National Federation of Press Women: Competitions

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Competitions

Communications Contest
Communicator of Achievement
High School Communications Competition
President's Award
State Affiliate President Award
Contact Us

Communications Contest

Check out the winners in the 2010 NFPW Communication Contest! (xls, pdf, cwk)

Contest winners, order these handsome engraved award plaques, perfect for your company or clients! Just fill out the form and return to us.

2010 Contest Divisions & Categories (.doc, pdf)

The deadline for the 2010 contest has passed. But check here this fall for information on the 2011 competition!

National Contest Overview

The annual NFPW Communications Contest, which provides an opportunity to compete in a wide range of categories, encourages and rewards excellence in communication. Only first place winners of affiliate or at-large contests who are members of the National Federation of Press Women may enter the national competition. Entries are judged by leaders in their fields of expertise. NFPW contest winners are honored at the NFPW Annual Communications Contest Awards Banquet each September.

All 2010 national contest entries must have been published, issued, broadcast or e-published between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

Direct all contest questions to:

Pam Stallsmith, Co-chair
pstallsmith@verizon.net

Teri Ehresman
Teri.ehresman@inl.gov

Affiliate & At-Large Contests
Eligibility for the National Contest
Judging & Award Recognition
Sweepstakes Competitions | Results-2008
National Contest Committee
Past Contest Winners

Affiliate & At-Large Contests

NFPW affiliates throughout the U.S. have annual communications contests that provide affiliate members an opportunity to compete against regional colleagues in a broad range of categories set by NFPW.

The at-large and affiliates contests have entry deadlines in the month of January 2010. Be aware that each affiliate contest has its own specific deadline. Please contact the affiliate contest director in your area for the contest deadline.

Download the list of affiliate contest directors (.doc, .pdf).

Where there is no state affiliate, the member is eligible to compete in the at-large contest.

For more information about submitting entries to the at-large contest, contact 2010 At-large Contest Director, Cathy Petrini (703) 739-8186.

Postmark deadline for the At-large Communications Contest is February 12, 2010. All entrants must be 2010 professional, student, or retired members of NFPW.

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Eligibility for the National Contest

Only work that has received a first-place award in an affiliate or at-large contest is eligible for entry in the NFPW National Communications Contest. If you win first place in a category in an affiliate or at-large contest, the contest director will ask if you want to submit your winning entry to the national competition.

The fee for each entry, regardless of the number of co-entrants, is $20. Some affiliates pay for their members’ submissions and some require payment by the entrant. In either case, the affiliate and at-large contest directors are responsible for submitting your work to the national contest by the postmark deadline for the national contest, March 22, 2010.

All entrants to the national contest must be 2010 professional, student, or retired members
of NFPW.

Download NFPW Membership Application

Go to NFPW Online Membership Application

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Judging & Award Recognition

Your entry in the national communications contest will compete against all other entries in that particular category. Entries are judged by leaders in their fields of expertise. Judges are not NFPW members and do not enter work in the competition. Judges are asked to provide constructive comments for each entry and provide a merit rank to determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and honorable mention.

Once the entries are judged and returned to NFPW headquarters, the winners are notified by e-mail. Typically the results are known by July 1, giving time for national contest winners to make plans to attend the NFPW annual communications conference in September.

First-place entries are displayed during the conference. The awards banquet is held on Saturday night during the conference. Winners are honored individually by the NFPW membership and guests in attendance; handsome award certificates are presented to winners by the NFPW president. Judges’ comment sheets and award certificates are mailed directly to winners unable to attend the conference.

Members who win in the national competition are supported with additional materials to help them promote their award(s) to the public and professional communities.

The 2010 Communications Contest Awards Banquet will be Aug 26-28 in Chicago, during the annual NFPW National Conference.

Winners can order special engraved award plaques. (.doc, pdf)

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Sweepstakes Competitions

The contest entrants accumulating the most points (based on the number of his or her winning entries and the number of competing entries in those categories) are named recipients of the NFPW Sweepstakes Award. Cash awards of $250 for 1st place, $150 for 2nd place and $100 for 3rd place are given to individual winners. The affiliate with the most sweepstakes points receives a $100 cash prize.

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Results - 2009

Individual Winners

Check out the winners of the 2009 NFPW Communications Contest (xls, cwk)

Sweepstakes Winners

Individual Sweeps Winners

1st Place: Martin Fredricks, of North Dakota Professional Communicators, earned top awards in Web development, newsletter design, direct-mail, writing for newspaper series, and editing. Martin has his own firm called Fredricks Communications. He receives a plaque along with a check for $250.

2nd Place: In 2nd Place: Joan Tupponce of Virginia Press Women earned top awards for writing in the categories of Sports, Entertainment and Social Issues, and in the category for Personality Profiles. Her work was published in Richmond Magazine, Pilot Challenge Magazine and Boomer Life magazine. Joan receives a plaque and a check for $150.

3rd Place: In 3rd place: Elizabeth Boyle of the Delaware Press Association for work at the University of Delaware Marine Studies Public Education Office. Elizabeth earned awards for writing, design, public relations and radio campaign. She receives a plaque and $100 check.

Affiliate Sweeps Winners

1st Place: Virginia Press Women. The affiliate received a $100 prize.

2nd Place: New Mexico Press Women.

3rd Place: North Dakota Professional Communicators.

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Past Contest Winners

2008 NFPW Communications Contest

2007 NFPW Communications Contest

2006 NFPW Communications Contest

2005 NFPW Communications Contest

2004 NFPW Communications Contest

1998 – 2004 NFPW Communications Contest

Communicator of Achievement

The Communicator of Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by National Federation of Press Women upon those members who have distinguished themselves within and beyond their profession.

