SPJ South Florida partnered with the Florida College Press Association to present the 2011 FCPA Awards, the “Student Division” of the Sunshine State awards. And the winners are…

Best College Magazine

• First Place: Journey Magazine, Journey Magazine

The SEJC competition included 331 entries from 33 schools in eight states—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. FAMU students won the following SEJC awards:

Journey Magazine

 Second Place:  Best College Magazine

Second Place:  Best Magazine Page Layout Designer, Ashleigh Beverly of Tampa, Fla.

Third Place:       Best Multimedia Journalist, Kristen Swilley of Atlanta

Third Place:       Best Magazine Writer, Brandon Neasman of Wilmington, Del.

Fourth Place:    Best College Website

Open publication - Free publishing - More journeymag

(Source: journeymagonline.com)

Open publication - Free publishing - More tallahassee

(Source: journeymagonline.com)

When the August 24 primary elections roll around, Curtis Richardson will have an opportunity to provide the political leadership that the legislature will be missing. Senator Al Lawson will be term-limited out of the legislature after 28 years of service, but Richardson professed that he will be an able candidate for the District 6 Senate seat.

(Source: capitaloutlook.com)

The Society of Professional Journalistsis pleased to announce the Region 3 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2010 calendar year. SPJ Region 3 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. This year, the contest received almost 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Journey, Florida A&M University.
• Second Place: SCAN, Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta.
• Third Place: Orange & Blue, University of Florida.

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: Journeymagonline.com – by Anamarie Shreeves, Florida A&M University.
• Second Place: The Vanguard’s website– by Rodney Thompson, University of South Alabama.
• Third Place: The Red & Black website – by The Red & Black staff, University of Georgia.

I was born in a small, country town in Southwest Florida, so small that people from that region of the world still don’t know it exists. And in that little corridor of American culture, cultural diversity wasn’t as commonplace as it is in other places; you were black, white or Mexican.

My mother, a black woman from Arcadia, Fla, and father, a Puerto Rican from Miami, birthed me on top of the fence of cultural identity. Cultural exploration didn’t happen in the rural areas where I grew up, so I had to decide if I wanted to be Antonio or Tony.

Violent flashbacks of loud screams and gunshots choke off his first words. As if reliving every flesh-piercing wound he withstood, the young man tightens his eyes from the horror that surrounded him on the night of Feb. 6. He had been a promoter for a talent showcase at Big Daddy’s Import Drafthouse on Tennessee Street for more than a year. But that night’s showcase was special. He had recently accepted a director of communications position with multi-millionaire James Wright Jr., chief executive officer of Wright Brain Ventures in Atlanta.

Election Special 2010

William J. Montford III worked to improve the quality of education for children in Florida for more than 40 years as a teacher, principal and superintendent. He has a middle school named in his honor. He is the chief executive officer for the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and has four grandchildren in Tallahassee to keep him active, but Montford is running for State Senator in District 6.

(Source: capitaloutlook.com)

Sunday afternoon as the sun descended, James Mathews was laboring for a cause. Days earlier during a conversation with a close friend, Jerry Lewis, Mathews spilled the story of how he purchased two bicycles after his marriage and never rode them. Lewis, who is a distance runner, joked about the idea of bike riding with his friend. 

“His wife was telling him a couple of years ago to get rid of those old bikes, but he said, ‘No,’ he is going to bring them out and use them again,” Lewis laughed. “I told him we were going to get out and ride down to St. Marks when he got them ready.” Staying true to his word, Mathews polished off the old dust, oiled the rusty chains and got the bikes fitted for new tires. And he started riding.

(Source: capitaloutlook.com)