The Virginian-Pilot, Daily Press staff bring home 28 Virginia Press Association contest awards

The Virginian-Pilot, Daily Press, The Virginia Gazette, Inside Business and other Virginia Media papers won 28 awards Saturday from the annual Virginia Press Association news and advertising contest.

The papers won nine first-place awards, including six in writing, two in photography and one for front pages.

Education reporter Kelsey Kendall won outstanding young journalist of the year for her work covering six school districts, including the removal of books from school libraries and other divisive topics.

Photographer Stephen Katz earned four awards, including two first-place awards. Fellow photographer Kendall Warner won three awards, as did writer Sandra Pennecke. Photographer Billy Schuerman and writers Caitlyn Burchett and Peter Dujardin each won two awards.

“I am so proud of our staff for this recognition,” said Kris Worrell, editor-in-chief of The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press. “These winning reporters and photographers, along with a whole team of journalists, work tirelessly everyday to bring readers the most up-to-date news and information across Hampton Roads.”

First place:

• Front page: The Virginian-Pilot staff
• Photo illustration: Summer reading, by Stephen Katz
• Health-Science and environmental writing: Katie King
• Breaking news photo: Harsh Weather, by Stephen Katz
• Breaking news writing: Chesapeake Walmart shooting, by The Virginian-Pilot staff
• Feature series or continuing story: I decided I would be with her every day’: 15-year friendship leads to caregiving for woman with cerebral palsy by Sandra Pennecke
• Feature profile writing: Shipyard worker by day, ‘Santa Vic’ by night: How he became Santa Claus in Hampton Roads by Colin Warren-Hicks
• Critical writing: Wilford Kale
• Column writing: Laura Hill

Second place:

• Combination picture and story: Fresh sailors usher in a new generation of warships on USS Gerald R. Ford by Kendall Warner and Caitlyn Burchett
• Feature photo: USS Harry S. Truman homecoming by Billy Schuerman
• Personality or portrait photo: Cola Beale speaks to the media, by Stephen Katz
• Pictorial photo: Water Lantern Festival by Bill Tiernan
• Sports feature photo: Class 4A boys soccer by Jonathon Gruenke
• Feature series or continuing story: ‘God put you there on that beach’: The surf was up that day, and helped save a man’s life by Stacy Parker
• Feature profile writing: ‘You will never find another Mr. D’: Ocean View barber retiring after 63 years by Caitlyn Burchett
• Sports column writing: Larry Rubama
• General news: David Macaulay

Third place:

• General news photo: USS Harry S. Truman homecoming by Kendall Warner
• Picture story or essay: Chesapeake mass shooting by Stephen Katz, Billy Schuerman and Kendall Warner
• Breaking news writing: Owner, employee of Newport News 7-Eleven store fatally shot in apparent late-night robbery by Peter Dujardin
• Business and financial writing: Sandra Pennecke
• Business and financial writing, specialty: Child care crisis hits Hampton Roads by Sandra Pennecke
• Editorial writing: Brian Colligan
• Feature story writing: Before Langley Air Force Base: The muddy history of Shellbanks, Sherwood and other plantations of Elizabeth City County by Matt Cahill
• General news writing: Peter Dujardin
• Health-Science and environmental writing: Ian Munro

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com