Eight recognized for outstanding work
in Summer 2003 class

Special for chipsquinn.org

Posted: Oct. 3, 2003

The Summer 2003 Chips Achievement Prizes were announced this week, with eight Summer Scholars taking home accolades and the coveted award -- a copy of the Newseum's book Capture the Moment: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs.

The top three awards for overall journalism excellence go to:

Ailey Kato, who worked as an intern at The Wenatchee (Wash.) World, for her richly reported project on local families whose loved ones are serving in the military in Iraq. Her work is an outstanding example of bringing local resonance to an international story.

Judges' comments: "Ailey takes the reader to the chair next to mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends and relatives. She has a conversation with those left behind and makes the reader hurt for those waiting for their soldiers to come home."

Christine Armario, of the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal, for her enterprise reporting in "Cubans fit seamlessly into local mainstream."

Judges said, "Christine’s enterprise effort is what newspapers are all about. Her story traces the connection among Cubans in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who, thanks to Christine, found each other in this unlikely upstate town."

Stephanie Conduff, of the Muskogee (Okla.) Daily Phoenix & Times-Democrat, for her nostalgic story, "Book Comes Home," about a 99-year-old woman being reunited with her youth.

Judges' comment: “Stephanie’s writing captures the reader from beginning to the thought-out ending. The writing was smooth, the organization solid, and Stephanie showed abundant patience interviewing her 99-year-old subject.”

Judges gave special recognition to Shadi Rahimi of The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune for “contributing to the lasting improvement of a newspaper.”

Rahimi noticed that coverage of young people and youth issues was sparse at her host newspaper. She helped enhance the youth coverage by brokering an editorial partnership between the paper and Youth Outlook magazine, a project of Pacific News Service. Coverage of young readers is a key priority for the newspaper industry, and Rahimi’s efforts contributed significantly to The Tribune’s outreach to the readership group.

In her entry essay, Rahimi wrote, “Most importantly, young people will finally have a place in the newspaper, and the venture will be a testament to others in the industry of the value of listening and catering to young people, their future readership.”

Also awarded for their outstanding work:

• Wasim Ahmad, for "Doctors grant child's wish," the story of a 4-year-old Iranian boy who had his eye and nose restored by surgery. The story is an example of writing positively and compassionately about a difficult subject.

• Natalie Guillen, for fine news sense in capturing the photo "Blast" when a cherry bomb was thrown into the stands at an Oakland A’s baseball game. Guillen got the photo -- an example of news photography when the news changes in a second. The photo was picked up by The Associated Press.

• Rachana Rathi, for her fact-packed story about residents who are failing to return to a renovated housing project. Her work is an example of persistent reporting in the face of obstacles, including subjects hesitant to speak.

• Nelsy Rodriguez, for her poignant story about the murder of a young woman who had been in the United States just 15 days. Rodriguez’s work is an example of sensitive reporting under tragic circumstances.

Program Director Karen Catone and writing coaches Mary Ann Hogan and Dick Thien serve as judges for the CAP Awards.

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