CFCC Student Newspaper Gets National Recognition

Central Florida Community College’s student newspaper, “The Patriot Press,” received an honorable mention in the Best of Show awards competition in a national college media convention in Washington this past weekend.

CFCC was the only Florida school to be recognized at the awards ceremony of the Associated College Press and College Media Advisors. “The Patriot Press” was one of only five community college newspapers nationwide to garner honors in the two-year tabloid division (more than 17 pages). The paper was honored for its Sept. 28 issue.

This is the first time since the ACP/CMA began its Best of Show format in 1997 that CFCC has been recognized at the convention in that category.

The Best of Show awards are held in conjunction with the ACP/CMA's annual fall convention and are onsite competitions open only to those publications attending the convention, according to the ACP Web site. ACP is the nation's largest and oldest membership association for college-student media. Best of Show entries consist of one copy of a newspaper from the current school year, one copy of a magazine or yearbook from the previous school year or a single broadcast program.

“Patriot Press” Adviser Rob Marino, Co-editors-in-chief Sarah Jo Lorenz and Samantha Ribble, Features Editor Kaycie Hamel and News Editor Laura Johnson represented CFCC at the convention.

"Certainly since I've been adviser, this is the biggest honor for the paper," said Marino, adviser since 2004. "ACP/CMA is recognized as the authority when it comes to college journalism. We attend the convention every year and to be called out in front of our peers was something special. Obviously, all the credit goes to my students. This should be acknowledgment to them that their hard work pays off. I couldn't ask for a better group of student editors and staff."

Marino conducted two seminars during the three-day event, which included more than 2,500 students and 200 advisers from two- and four-year institutions nationwide.

“The Patriot Press” also tied for second place in Division A (smaller schools) at the recent Florida Community College Press Association convention.