La Voz News brings home 15 awards at journalism conference

Andrea Saldana

Ayah Ali-Ahmad
November 3, 2022

La Voz News brought home 13 awards for media produced during the 2022 winter and spring quarters, and three awards for on-the-spot contests, during Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ NorCal Regional Conference at Las Positas College on Oct. 22. Six La Voz staff attended JACC’s conference with assistance from De Anza Student Government.

Throughout the day, JACC members and professional journalists held workshops on reporting, multimedia,  journalism ethics and interviewing. Representatives from Cal State Fullerton, Cal State LA, San Francisco State and San Jose State set up booths to talk with student journalists and share information on educational opportunities. 

The conference also featured keynote speaker Edreece Arghandiwal, chief marketing officer and co-founder of Oakland Roots Sports Club, who spoke on how he built an equitable business model that centered uplifting Oakland athletes and natives and how journalism has helped advertise his businesses.

From left to right: Freelance Reporter Kevin Nguyen, Staff Reporter Jessie Zhou, Freelance Copy editor Laura Atkinson, Editor-in-Chief Ayah Ali-Ahmad and Freelance Reporter Lauren Linh Bui attend the award ceremony during the JACC NorCal Regional Conference on Oct. 22. (Andrea Saldana)

All 13 awards Fall Production awards La Voz Staff won at JACC NorCal Regional Conference 

  • General Excellence: Online awarded to La Voz News staff
  • First place for Critical Review awarded to Michael Davis
  • First place for Profile Feature Story awarded to Nathan Canilao
  • Second place for Opinion Story awarded to E.W. Park
  • Fourth place for Column Writing awarded to Maida Suta
  • Honorable Mention for Editorial awarded to La Voz News staff
  • Honorable Mention for Non-Profile Feature Story awarded to Nathan Canilao
  • Honorable Mention for News Story awarded to Kevin Nguyen
  • Honorable Mention for Opinion Story awarded to Andrea Infante
  • Honorable Mention for Profile Feature Story awarded to Rory Conlon
  • Meritorious for Enterprise News Story/Series awarded to Yvonne Phan and Kevin Nguyen
  • Meritorious for Enterprise News Story/Series awarded to Yvonne Phan and Kevin Nguyen
  • Meritorious for Enterprise News Story/Series awarded to Kevin Nguyen

In addition to the workshops, students could participate in various contests during the day within a certain time limit to produce or edit content in various categories, such as news writing, opinion writing, copy editing, feature photo and social media.

One-the-spot contests won at JACC NorCal Regional Conference 

  • Second place for Feature Photo awarded to Jessie Zhou
  • Third place for Copy Editing awarded to Laura Atkinson
  • Third place for News Writing awarded to Lauren Linh Bui

Below is Jessie Zhou’s award-winning feature photo taken during the networking session.

Student editor Autumn Blue from San Jose State University listens carefully to questions asked by student journalists during JACC NorCal Regional Conference’s networking session on Oct. 22. (Jessie Zhou)