Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University's Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists hosted its 25th Mark of Excellence Newspaper and Broadcasting awards ceremony March 11 at Mass Media and Technology Hall Auditorium.

Merv Aubespin, former associate editor of The Courier-Journal, was the guest speaker. About 260 students from 13 schools attended the awards ceremony which included the new James L. Highland High School Media Adviser of the Year Awards. Gina Aldridge of Radcliff, Jill Lewis of Corbin and Gail McCrady of Leitchfield received this prestigious honor.

Twenty-six Kentucky high school media programs from Paducah to Crestwood entered the 2005 competition. Schools were judged in three divisions based on size.

Results are as follows:

Newspaper awards

Class AA
Best News Writer: first, Brittany Floyd, Monroe County; second, Courtney Haggard, Corbin; third, Adam Hovekamp, Paducah Tilghman; honorable mention, Courtney Hughes, Moore Traditional

Best Feature Writer: first, Georgianna Carter, Corbin; second, Luke Arterburn, Paducah Tilghman; third, Pam McGee, Monroe County; honorable mention: Jimae Boyd, Moore Traditional

Best Editorial Writer: first, Holly Yokley, Monroe County; second, David Sharp, Paducah Tilghman

Best Column/Review Writer: first, Ryan Green, Corbin; second, Carrie Daut, Mercy Academy; third, Beth Collins, Monroe County; honorable mention, Chase Wilson, Paducah Tilghman; Tyler Brown, Moore Traditional

Best Sports Writer: first, Ronnie Bowling, Corbin; second, Niki Razban, Paducah Tilghman; third, Andrew Brown, Moore Traditional; honorable mention, Cecilee Harlan, Monroe County

Best Editorial Cartoonist: first, Miki Shirley, Moore Traditional; second, Ryan Pennington, Monroe County

Best News Photographer: first, Holly Yokley, Monroe County; second, Tiffany Vanoskey, Moore Traditional

Best Front Page Layout Designer: first, Hope Watkins, Corbin; second, Holly Yokley, Monroe County; third, Jessica Rhodes, Moore Traditional

Best Two-Page Spread Designer: first, Holly Yokley, Monroe County

Best Advertising: first, Katie Bartley, Monroe County; second, Amanda Easley, Mercy Academy

Class AAA
Best News Writer: first, Katie Smothers, South Oldham; second, Rachel Labadie, Allen County-Scottsville; third, Lindsey Houchin, Bowling Green; honorable mention, Alysia Teller, Breckinridge County

Best Feature Writer: first, Chelsea Beville, Bowling Green; second, Ashley Stone, Grayson County; third, Erin Brink, South Oldham; honorable mention, Bridget Hancock, Allen County-Scottsville

Best Editorial Writer: first, Katie Smothers, South Oldham; second, Corey Paul, Bowling Green; third, Ryan Oberhelman, Allen County-Scottsville; honorable mention, Misty Tomes, Grayson County

Best Column/Review Writer: first, Sam Hicks, South Oldham; second, Will Gardner, Bowling Green; third, Jamie Ogles, Allen County-Scottsville; honorable mention, Ashley Stone, Grayson County

Best Sports Writer: first, Seth Burchett, Bowling Green; second, Hunter Embry, South Oldham; third, Lacey Raley, Grayson County

Best Editorial Cartoonist: first, Brittney Bruner, Breckinridge County; second, Jordan Speer, Bowling Green

Best News Photographer: first, Meredith Beckner, Bowling Green; second, Hunter Embry, South Oldham

Best Front Page Designer: first, Justin Schilke, Bowling Green; second, Megan Fentress, Breckinridge County; third, Kaycee Brown, South Oldham; honorable mention, Jessie Jarboe, Grayson County

Best Two-Page Spread Designer: first, Judy Covington, South Oldham; second, Toshia Clemons, Grayson County

Best Advertising: first, Carly Bray, Bowling Green; second, Jordan Elemore, Grayson County; third, Amy Leslie, Breckinridge County

Class AAAA
Best News Writer: first, Makayla O'Neill, Graves County; second, Brad Erickson, Daviess County; third, James Brown, Eastern; honorable mention, Keshia Porter, North Hardin, and Joel Kleyer, Trinity

Best Feature Writer: first, Lindsay Russell, Graves County; second, John Bohannon, Trinity; third, Savannah Gillispie, Barren County; honorable mention, Natalie Hodges, Daviess County

Best Editorial Writer: first, Dara Doran, Graves County; second, Emory Williamson, Eastern; third, Kendrick Bryan, Central Hardin; honorable mention, Angelika Masero, North Hardin

Best Column/Review Writer: first, Ginny Felker, Central Hardin; second, Trinity Leach, Graves County; third, Colin Carroll, Trinity; honorable mention, Katelyn Perkins, Barren County

