El Camino College’s journalism program won multiple state and national awards from various college media organizations, including top honors for Best Newspaper and Best Magazine, in addition to numerous individual accolades.
The Union and Warrior Life were finalists for Region 11 2023 Mark of Excellence Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists which were announced on April 24. Region 11 includes Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and the Mariana Islands.
The journalism program also amassed over 40 awards from other nationally recognized student media organizations including the College Media Association and Journalism Association of Community Colleges.
The awards were announced throughout March and April, including during the College Media Association conference on March 16 in New York City, where 17 students attended.
At the conference, The Union and Warrior Life won first-place awards for Best Newspaper and Best Magazine for two-year schools at the organization’s Apple Awards.
The Union’s former Editor-in-Chief Delfino Camacho was among several individuals who received first-place awards for his work. Camacho earned top honors in Best Headline Portfolio and Best Multimedia Package, including his visual story map highlighting five of the South Bay’s top lingerie and sex shops.
“I’m happy that I won, it’s nice to take a little pride in that,” Camacho said. “I’m happy about the headlines award because that’s something I kind of got known for in the newsroom…and I’m happy the lingerie story got some attention because it’s funky and out of the norm and I worked hard on it.”
Camacho previously found it difficult to take pride in his work, but being part of the journalism program at El Camino has changed that. The sense of teamwork and shared achievements within the program has allowed him to embrace collective success and take pride in his contributions.
“Even when I’m gone and graduated, I left a little bit of my mark here just like everyone else did,” he said. “I like that a lot, and there is pride there…we are doing good work.”
Warrior Life’s Editor-in-Chief Brittany Parris was thrilled to learn the magazine took first place for Best Two-Year Magazine during the College Media Association’s competition.
“It was exciting, especially when they announced we got first place for two-year magazine,” Parris said. “I cried. I think it’s just one of those things where it’s just nice to see the fruits of your labor.”
Parris credits the success of the magazine to the Warrior Life staff and the hard work they put into creating the final product, but also the hard calls and strict deadlines she has had to maintain as leader of the publication.
“It’s important to be here,” she said. “You get what you put out. It’s all about doing as much as I receive. That’s been my motto throughout the semester.”
Gary Metzker, president of the California College Media Association, noticed that big visuals and graphics were a trend among award winners during the Associated Collegiate Press conference in San Diego in early March.
“I don’t think that there’s another community college that did better,” Metzker told The Union during a class visit.
Metzker, the design adviser for California State University, Long Beach’s publication the Daily49er, also spent two years teaching at El Camino College. He believes the program, run by advisers Stefanie Frith and Kate McLaughlin, is among the best for developing highly skilled student journalists.
“I think from my perspective teaching at a four-year institution, I noticed that the students that come from El Camino College very comfortably step right into the newsroom setting at the Daily49er without missing a beat, much more so than some other community colleges,” he said.
Editor’s Note: A clarification was made to the article to reflect that The Union and Warrior Life were finalists for the Society of Professional Journalists 2023 Mark of Excellence Awards, at 2:36 p.m. on Monday, May 6.
College Media Association awards:
First place:
Newspaper, The Union
Magazine, Warrior Life
Magazine cover, Warrior Life, Brianna Vaca and Ash Hallas
Opinion column, Kim McGill, Bees and police
Editorial, Ma. Gisela Ordenes
Second place:
Newsletter, The Union
Third place:
News Website, The Union
Honorable mention:
Multimedia package, Delfino Camacho, adult stores
California College Media Association awards:
First place:
Headline portfolio, Delfino Camacho (a. Me, myself and AI; b. weightlifting club, c. “from home improvement to …”)
Multimedia package, Delfino Camacho, adult stores
Magazine story, Kim McGill, Justice for Cookie
Second place:
Newspaper website, The Union staff
Newspaper front page design, Raphael Richardson
Illustration, Eduardo Salas, Midsemester slump
Non-news video, Ethan Cohen, Bodybuilder
Non-breaking news story, Ma. Gisela Ordenes, Human trafficking/financial aid scam
Third place:
News video, Nindiya A Maheswari Putri, Celebrating Ramadan month ..
Social justice coverage, The Union staff portfolio (a. Unhoused students – Nick Geltz; b. Chavez Ravine, Alondra Peza Camarena; c. Indian language documentary, Kae Takazawa; d. Lactation room, Erica Lee; e. jails, Kim McGill)
Journalism Association of Community Colleges awards:
First place:
Opinion story, Kim McGill, Bees and the police
Informational graphic, Kim McGill, Opioids
Illustration, Jeremiah Dela Cruz, Dog grief
Video soft news reporting, Nindiya Maheswari Putri, Groundskeeper
Magazine profile article, Khoury Williams, Trustee Roberts
Third Place:
News photo, Ethan Cohen, pot dispensary raid (woman)
Photo story essay, Kim McGill, Sunken City
Magazine opinion article, Kim McGill –either Mom’s Memorial or Oyster
Illustration, Eduardo Salas, midsemester slump
Magazine photo, Monroe Morrow, Carl Turano/cat
Honorable Mention:
Magazine photo, Ash Hallas, Delgado
Magazine illustration, Ingrid Barrera, Brittany’s hair
Magazine opinion article, Kim McGill – either Mom’s Memorial or Oyster*
Magazine news feature, Kim McGill – either hip hop or jail and women*
Environmental portrait, Juan Garcia, woodworker
Profile feature story, Ma. Gisela Ordenes, Volleyballer Leafa Juarez
Magazine cover design, Brianna Vaca and Ash Hallas
Meritorious:
Newspaper General Excellence, The Union
Magazine General Excellence, Warrior Life
Multimedia journalism package, Delfino Camacho, adult stores
Society of Professional Journalists 2023 Mark of Excellence Awards:
Finalist: Breaking News Reporting (Large):
Illegal marijuana dispensary next to El Camino raided by police — by Ethan Cohen, The Union, El Camino College
Finalist: General News Reporting (Large):
El Camino out of compliance with state law to prevent opioid overdose deaths — by Kim McGill, The Union, El Camino College
Finalist: General Column Writing:
Columns — by Kim McGill, The Union, El Camino College
Finalist: Food/Restaurant Journalism:
Their Japanese restaurant closed during the pandemic; now they’re back with a new Korean twist — by Raphael Richardson, Warrior Life, El Camino College
Finalist: Best Affiliated Web Site:
The Union — by Staff, The Union, El Camino College
