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POWELL, Wyo. - The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the nation's oldest and largest journalism organization, announced recently that two Northwest Trail reporters won national first place honors and will be recognized in September at the national SPJ convention.
The Trail is Northwest College’s student-produced weekly newspaper.
Incoming editor and senior government reporter Jessica Keller of Torrington took top honors in the SPJ’s Mark of Excellence Awards competition for her breaking news story on the NWC student senate ruling that denied the campus veterans club’s request for a community service exemption in applying for senate funding.
Former copy editor, columnist and reporter Deborah Cobb of Wright won first place for her in-depth story titled “Student mothers embrace heavy load.” This is Cobb's second consecutive national SPJ first-place award. Last year, she won for column writing, specifically for pieces she did on the unexpected passing of her mother and on working as a young woman, vegetarian and self-professed liberal at a male-dominated coal mining operation.
The pair of Trail staffers beat out entries from two-year colleges across the nation. They’ll receive their honors in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in September.
"There is really nothing more exciting and validating than to have student reporters you work with day in and day out recognized for their quality, ethical work by some of the industry's top professionals," Holly J. Wolcott, a NWC journalism instructor and Trail adviser, said.