Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: A&M-San Antonio - The Mesquite Entry Title: REC sports: Commitment and Legacy Entry Credit: Matthew Lopez Judge Comment: A strong narrative open, a bevy of quality sources and a clear sense of purpose make this a top-tier winner in a category of outstanding pieces. The use of description as well as fact gives the reader both a sense of feel and a sense of structure. Very well done.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: St. Edward's University Entry Title: Advocacy for inclusion of American Sign Language course continues through student-led online petition Entry Credit: Claire Lawrence Judge Comment: A strong look at an overlooked language and one student's efforts to make it more universal within the school's curriculum. The conflict between the vested interests of the ASL community and the stubborn position of the school demonstrates the conflict here and allows the reader to see the lengths to which this student is required to go to help people gain a valuable skill.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: A&M-San Antonio - The Mesquite Entry Title: New provost hopes to engineer a bright future for A&M-San Antonio Entry Credit: Graham Hotard Judge Comment: This is more than a run-of-the-mill profile on a new administrator. Instead, it pairs the journey of one person with the needs and wants of an entire school. The quality of the writing helps weave together a temporal narrative without lapsing into pointless chronology. A strong entry in a deep category.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Tyler Junior College Entry Title: Police sergeant retires from TJC Entry Credit: Will Kaiser Judge Comment: A fitting tribute to an individual who became an anchor on the campus. The retirement of this individual marks the end of one chapter in life and the start of another. In his retirement piece, readers learn of someone they might have liked to get to know more when he was an active member of the campus. A great read.
