I’m happy to announce that I took First Place in the Feature Story category in the 2011 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper Contest for my profile on author Michael Collins and his work with other young writers at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, Mich., which appeared in The Herald-Palladium.

Members of the Colorado Press Association judged this year’s contest, which included 2,542 entries published from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011, that were submitted by 102 Michigan newspapers. The Herald-Palladium competes in the MPA’s Daily Class C category for newspapers with a daily paid circulation of 15,000 to 29,999.

The award will be presented on Jan. 28, 2012, during the MPA’s Annual Convention at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids.

You can read the article, titled Passion & Purpose, in the Portfolio section of this site.