Three award-winning Marian Network staffers joined the members of the Nebraska Press Women at their Spring Convention in Beatrice, Nebraska on Saturday, April 22. The event was held at the Homestead National Monument Education Center. Award winners from Millard South were also in attendance.

Morning speakers at the conference included Alan J. Bartels, former editor of Nebraska Life magazine. His second book “100 Things to do in the Nebraska Sandhills Before You Die” will be published in September.

Dr. Carol Lomicky, UNK journalism professor emeritus, also spoke before the luncheon. Her presentation was entitled: “Newspapers: Gone Like the Buffalo” and the content centered around vanishing newspapers, ghost papers, mergers, acquisitions and closures of community newspapers and what it means for the future.

At the luncheon, Sherry Thompson, Nebraska Press Women High School Contest director, announced the first place winners in every category and honored those students in attendance. Each student also had a chance to say a few words to the members about their award-winning pieces.

Marian Journalism teacher and JEA Nebraska State Director, Marsha Kalkowski, spoke about the state of scholastic journalism and encouraged the Nebraska Press Women to engage young people early with their community publications and seek their contributions. Journalism is alive and well in high schools across the state, especially as some of the best and brightest prepare to head to Norfolk for the NSAA State Journalism contests on Monday and Tuesday, April 24 and 25.

Of all Nebraska schools eligible, 13 competed in the 2023 contest, submitting 280 individual entries. Points were awarded Sweepstakes style for each winning entry, relative to how many entries there were in each category. Westside won the overall Sweepstakes Award and Marian was named Runner Up. The program earned a glass-etched trophy and a $150 check. All the first place winners in the contest have been forwarded to the National Federation of Press Women contest. Those results will be available after May 17.

Entry	Category	Ranking	Entrant first name	Entrant last name
Proud to be an American	Cartooning	1st Place	Cecilia	Urbanski
American Identity fluctuates with generational changes in society	Editorial	1st Place	Reagan	Rosenbaum
How far is too far? Resisting climate change	Environment	1st Place	Cecilia	Urbanski
Debate Team takes on busy competition season in different categories	Feature Story	1st Place	Mary	Ambrose
Redefining my ADD as a superpower, not a weakness	Columns or Blogs	2nd Place	Margaret	Cusick
Stranger Indepth	Double-Truck Layout	2nd Place	Cecilia	Urbanski
Journalism in a Democracy	Editorial	2nd Place	Margaret	Cusick
Rise of female gamers: Here to play, here to stay	Feature Story	2nd Place	Kyra	McFadden
Senior Claire Troshynski holds triathlon title for Nebraska	Sports Story	2nd Place	Nora	Corrigan
Revolution of Artificial Intelligence	Double-Truck Layout	3rd Place	Cecilia	Urbanski
Feature on the Humane Society needing your help!	Video Feature Story	3rd Place	Ellis Peter, Shelby Gerken,	Lilly McAndrews & Reagan Graeve
Dec. 1 – MBeat	Best Newscast	Honorable Mention	Mariella Virgilito, Madi Shaffer,	Mia Butler & Ruthie Barrett
Servant of Mary pursues compassion over decades of hate	Feature Story	Honorable Mention	Nora	Corrigan
Revolution of Artificial Intelligence (Mona Lisa revisited)	Graphics / Photo Illustration	Honorable Mention	Cecilia	Urbanski
What’s Going On Around OMAHA	Graphics / Photo Illustration	Honorable Mention	Nora	Corrigan
Wardrobe Beauty Beast	News or Feature Photo	Honorable Mention	Tyler	Raikar
Seniors go above, beyond to secure full ride scholarships	News Story	Honorable Mention	Maggie	Morris
Bodies, Brains & Broadcasting	Opinion	Honorable Mention	Meghan	Bartness
Peek behind the curtain of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’	Review	Honorable Mention	Nina	McMullen
Show Choir Photo Essay – Open Up Your Heart	Single-Page Layout	Honorable Mention	Tyler	Raikar
Friday Night Lights Arial	Sports Photo	Honorable Mention	Tyler	Raikar
Bridget McGill’s 26.2 mile journey	Sports Story	Honorable Mention	Ella	Plank
Graduation Mass HANDS together	Yearbook Photo	Honorable Mention	Maria	McLeay