El Camino journalism program earns multiple national awards

El Camino College’s journalism program received recognition from the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association, including awards for the best online site and email newsletter.

The Union won Pacemaker Awards from the Associated College Press for best multiplatform journalism and online site for two-year colleges.

The Pacemaker Awards have been given annually since 1927 for excellence in student journalism programs across the U.S. and are generally considered to be the top prize in the field.

All of the awards were announced on Oct. 31 during the 2023 Fall National College Media Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

From the College Media Association, The Union and Warrior Life received 11 first-place awards, including the best news package for the works on “Coastal Erosion” by Ethan Cohen, Kim McGill and Khoury Williams.

Former Union news editor and managing editor holds up the multiple certificate awards he received from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges on Nov. 14, for his work with the Union in past semesters while standing inside the Humanities Building which houses the student newsroom. (Delfino Camacho | The Union) — Former Union news editor and managing editor Ethan Cohen holds up the multiple certificate awards he received from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges on Tuesday, Nov. 14, while standing inside the Humanities Building which houses the student newsroom. Cohen won multiple awards among them placing first in best news package and best special section under four pages from the College Media Association for his work with Kim McGill and Khoury Williams. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Instructional assistant Jessica Martinez submitted an application in December 2022 to the California Humanities Emerging Journalist Fellowship Program for students to work on the coastal erosion project in the spring 2023 semester.

El Camino became one of nine California community colleges to be selected for the project and received $15,000 to help fund services and resources to obtain information for the project.

Working on the project allowed members to do community reporting outside the El Camino area, which is The Union’s usual audience demographic.

Williams, The Union’s former editor-in-chief, said the project took several months to complete and was made possible through the team’s efforts and help from those involved, including Martinez who oversaw the project.

“The good thing is that we all had each other, and we all had Jessica’s support, so that made it a lot better,” Williams said. “If it was just one of us, it definitely wouldn’t have gone right.”

Williams said the effort and work put into the project made the award recognition more meaningful.

“I think you can just see the dedication that went into it, and all the research and the time we put into it,” Williams said. “From the writing, from the photography, [and] from the way we just set up the pages for the newspaper.”

Williams said it felt great to be acknowledged in first place alongside Cohen and McGill for their coastal erosion project, as well as for the honorable mention for best general news story with Cohen in their nursing story.

Former Union Editor-In-Chief Khoury Williams holds up a copy of the special pull out news section covering coastal erosion that was a part of The Unions print issue last fall semester while standing in front of the El Camino College journalism departments display case found inside the Humanities Building on Monday, Nov. 13. Williams, along with Ethan Cohen and Kim MCGill, placed first in two California Media Association awards including best news package and best special section under four pages. (Delfino Camacho | The Union) — Former Union Editor-In-Chief Khoury Williams holds up a copy of the special pull-out news section covering coastal erosion that was a part of The Unions print issue last fall semester while standing in front of the El Camino College journalism department display case found inside the Humanities Building on Monday, Nov. 13. Williams, along with Ethan Cohen and Kim McGill, placed first in two College Media Association awards including best news package and best special section under four pages. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Williams’ said the journalism program at El Camino has changed his academic trajectory and he is thankful for all the people he has worked with.

“I feel like I really found my calling and my purpose through journalism, this entire program has just done so much for me,” Williams said. “I’m just so grateful for everyone in this program.”

Current Union sports editor Johan Van Wier was also recognized with a first-place award by the College Media Association for best magazine sports page/spread for his Warrior Life Magazine story “The Journeyman,” which was about El Camino wrestling coach and instructor Tom Hazell.

Current Warrior Life Magazine Editor-In-Chief Britanny Parris — Current Warrior Life Magazine Editor-In-Chief Brittany Parris works with magazine managing editor Greg Fontanilla inside the El Camino College student newsroom to get the latest spring version of Warrior Life ready in time for printing on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Parris placed second in the College Media Association award for best sports game story while Fontanilla placed first in best print sports section for their work with The Union last fall semester. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Van Wier joined Warrior Life magazine in the spring 2023 semester and said he appreciates the recognition from the College Media Association for his work in the publication, as he wanted to highlight Hazell’s sports journey for the audience.

“I kind of wanted the audience to realize the journey that sports can bring you on,” Van Wier said. “I think people can appreciate the connection [Tom] had with El Camino and the connection he had in the sports wrestling world.”

