Crusader News captures All-Kansas award; wins over 70 awards

BY PHILLIP LEE

LIBERAL Kan. – The Seward County Community College student website Crusader News cleaned up at the Kansas Collegiate Media Conference by winning over 70 awards, including the All-Kansas award for a two-year school. The awards were handed out in April.

It was the fourth straight year that Crusader News won the All-Kansas award for best website.

“It’s crazy to think that SCCC has been named All-Kansas website four years in a row,” said Sue Sprenkle, advisor for Crusader News. “Crusader News comes out of a storied program of state and national titles but four years in a row is a standard the staff takes pride in.”

The Crusader News won 72 awards including a Gold Award for Best Social Media Presence. Other notable awards went to Laura Gillespie, editor-in-chief, and Megan Berg, features editor, for finishing as first and second runner-ups, respectively, for Journalist of the Year.

Students also won first place awards in the categories of breaking news, profiles, photography, infographics, multimedia audio feature, video and social media.

The awards that Crusader News earned were from Spring and Fall of 2021. The Crusader spring and fall 2021 staff members are Brooke Katen, Dani Arellano, Victoria Martins, Ruby Thornton, Megan Berg, Kylie Regier, Reece Hay, William Swanson and Mauricio Gonzalez. Not pictured: Saskia Vogelzang, Mary Ramirez, Ana Brangioni, Gracie Gillespie, Brianna Rich, Andrea Espinoza, Monalisa Chakraborty, Maddie Garrison, Raven Staten, Maria Coronado, Destiny Vasquez, Logan Scruggs, Krisi Anderson and Brooklynn Bauer.

Overall 2-year website:

All Kansas and Gold award – Crusader News

Overall 2-year social media presence:

Gold Award – Crusader News

2-year Journalist of the Year:

First Runner-Up: Laura Gillespie

Second Runner-Up: Megan Berg

Audio Feature:

First: Dani Arellano, Reece Hay, Brooke Katen – Podcast: Discover tips, survive your finals

Second: Dani Arellano, Victoria Martins – Podcast: Putting a ring on it

Third: Raven Staten, Krisi Anderson – Will summer 2021 smash social, emotional after-effects of COVID

Video:

First: Reece Hay – Shark Week

Second: Destiny Vasquez, Maria Coronado, Raven Staten – Style at no cost

Third: Video: Mary Ramirez – Spray Paint Art

Honorable Mention: Raven Staten, Destiny Vasquez – Saints on Skates

Honorable Mention: Mary Ramirez, Krisi Anderson – Nursing students help community

Profile Writing:

First: Ana Brangioni – A Barbie on campus

Honorable Mention: Dani Arellano – Quintero hope to make an impact

Feature Writing:

Second: Megan Berg – Inside the artist’s mind

Third: Dani Arellano – Aqua aerobics is more than a class

Honorable Mention: Megan Berg – All ink tells a story

Breaking News Writing:

First: Ana Brangioni, Mauricio Juan Gonzalez – SCCC cafeteria offers self-service options; first time since COVID

Honorable Mention: Ana Brangioni, Dani Arellano – SCCC encourages to follow current COVID protocols

Spot/Event News Writing:

First: Brooke Katen – Campus goes maskless

Second: Maria Coronado – American Dream, Promise Act sparks hope for DACA recipients

Honorable Mention: Laura Gillespie

Honorable Mention: Maria Coronado, Raven Staten – Black history month sparks conversations about advocacy, BLM

Column Writing:

Third: Raven Staten – Healthy Mindset = Healthy Semester

Honorable Mention: Juan Mauricio Gonzalez – Don’t let Black Friday terrorize you like it did me

Editorial Writing:

Honorable Mention: Krisi Anderson, Crusader Staff – Opinion: Remote learning ruins snow days

Review Writing:

Second: Maria Coronado – Godzilla vs Kong

Third: Crusader Staff – Nutrition Cave

Honorable Mention: Destiny Vasquez – Reviewing the Revue

Sports News/Game Writing:

Honorable Mention: William Swanson – Men’s basketball gets 3 game suspension

Photography – News/Event:

Second Place: Dani Arellano – Winter Vocal Concert

Third Place: Brianna Rich – Open Mic Night

Honorable Mention: Victoria Martins – CNA Classes

Honorable Mention: Victoria Martins – Ice Skating

Photography – Gallery/Essay:

First: Lois Magner – Photo Essay: A day in the life of a dementia patient

Second: Brooklyn Bauer: Photo Gallery – Pioneer Days’ PRCA rodeo brings in stars

Third: Lois Magner, Zane McCargish, Brooke Wasoski – Reviewing the Revue

Honorable Mention: Megan Berg – Hays takes the heat two years in a row

Honorable Mention: Brianna Rich – Students move into the SLC, settle into college life

Photography – Portrait:

First: Brianna Rich – Up Close: Abel Ochoa

Third: Mary Ramirez – Thanksgiving: Rubalcaba

Photography – Feature:

First: Brooklynn Bauer – Homework stress

Second: Brianna Rich – Baker Arts Center

Third: Juan Mauricio Gonzalez – Pool Tournament

Honorable Mention: Maria Coronado – Spooky

Honorable Mention: Brianna Rich – Ripping Mask Sign

Photography – Sports:

First: Saskia Vogelzang – Saints basketball beats Beavers

Honorable Mention: Brooklyn Bauer – Pioneer Days: Bronc Busting

Infographics:

First: Laura Gillespie – Taco Truck Map

Second: Laura Gillespie, Saskia Vogelzang, Mary Ramirez – COVID timeline

Third: Saskia Vogelzang -What’s your waste stream?

Honorable Mention: Andrea Espinoza – How to transfer

Social Media Reporting Series:

First: Reece Hay: Shark Week

Second: Crusader Staff – Finals Week Parodies- TikTok

Third: Destiny Vasquez – Grad Confessions

Honorable Mention: Juan Mauricio Gonzalez: New president SCCC

Social Media Single Post:

Third: Krisi Anderson, Destiny Vasquez – Did you know?

Honorable Mention: Megan Berg – Open Mic Night

Multimedia News Story:

First: Brooke Katen, Brianna Rich, Laura Gillespie – Campus goes maskless

Second: Krisi Anderson, Mary Ramirez, Destiny Vasquez – Nursing students help community

Third: Destiny Vasquez, Crusader Staff – Saints on Skates

Honorable Mention: Brianna Rich, Megan Berg, Laura Gillespie – Artists share personal identity through performance

Honorable Mention: Laura Gillespie, Juan Mauricio Gonzalez, Brianna Rich – SCCC welcomes 12th president

Multimedia Feature Story:

First: Laura Gillespie, Crusader Staff: Taco Truck Tour

Second: Brianna Rich, Megan Berg – Gross! Or is it?

Third: Destiny Vasquez, Crusader Staff – Style at no cost

Honorable Mention: Monalisa Chakraborty, Destiny Vasquez – International students beam, glow at SCCC

Honorable Mention: Megan Berg – Art display shows student work

Multimedia Sports Story:

First: Brooke Katen, Juan Mauricio Gonzalez, Laura Gillespie – SCCC protects student-athletes in high heat conditions

Second: William Swanson, Logan Scruggs, Mary Ramirez – Men’s basketball gets 3 game suspension