Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s student-run newspaper, took first place in the Best of Show competition at a recent national convention for college journalists.
“This is the first time in 17 years of entering the competition that Ka Leo has won,” said Alex Bitter, editor-in-chief. “The win is a tremendous testament to all of the desk editors who have worked hard.”
The newspaper, which has been published continuously for 92 years, entered its October 20, 2014, issue in a category for four-year university, weekly tabloids. The Best of Show contest was administered during the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Association’s 93rd annual National College Media Convention held October 29 to November 2, 2014, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The nation’s largest college journalism convention was attended this year by 1,700 students and advisors from 300 university, college and community college publications and websites.
At least 10 universities entered in Ka Leo’s category. The UH Mānoa entry beat tabloids produced by student media programs at the University of Nebraska (4th), University of Vermont (6th), and the University of Oregon (8th).
Ka Leo’s website took fifth place in the Best of Show competition for news websites at large schools, placing behind schools such as the University of Texas at Arlington (1st), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2nd) and University of Minnesota (4th).
The Student Media Board allocated resources to send two Ka Leo staffers, web editor Alden Alayvilla and associate copy editor Zebley Foster, to attend the conference with faculty advisor Jay Hartwell.
More honors
Editor-in-chief Bitter is a junior at UH Mānoa, earning a double major in political science and journalism. The Hilo native is the winner of Society of Professional Journalists summer internships at HONOLULU and Hawaiʻi Business magazines.
Earlier this year, Ka Leo’s advertising team earned two first-place honors, a second-place award and two third-place honors at the College Newspapers Business and Advertising Managers convention held in March at Austin, Texas.
For more, visit the Ka Leo website.
