SCC’s Student Newspaper Wins 28 Kentucky Press Association Award

Published on Jan 30, 2023

After seeing their students win a record-tying number of individual awards and a surprising overall title in last year’s Kentucky Press Association Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers contest, the faculty advisors for Somerset Community College’s student newspaper, The Bridge, were keeping their expectations low for the 2022 contest.

“It wasn’t about the quality of the student’s work over the past year; it’s been excellent,” said SCC’s Jeff Harris, who advises the student staff of The Bridge with Stuart Simpson. “It was more about the law of averages. The staff received 19 awards last year, our most ever, and we figured we would see a drop-off this time around.

“I predicted ten awards,” he added. “Stuart guessed 12. Turns out we were both way off.”

When the results of the 2022 contest were announced at the KPA Winter Convention in Lexington on Friday, The Bridge staff had garnered a publication-record-shattering 28 awards, including its second consecutive overall first-place award in General Excellence.

In its category of Student Publications Class 1 (schools with fewer than 10,000 students), The Bridge finished ahead of Murray State University’s student newspaper, The Murray State News. Making its debut in the KPA competition, Big Sandy Community & Technical College’s student newspaper, Big Sandy Buzz, finished a surprising third.

“I’m happy for the students,” Simpson said. “It’s great to see them being recognized for their talent and hard work.”

Laurie Abbott, The Bridge’s current managing editor, said she is proud of what the staff has accomplished and “honored to be working with them.” 

“It’s amazing that a little paper from SCC could win first overall and do so well in so many categories,” Abbott said. “Of course, we couldn’t have done any of it without our advisors, Jeff and Stuart.” 

In the contest’s individual categories, Bridge staffers won 13 first-place awards, nine second-place awards, and five third-place awards.

Eli Parker (Somerset) led the way with eleven awards, including first place in the category of Best Breaking News Coverage for “SCC buys $1.75 million worth of property from SPEDA.” He also won first-place awards in Best Sports Picture and Best Special Section (shared).

Parker received second-place awards in Best Feature Story for “Stringer is stand-out student in Air Conditioning classes,” in Best Enterprise or Analytical Story for “Masks have come off but will ‘the next shoe drop’?,” in Best Feature Picture, and in Best Feature Picture Essay. He received third-place awards in Best Columnist, Best Lead Paragraph, and Best Feature Picture Essay (shared).

Makayla Scott (Somerset) won three first-place awards – one in Best Business Story for “More women finding a path with tech programs,” one in Best Lead Paragraph, and one in Best Special Section (shared).

Scott also received a second-place award in Best Columnist and third-place awards in Best Feature Picture and Best Feature Picture Essay (shared).

Laurie Abbott (Monticello) won a first place award in Best Enterprise or Analytical Story for “Keeping SCC running smoothly: Maintenance and Operations crews make sure the college remains safe, clean and functioning.” She received an additional first-place award in Best Special Section (shared).

Abbott also placed second in the category of Best Lead Paragraph and third in Best Feature Picture Essay (shared).

Miguel Sanabria (Somerset) won first place in Best General News Story for “CCAMPIS program is helping students with child care costs.” He also received a first-place award in the category of Best Columnist. 

Additionally, Sanabria placed second in Best Business Story for “3D Printing is making an impression.”

Kinsley Perkins (Somerset) received a first-place award in Best General News Picture and placed second in Best General News Story for “‘SUB’stantially improved: Student Union Building reopens on the Somerset Campus.”

Gary Smith (Somerset) garnered a first-place award in Best Investigative Story for “College event planners continue to react, adjust to COVID” and placed second in Best Sports Picture.

Enrique Clark (Dunnville) won first place in the category of Best Feature Picture.

Notably, Bridge staffers swept all three places in four separate categories: Best Columnist, Best Feature Picture, Best Sports Picture, and Best Lead Paragraph.

The Bridge also won first-place awards in two staff categories: Best Front Page and Best Editorial Page.

In its seven years of competing in the KPA contest, The Bridge and its staff has won a total of 121 awards, more than any other school in its class over the same period.