Reporters from the South Bend Tribune, WFYI Public Media and an Indiana University student took home top honors in the chapter’s 2018 Best in Indiana journalism contest, while students from Indiana University and Franklin College received the chapter’s college scholarships.
WFYI Public Media Side Effects teammates Lauren Bavis, Araceli Gomez-Aldana, Jake Harper and Emily Forman were selected as Indiana Journalists of the Year for healthcare and medical reporting that highlighted the human costs of Indiana’s opioid crisis as well as the danger women of color face giving birth.
Christian Sheckler, of the South Bend Tribune, and Ken Armstrong, of Propublica, won Story of the Year for their investigation into the Elkhart Police Department, which revealed disciplinary problems that led to the chief's resignation, charges against two officers and an independent investigation.
Laurel Demkovich, of Indiana University, was named Student Journalist of the Year in recognition of her work at The Indiana Daily Student. Judges said her work should be something all student journalists strive for.
Other top winners include Tom McClanahan of WTWO-TV receiving the Slaymaker Service to Journalism Award.
Congratulations to all the winners from across the state for their outstanding broadcast, print and online journalism. You can download the entire winner's list here and share it.
Proceeds from the Best in Indiana contest help fund the chapter’s college scholarship program. The two winners of $2,500 scholarships for the 2019-20 school year are Lydia Gerike of Indiana University and Emily Ketterer of Franklin College.
The awards were presented April 26 during the chapter’s annual awards banquet.