The California News Publishers Association recognized San Quentin News writers with seven awards in its 2021 California Journalism Awards Print Contest.
For coverage of youth and education, Managing Editor Charles Crowe received Second Place and Spanish Journalism Guild Chair Edwin E. Chavez received Fifth Place. For editorials, Editor-in-Chief Marcus Henderson received Second, Third, and Fourth Places. In the sports feature category, Journalism Guild Chair Steve Brooks received Second Place. For a feature story, Senior Editor Juan Haines received Fourth Place.
“I was surprised!” said Crowe, “I didn’t know my article was nominated for an award. I’m honored for my writing to be recognized on a statewide level, outside of prison journalism.”
The SQNews competes with the other CNPA member publications with monthly or weekly printed circulation of 25,001 copies or more. In the 2020 contest, SQNews writers received five awards.
“Bravo! Well done,” said longtime SQNews adviser Jan Perry, relaying other volunteers’ congratulatory comments to the News staff.
Perry is one of a few advisers who regularly sit with the writers to edit and proof their articles for each issue of the SQNews. She commended the award-winning journalists for their stick-to-itiveness throughout SQNews’ rigorous training and editing, and noted the growth in writing confidence and skills she has seen them achieve.
The annual competition honors journalistic achievement and advances CNPA’s mission to strengthen newsmedia communities and “to foster the highest ideals, ethics and traditions of journalism, a free press and the news profession.”