Best Sports Writer: first, Robert Sampson, Trinity; second, Katrina Craig, North Hardin; third, Zac LaFollette, Eastern; honorable mention, Megan Brantley, Daviess County

Best Editorial Cartoonist: first, Thomas Engle, Central Hardin; second, Graphics Team, North Hardin; third, Trinity Leach, Graves County; honorable mention, Jared Ehrenheim, Daviess County

Best News Photographer: first, Rick Schmitt, Trinity; second, Ashley Parrish, North Hardin; third, Rush Jagoe, Daviess County

Best Front Page Designer: first, ECHO Staff, Trinity; second, Rachel Yeiser and Brad Erickson, Daviess County; third, Kayla Dowdy, Barren County; honorable mention, Graphics Team, North Hardin

Best Two-Page Spread Designer: first, ECHO Staff, Trinity; second, Scott Allen, Central Hardin; third, Trojan Triumph staff, Barren County; honorable mention, Aprille Sanders, Eastern

Best Advertising: first, Jared Ehrenheim, Daviess County; second, Trojan Tribune staff, Barren County; third, Kyle Smith, Graves County; honorable mention, Trojan Triumph Ad Team, North Hardin

Overall newspaper awards

Best Overall Newspaper AA: first, Paw's Print, Corbin; second, The Talon, Monroe County; third, the Tilghman Bell, Paducah Tilghman

Best Overall Newspaper AAA: first, Purple Gem, Bowling Green; second, South Oldham; third, Paw Prints, Breckinridge County

Best Overall Newspaper AAAA: first, Trinity Echo, Trinity, and The Eagle's Eye, Graves County; second, the Trojan Triumph, North Hardin; third, The Big Red Machine, Daviess County

Newspaper Most Valuable Staff Member: first, Holly Yokley, Monroe County; second, Justin Schilke, Bowling Green; third, Kaycee Brown, South Oldham; fourth, Angelika Masero, North Hardin

Broadcasting awards

Class AA
Best Newscast: first, Amanda Gilley, Henry County; second, Pam McGee, Monroe County; third, Panther Productions crew, Elizabethtown; honorable mention, WCTV Crew, Webster County

Best Videography: first, Becky Nix, Henry County; second, Michelle Hall and Whitney Kuklinski, Elizabethtown

Best Music Video: first, Ryan Pennington, Monroe County; second, Caitlyn Cox and Loren Hill, Henry County; Drew Ingram, Jacob Russell and Bonnie Lussier, Elizabethtown

Best News Story: first, April Hayden and Candice Cox, Henry County; second, Michael Simpson, Elizabethtown; third, Brittany Floyd, Monroe County

Best Sports Story: first, Michael Simpson, Regina Durkan and Jordan Schneider, Elizabethtown; second, Pam McGee, Monroe County

Best Feature: first, Tracy Tipton and Megan Foree, Henry County; second, Michael Simpson, Regina Durkan and Jordan Schneider, Elizabethtown; third, Pam McGee, Monroe County

Class AAA
Best Newscast: honorable mention, WGRL Crew, Grayson County

Best Videography: first, Ashley Stone, Grayson County; second, Stephanie Lane, Bowling Green

Best Music Video: first, Earl Whitaker, Grayson County; Josh Pierstorff, Muhlenberg North; second, Caress Covington, Angela Moore and crew, Bowling Green

Best Sports: first, Nick Flora and Crew, Bowling Green

Best Feature: first, Nick Flora and Crew, Bowling Green; second, Nick Dunkelberger, Grayson County

Class AAAA
Best Newscast: first, WPAW News Crew, Daviess County; second, WFCHS News Crew, Fern Creek Traditional

Best Videography: first, Ashley Flesher, Daviess County; second, Jeremy Botkins, Shelby County; third, Aaron Holmberg and Casey Dickman, Fern Creek Traditional

Best News Story: first, Blake Worthington, Daviess County; second, Sarah Thompson, Fern Creek Traditional

Best Sports: first, Lauren Walls, Fern Creek Traditional; second, Drew Hawkins, Daviess County

Best Feature: first, Kris Baete, Fern Creek Traditional; second, Keith Staples, Daviess County

Overall broadcasting awards
Broadcasting Most Valuable Staffer: first, Ashley Flesher, Daviess County; second, Eric Gonzalez, Elizabethtown; third, Heather Funk, Fern Creek Traditional; honorable mention, Pam McGee, Monroe County, and Kyle Sanders, Henry County

Best Overall Programming: Certificate of merit, AAAA, Fern Creek Traditional; AAA, Grayson County; AA, Elizabethtown and Monroe County.

Jackie Bretz, director of the Kentucky High School Media Institute based at Western, was the contest coordinator. Jim Highland is the SPJ adviser at WKU. Ashlee Clark, a junior from Jefferson County, was the newspaper contest chair. Ashley Brauer, a Glasgow senior, was the broadcasting contest chair.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Jackie Bretz at (270) 745-6407.