The Communicator of Achievement Award program is one of NFPW's prized projects — an opportunity for our members to shine.

The recipient, chosen from nominees selected by state affiliates, is recognized for exceptional achievement in the communications field, service to NFPW and to the community.

The COA Award winner and the runner-up are announced at the Communicator of Achievement Award Banquet scheduled during NFPW’s annual conference. Each nominee is featured in NFPW’s AGENDA newsletter prior to the conference and spotlighted at the awards banquet.

For complete information:

Contact the COA Director, Pat Ryder.

For information on local competition, contact your state’s COA director.

Affiliate contest directors:

2010 COA Rules (.doc, pdf)

2010 COA Entry Form (.doc, pdf)

COA Checklist (.doc, pdf)

Read about...

2009 Communicator of Achievement, Heloise, of Texas, and first runner-up Verna Gates of Alabama.

2008 Communicator of Achievement winner, Clara Cartrette of North Carolina, and first runner-up, Cary Herz of New Mexico. (.doc, pdf)

2007 Communicator of Achievement, Peggyann Hutchinson of Oregon, and first runner-up, Peggy Parks of Idaho. (pdf)

2006 Communicator of Achievement, Betty Packard, of San Francisco

2005 Communicator of Achievement, Ree Strange Sheck, New Mexico, and runner-up Rhonda McBride of Alaska.

High School Communications Competition

High School Communications Competition Co-Directors

Karen Stensrud
kstensrud@statebanks.com
701/293-9336

Denise Pinkney
denise.pinkney@bcbsnd.com
701/277-2561

We believe the High School Communications Competition sponsored by National Federation of Press Women inspires students to excel in their quest for excellence.

The only nationwide communications competition for high school students, the contest is endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Dow Jones announces first-place winners and promotes the competition in its publication distributed to journalism advisers across the nation, giving students and their teachers/advisers local and nationwide recognition.

Students compete in one of 17 categories: Editorial, Opinion, News Story, Feature Story, Sports Story, Column, Feature Photo, Sports Photo, Cartooning, Reviews, Graphics, Single-Page Layout, Double-Truck Layout, Environment, Video News Story, Video Feature Story and Video Sports Story (the three video categories are new for 2009-10).

Each winner will receive a certificate, with first-place winners also receiving $100 cash. Honors are presented during the High School Communications Competition Luncheon at the annual conference. Some state affiliates provide financial assistance to students who attend the conference to receive their awards.

Work eligible for the 2010 competition must have been completed between March 1, 2009, and Feb. 14, 2010.

Please note the added categories and earlier deadlines for the 2010 competition.

State Competitions

Enter through appropriate state affiliate
Students living in states with NFPW affiliates participate through state high school competitions. Most state deadlines are in January and February to allow time for judging and processing for the national contest. First-place state winners advance to national competition.

State affiliates with high school competitions:

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California (Northern & Southern)
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Missouri
Nebraska
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania,
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas,
Washington

Where to send state affiliate entries

Check here for a list of affiliate contest directors (.doc, pdf)

If you live in a state with no NFPW affiliate:

Only those living in a state with no NFPW affiliate youth contest may compete on an at-large basis. First-place at-large winners advance to national competition. At-large entries must be postmarked no later than February 28, 2010. Entry fees are $5 per entry. Please make checks payable to the NFPW Education Fund. Mail packet of entries first class, priority or express mail to: Catherine Jelsing, 2811 64th St NE, Rugby, ND 58368.

For complete information on the competition:

Watch this space for 2011 guidelines coming this fall.

2010 Guidelines (.doc, pdf)

2010 Contest Entry Form (.doc, pdf)

State high school competition directors (.doc, pdf)

Contest directors: Entries must be postmarked no later than March 28, 2010. Mail packet of entries first class, priority or express mail to:

Denise Pinkney
4276 39th Ave. S.
Fargo, ND 58104

Winners in 2010 (pdf)

Winners in 2009 (.doc, pdf)

Winners in 2008 (.doc, pdf)

Winners in 2007 (.doc, pdf)

Winners in 2006 (.doc, pdf)

Winners in 2005 (.doc, pdf, AppleWorks)

2005 High School Winners program (.doc, pdf, AppleWorks)

Winners in 2004 (pdf)

Winners in 2003 (pdf)

Winners in 2002 (pdf)

President's Award

Periodically from 1982-1994, National Federation of Press Women honored those who have wielded a powerful nationwide influence through their communication skills. It is one of the highest honors that NFPW can bestow.

Winners are:

1982: Sarah McClendon, Washington, D.C.
...former White House reporter and freelance journalist who has waged a relentless effort to raise human rights issues in the mass media and continues to work as an analyst and lecturer

1983: Betty Ford, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
...former First Lady who made millions aware of substance abuse

1984: Allen Neuharth, Rochester, N.Y.
...author and founder of the nationwide USA Today

1987: Hortense Myers, Indianapolis, Ind. (deceased)
...trailblazing journalist

1988: Special Freedom Award
...to eight high school students who wrote and edited the stories that led to the decision on censorship by the U.S. Supreme Court in Hazelwood School District et al vs. Kuhlmeier et al in Missouri

1989: Helen Thomas, Washington, D.C.
...longtime reporter for UPI who has become a front-row institution at White House press conferences

1991: Nancy Woodhull, Alabama (deceased)
...journalist, activist and a founder of USA Today

1993: Charlotte Schexnayder, Arkansas
...journalist and newspaper publisher, elected to Arkansas House of Representatives for seven terms and former NFPW President. Read more (pdf)

1994: Louise Shadduck, Idaho (deceased)
...journalist, Idaho Secretary of Commerce and Development, former NFPW President and two-time Communicator of Achievement Award winner. Read more (pdf)