TOP FEATURE PHOTO: AY staff from left to right, Mak Millard, Sarah Coleman, Dwain Hebda and Sarah DeClerk.
Photos by Ryan Parker.
Several members of the AY Media Group staff received first-place honors in the Arkansas Press Women’s Professional Communication Contest. The honorees include editor-in-chief Dwain Hebda, associate editor Mak Millard, staff writer Sarah DeClerk and graphic designer Jenna Kelley.
Hebda received the sweepstakes award for the third year in a row. Sarah Coleman, associate editor, was also awarded for her work.
Arkansas Press Women president, Angelita Faller and AY Media Group editor-in-chief, Dwain Hebda.
Hebda won first place in the specialty articles — agriculture, business, food, obituary, physical health, social issues and sports subdivisions of the writing category for “Barnstormer!” “Royal Flush,” “Cache Restaurant,” “Hog Heaven,” “The Book of Numbers,” “Promise of a New Day,” and “Chutes and Scores,” respectively.
Millard won first place in the green/environmental subdivision of the specialty articles division for ‘Fitting the Bill,” DeClerk won first place in the science or technology subdivision of the specialty articles division for “Proton Center of Arkansas,” and Kelley won first place in the page design — magazine or magapaper subdivision of the graphics and design category for “Barry Thomas – Artist.”
AY Staff Writers Sarah DeClerk (left) and Sarah Coleman (right)
The awards were announced at an awards luncheon in Little Rock May 18.
“I am so proud of our hard-working staff members who took home awards at the Arkansas Press Women luncheon,” said Heather Baker, president and publisher of AY Media Group. “The awards are a testament not only to the quality of our staff, but to our company’s dedication to providing informative and engaging content to readers across the state.”
From left to right: Mak Millard, Dwain Hebda, Sarah Coleman, AY president and publisher Heather Baker, Sarah DeClerk and Darlene Hebda.
The first-place winners had the opportunity to enter their work into the National Federation of Press Women Professional Communications Contest. The national winners will be recognized June 22 at the National Federation of Press Women Conference in St. Louis. For more information, visit nfpw.org/2024-conference-st-louis.
