CLC Chronicle newspaper brings home 18 awards at statewide contest
The Chronicle, the student-run newspaper at the College of Lake County, recently won 18 awards, including a first places in arts reviews, in statewide competition among community college newspapers. The awards were presented April 12 at the Illinois Community College Journalism Association's spring conference in Utica, Ill. The annual contest put The Chronicle in competition with Division I student publications produced at the state's biggest community colleges. Professional journalists judged the entries.
Commentary was among the strongest categories for 2018 Chronicle staff members, who won six awards for opinion writing and cartoons on the publication's news, arts and sports coverage. The six awards include a first place in arts reviews by Nick Sinclair for his April 2 "Audiences don't fall for 'Love, Simon' as true LGBTQ film." The judge said Sinclair's review offered "a fresh, personal take on a film."
Sports editor Brandon Ferrara won a second place in sports columns for his Sept. 18 "Nike stirs controversy with 30th anniversary ad campaign."
The current and previous editor of The Chronicle each won a third-place award for their news commentary. Editor Sammie Wilkins won her award in staff editorials with her April 12 "CLC must help instructors advertise smaller classes." Diana Panuncial, the 2017-18 Chronicle editor, won her third place in news columns for her April 30 "New CLC president must remember college's identity." The judge said the column "serves a dual function of reminding students of issues and puts the paper on record as holding the college and its officials accountable."
Panuncial, winner of the Sylvia Kral scholarship from the college and now a journalism major at the University of Missouri, also won an honorable mention in staff editorial.
Additional awards earned by The Chronicle:
•Former staff members Hannah Strassburger and Peter Di Pietro won an honorable mention in editorial cartoons for "1.16.2018, 1.18.20118, 1.22.2018," their Jan. 29 take on construction on the Grayslake Campus. Pietro provided the writing, and Strassburger did the illustration.
•The Chronicle took second place for news story of the year with its coverage of the elimination of several programs and the dismissal of a tenured professor. The package of stories included editorials and news articles by Wilkins and Panuncial. The latter's work also earned an honorable mention from the state association as reporter of the year among Illinois community college journalists.
•Panuncial also won two honorable mentions, one in feature writing for a profile of a bisexual student, and the other for feature photos shot of the student who was the subject of the story.
•The Chronicle won two third-place awards in sports coverage, one for a feature on the CLC baseball team, and the other for a feature on a German student athlete on the CLC women's basketball team. Additionally, Wilkins won an honorable mention in the same category for a feature on a student athlete befriending animals.
•The Chronicle took second place for graphics in a story on CLC tuition increases.
•Former layout editor Michael Flores won three awards, including third place in advertising for an ad designed to recruit staff for the publication. He also won honorable mention for page design in a section front for sports, and an honorable mention in news photos for his photograph for a story on police teaching safety for emergency situations.
•The staff of The Chronicle also won an editing award for headline writing, marking the second consecutive year it has won that place in writing headlines.
John Kupetz, faculty adviser to the paper, said that over the last 11 years, The Chronicle has won 148 awards, including 37 first places in the statewide contest.
About College of Lake County:
College of Lake County is an innovative community college in Lake County, Ill. that transforms lives with its variety of accessible, quality education options. Offered at three campuses
in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, College of Lake County provides affordable options in a state-of-the-art setting close to home. A large student network, with small class sizes,
provides advantages to our students on a career-related program or a path toward a transfer degree. We're proud to serve the diverse needs of our community and student body. Connect to your future today at College of Lake County. For more information, visit www.clcillinois.edu.