake
--Best Picture Essay (Spot, General or Feature) -- 1st place, Allie Garza; 2nd place, Britney McIntosh; honorable mention, Zack Brake
--Best Sports Picture — 3rd place, Britney McIntosh
--Best Sports Picture Essay — 1st place, Britney McIntosh & Scott Flannigan; 3rd place, Ed Matthews
--Special Sections — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel Staff
--Best Sports Page/Section — 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel Staff
--Best Lifestyle Page — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel Staff
--Best Front Page — 3rd place, Kentucky Kernel Staff

Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association (KIPA) category winners:

--News Story — 1st place, Patrick Sullivan; 2nd place, Garrett Wymer
--Continuing News — 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Analyses and Special Reports — honorable mention, Andrew Pillow
--Features — 1st place, Nick Craddock; 2nd place, Ben Jones
--Feature Story — 2nd place, Katie Saltz; honorable mention, Katie Saltz
--Review — 1st place, Matt Murray
--General Interest Column — honorable mention, Katie Saltz
--Commentary — 1st place, Cassidy Herrington
--Opinion Pages — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Sports Game Story — honorable mention, Metz Camfield; honorable mention, Nick Craddock
--Sports News Story — 2nd place, Garrett Wymer; honorable mention, Aaron Smith
--Sports Feature — 1st place, Ben Jones
--Sports Column — honorable mention, Andy Burress
--Overall Layout — honorable mention, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Front Page Layout — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel staff; honorable mention, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Sports Page Layout — 1st place, Andy Burress
--Best Special Section — 1st place, Andy Burress
--Best News Headline — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel staff; 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Best Feature Headline — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel staff; 3rd place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Best Sports Headline — 1st place, Kentucky Kernel staff; honorable mention, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Original Illustrations — 1st place, Jody Beamer
--Informational Graphic — 2nd place, Andy Burress
--Sports Photo — 1st place, Britney McIntosh; 2nd place, Mike Weaver; honorable mention, Britney McIntosh
--Photo Essay — 1st place, Britney McIntosh; 2nd place, Britney McIntosh; honorable mention, Brandon Goodwin, Allie Garza, Britney McIntosh & Scott Hannigan
--Advertising Design — 2nd place, Jody Beamer
--House Ad — honorable mention, Jody Beamer
--Advertising Art — 1st place, Jody Beamer
--Advertising Copy — 2nd place, Jody Beamer; honorable mention, Jody Beamer
--Advertising Campaign — 2nd place, Andy Burress
--Online Home Page — 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Overall Web Site — 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Best Special Section (Online) -- 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel staff; 3rd place, Kentucky Kernel staff
--Best Inside Page (Online) -- 2nd place, Kentucky Kernel staff

Kentucky News Photographers Association (KNPA) category winners:

--Student Photographer of the Year - Runner-Up, Britney McIntosh

--Sports Picture Story - 1st Place, Britney McIntosh

--News Picture Story - 1st Place, Britney McIntosh

--Picture Package - 2nd Place, Latara Appleby

--Sports Feature - 3rd Place, Britney McIntosh  

--Sports Action - Honorable Mention, Britney McIntosh

--Sports Action - Honorable Mention, Britney McIntosh

--Spot News - Honorable Mention, Britney McIntosh  

--General News - Honorable Mention, Brandon Goodwin

-- Multimedia - Honorable Mention, Brandon Goodwin

Photos and a complete list of winners can be found at www.knpa.org.