'Lookout' wins big at journalism event
The Lookout staff members are shown with some of the awards they received in the MCCPA journalism competition at Central Michigan University on April 1. Pictured, from left are: front row – Associate Editor Mallory Stiles, Editor in Chief Chloe Gregg and Staff Writer Juanita Kelly-Hill; back row – Staff Writer Jonah Unger, Sports Editor Jayden Hewitt and Adviser Larry Hook. Courtesy photo
By Larry Hook
The Lookout Adviser
The Lookout, LCC’s student newspaper, won 10 awards in the 2023 Michigan Community College Press Association’s annual journalism competition.
Among those awards was the contest’s top prize, first place in the “General Excellence” category. The Lookout also earned second place for “Best News Website.”
A total of 10 community colleges were entered in the competition.
The winners of the awards were announced during the 2023 MCCPA Conference at Central Michigan University on Saturday, April 1. Five members of The Lookout staff attended the event, along with Adviser Larry Hook.
Students at the conference attended various seminars led by former CMU journalists who are now professionals in their field. Seminars included photography, sports writing, being a nosy reporter, how to get a job in journalism, and more.
Judges for the “General Excellence” category were: Jodi McFarland Friedman from the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism; Gary Heinlein of the St. Ignace News and Mackinac Island Town Crier; and Ragen Foster, the adviser of CM Life at Central Michigan University.
Among the judge’s comments on The Lookout were the following: “This is a nice, clean and consistently good quality publication that exhibits super copy editing and headline writing; solid news judgement reporting and design; and good writing. It utilizes original, staff-generated photos rather than over relying on contributed or stock images …”
The Lookout Editor in Chief Chloe Gregg was among the award winners in the competition. She placed third for an editorial about the tragic shooting at Michigan State University in February. Gregg is in her final semester at The Lookout after a four-year tenure on the staff.
Gregg said she is thrilled about all the awards the staff earned this year, particularly the first-place honor for “General Excellence.”
“I am incredibly proud of the staff of The Lookout,” Gregg said. “I have been a member of The Lookout staff through thick and thin for the past four years; from having eight staff members when I started to just three during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every year I am impressed with the hard workers who work for The Lookout. To finish my last year with The Lookout on such a high note makes my heart very happy. I’m excited to see The Lookout continue to thrive.”
The complete list of awards is as follows:
First place – General Excellence – The Lookout Staff
First place – Sports News Photo – Julie Newell
Second place – Best News Website – The Lookout Staff
Third place – Sports Feature – Julie Newell
Third place – Sports Column – Jayden Hewitt
Third place – Editorial – Chloe Gregg
Third place – Sports News Photo – Breezy Marcus
Honorable mention – News Story – Jayden Hewitt
Honorable mention – Serious Column – Jonah Unger
Honorable mention – Editorial – Mallory Stiles
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