Through his involvement in Warrior Life and his time as The Union’s sports editor, Van Wier said his relationship with sports has changed for the better.

“I was definitely more of a strict football and basketball fan, and this just kind of opened me up to learning about more sports and knowing how every single sport is doing at El Camino,” Van Wier said.

Current Union arts and features editor Ma. Gisela Ordenes received an honorable mention award from the College Media Association for best sports feature on El Camino beach volleyball player Leafa Juarez.

Ordenes said it was made possible with help from journalism professor and adviser, Kate McLaughlin, who encouraged and assigned her the story.

“Kate was really like a mentor to me,” Ordenes said. “Kate gave me opportunities.”

Ordenes said in a way, her academic path feels pre-determined.

When Ordenes applied to El Camino, she did not intend to pursue journalism and was not aware of the journalism program’s prestige.

“Somebody else was pulling the strings, I think,” Ordenes said. “I didn’t realize before I took the journalism classes here that it’s actually one of the best journalism programs in the country.”

Associated Collegiate Press awards:

Two-year colleges
Pacemaker: Multiplatform journalism
Pacemaker: Online site, The Union
Reporter of the year: Third place, Ethan Cohen

Ernie Pyle Human Interest Profile: Honorable mention, Kim McGill

Current Warrior Life Magazine managing editor and former Union sports editor Greg Fontanilla holds up a copy of The Union featuring one of his sports pages while standing in Featherstone Field inside Murdock Stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Fontanilla was awarded first pace from the California Media Association for best print sports for his work with The Union last semester. (Delfino Camacho | The Union) — Current Warrior Life Magazine managing editor and former Union sports editor Greg Fontanilla holds up a copy of The Union featuring one of his sports pages while standing in Featherstone Field inside Murdock Stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Fontanilla was awarded first place from the College Media Association for best print sports for his work with The Union last semester. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

College Media Association awards:

First place:
Best college media group
Best print sports section, The Union, Greg Fontanilla
Best web sports section, The Union
Best A&E story, Kim McGill, Warrior Life, nude art models
Best feature story, Kim McGill, Warrior Life, murder
Best multimedia feature story, Delfino Camacho, The Union, adult stores
Best news package, Ethan Cohen, Kim McGill and Khoury Williams, The Union,
Coastal erosion
Best special section under four pages, Ethan Cohen, Kim McGill and Khoury
Williams, The Union, coastal erosion
Best general email newsletter, The Union
Best magazine entertainment page/spread, Warrior Life, fashion, Hannah Bui
Best magazine sports page/spread Johan Van Wier, wrestling coach

Second place
Short video/entertainment, Ethan Cohen, The Union, bodybuilder
Best investigative story, Kim McGill, The Union, opioid compliance
Best sports game story, Brittany Parris, The Union, throwing competition
Best sports multimedia story, Samantha Quinonez and Greg Fontanilla, swimmer Mia Park
Best magazine contents page/spread, Warrior Life, Elsa Rosales
Best magazine news page/spread, Kim McGill, murder

Third place
Best feature magazine, Warrior Life
Newspaper of the year, The Union
Best editorial, Ethan Cohen, The Union
Best Magazine cover, Warrior Life, Brianna Vaca and Ash Hallas
Best magazine feature page/spread, Warrior Life, Kim McGill, nude art models
Best Newspaper feature page/spread, The Union, Nindiya Maheswari, bees
Best newspaper opinion page/spread, The Union, Anthony Lipari and Igor Colonno, April 20
Best newspaper sports page, spread, The Union, Greg Fontanilla, March 23
Best infographic, Kim McGill, The Union, opioids

Honorable mention
Website of the year, The Union
Best sports feature, Ma. Gisela Ordenes, The Union, volleyball player Juarez
Best general news story, Khoury Williams and Ethan Cohen, The Union, nursing
Best breaking news coverage of diversity, Nindiya Maheswari, The Union
Eid al-Fitr prayer event
Best column, Kim McGill, Warrior Life, mother’s memorial
Best photo package, Ethan Cohen, The Union, Sunken City graffiti
Best portrait, Ash Hallas, Warrior Life, Delgado
Best website front page, The Union
Best Editorial Illustration, The Union, Zamira Recinos, books vs. bombs

Editor’s Note: The spelling of Johan Van Wier’s name was corrected in a photo caption on Nov. 15, at 1:50 p.m.