Signpost celebrates superiority

Harrison Epstein

April 18, 2018

The Signpost took home 17 awards, including General Excellence in Group Five, at the Utah Press Association awards banquet.

The Signpost received seven first-place awards, three second-place awards and seven third-place awards for various works published in 2017, including the award for general excellence.

UPA (2 of 2).JPG — Members of The Signpost editorial staff pose with their awards. (The Signpost)

The only first-place award for writing was the column, “Suicide’s Imprint” by copy editor Daryn Steed. Steed’s column won first prize for best editor’s column over columns written by students from Utah State University and Utah State University-Eastern.

Various Signpost writers worked together to earn a pair of second-place prizes and a third-place award. The staff was given second-place awards for best community event for the story, “Block Party brings out heroes,” and for best news coverage.

Multiple authors were awarded third place for best feature series for the now-defunct, “Signpost Profiles,” in which staffers would profile random students about their lives at Weber State.

The third-place award for best general news story went to Rachel Badali for her investigative news story on the local prison system, “Incarceration instead of medical care.” Sports editor Harrison Epstein received the final writing award in the best sports column category for the column, “A tryout story: Aim for the stars, land among the bleachers.”

The only first place prize for photography came by photo editor Joshua Wineholt for his photo of Weber State football wide receiver TyJuan Prince from the team’s season opener against Montana Western University. Wineholt’s win was for best sports photograph.

The staff also received three third-place awards for photography in best feature photograph, best news photograph and best photo page. Feature photo was Dalton Fladro’s front page photo from Weber’s Got Talent. The other two awards both went to the photo page, “Cultures collide under colorful sky,” created by Wineholt and graphic designer Madison Osborn.

After the writing and photography awards were handed out, the committee began to name the winners for various advertising and design awards. The Signpost brought in five first-place awards in these categories and one second-place prize.

Designer Erik Bremer’s advertisement for Dr. D.A. Graham’s speech at Weber State won the best use of ad color and best staff produced ad. The 2017 Waldo’s World ad, which was produced by several members of the staff, was given the best in-house self promotion, best circulation promotion and best advertising idea awards.

The second-place prize went to VanOrman for best lifestyle page, “Women’s Center confidentiality status furthers fight against sexual assault,”which was also written by former news writer Briana Whatcott. To top off the night, The Signpost was awarded third place for the newspaper’s website, signpost.mywebermedia.com.

The Signpost ended up receiving general excellence in Group Five. The other newspapers to receive general excellence were the Emery County Progress, the Sun Advocate, Iron County Today and the Daily Herald.

First- Best editor’s column, Daryn Steed “Suicide’s Imprint”

First- Best sports photograph, Josh Wineholt (TyJuan Prince)

First- Best use of ad color, Erik Bremer

First- Best staff produced ad, Erik Bremer

First- Best in-house self promotion, Waldo’s World

First- Best circulation promotion, Waldo’s World

First- Best advertising idea, Waldo’s World

Second- Best community event, Staff “Block Party brings out heroes”

Second- Best news coverage

Second- Best lifestyle page, Maddy Van Orman “Women’s Center confidentiality status furthers fight against sexual assault”

Third- Best feature series, Various authors “Signpost Profiles”

Third- Best general news story, Rachel Badali “Incarceration instead of medical care”