The Ithacan Awards: A tribute to journalists

I know, I know: I'm a journalism fanatic. I have devoted more than two decades of my life to the pursuit of truth -- especially in the form of a great interview and a well-turned phrase -- and I can't help but get excited on Thursday mornings when the Ithacan staff produces yet another issue of what has to be the best student newspaper in the country.

Last week, in keeping with longstanding tradition, the newspaper awarded its own "best of the best" to its editors, reporters, and photographers. My seven-year-old daughter, Annie Grace, spent most of the banquet under our table, but afterwards, she observed astutely: "Those people win lots of awards, don't they?" And I was able to say, with great pride, "Yes, honey, they do."

Here's the list of award winners this year:

Story of the Year: Anne K. Walters, "Secret Camera Found in Clock/Victims Struggle with News"
Photo of the Year: Rebecca Gardner, "Sophomore Mark Jeffires collides ..." (Men's soccer photo)
Outstanding Editor: Vanessa Schneider
Outstanding Section: Design (Matt Quintanilla, editor; Nic Barajas, assistant editor)
Outstanding Freshman: Chris Baxter
Outstanding Senior: Anne K. Walters
Outstanding Achievement: Chris Colleluori, Caitlin Connelly, Rebecca Gardner, Emily Paulsen, Emil Petti


Congratulations to them all -- and to the Ithacan staff as a whole. You are all real pros.