National Contest Results
by Cecilia Green

IWPA has racked up what we believe are a record number of National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest award winners, at least in current history, both on the member and student levels.

IWPA pros win 15 national awards
Eleven IWPA members with a total of 15 entries have received national awards. The 35 IWPA entries in the NFPW Communications Contest, which were judged by professionals from across the country, had to receive first place in their categories at the state level to go on for national judging. This competition recognizes excellence in communications and covers a wide range of categories in print and electronic media, books, photography, advertising, public relations and Web sites.

National winners from Illinois are:

• Marlene Cook, Lansing
  First Place in Personal Column, Informational: "Ask South Holland Today," South Holland Today
• Cindy Cruz, Alsip
  Third Place in Feature Photo, Daily Newspaper:
  "Tea for 2 or 3" in The Times
• Val Ensalaco, Naperville
  First Place in Direct Mail Marketing: "Sorcerer's Ball" for Franciscan Sisters of Chicago
• Cecilia Green, Bartlett
  First Place in Annual Report, Internal: "Annual Report - Turnaround Management Association
  Third Place in Feature Release, Single, "3 Teachers Who Turned Around Students' Lives" for Turnaround Management Association
  Honorable Mention in Single Sheet Poster: "2004 SummerFest Fine Art Fair" for Arts in Bartlett
  Honorable Mention in News or Feature Release, Multiple: "Troubled Companies… Finding More
  Cash" and "Turnaround Business Slows as the Economy Picks Up" for Turnaround Management
  Association
• Jan Huttner, Chicago
  First Place in Writing for the Web, News: "Works of 11 Female Artists" for Women's Enew
• Ada Kahn, Evanston
  First Place in Nonfiction Book, Instructional: Encyclopedia of Work-Related Illnesses for Facts on File
• Vivian Malli, Chicago
  Third Place in Investigative Reporting: "Platform Learning Racing to be Ready to Aid Public Schools"
  The Gazette
• Nancy Shepherdson, Barrington
  Third Place in Personality Profile: "Writing for Godot," Los Angeles Times Magazine
• Pat Szpekowski, Algonquin
  First Place in Media Kit: "Spring Hill Mall Holiday 2004" for PMS Advertising
• Margaret Young, Ashley Hutchinson, and Ulrike Wackerhage, Bradley University, Knoxville
  Honorable Mention in Research: "Capturing Child Consumer" Broadcast Education Association

By the way, IWPA is seeking a co-chair for this contest for 2006 who will work along with Cecilia Green, this year's chair, as we transition to a new chairman for 2007.

Silver Feather Winner
Each year, IWPA honors the person in the state Communications Contest who achieves the highest number of points. This year, Jan Lisa Huttner was first-time winner of the Silver Feather Award from the field of 23 individuals who had winning entries. She received 9 awards: five 1st place awards, one 2nd, two 3rds, and two honorable mentions for her feature articles, film reviews, columns, and celebrity interviews for publications such as World Jewish Digest, Women's Enews, ReallyGoodFilms.com and Chicago Woman. She and her husband Rich host the website Films42.com to help couples choose good movies that both men and women will enjoy.

Five national students winners
Cindy Cruz and Suzanne Hanney, 2005 Youth Projects co-chairs, announce five national high school contest winners. They are:

• Michael Stonacek, Deerfield High School
  1st Place Sports Photo
• James Heppelwhite, University High School
  2nd Place Reviews
• Kate Eichwald, Naperville Central High School
  3rd Place Columns
• Joe Goodman, Kaneland High School
  Honorable Mention Feature Photo
• Matthew Freeman, University Laboratory High School
  Honorable Mention News
  

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