POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — The College of the Ozarks student-produced newscast, “The Point,” recently received 11 college media awards for work produced in 2020.
The Missouri Broadcast Educators Association and Region 7 of the Society of Professional Journalists (which includes the colleges and universities in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas) announced the winners of this year’s college media competition for work produced in 2020.
Erin Hayes, professor of the practice of journalism and media, expressed pride and appreciation for her students’ hard work and integrity as budding journalists.
"Our student journalists have worked so hard in this unusual year, and it is deeply gratifying to see their hard work honored by industry professionals,” Hayes said. “The world needs an infusion of honest, ethical, capable journalists, and this group of students at The Point fits that description perfectly. They have a reverence for the truth. They care deeply about the stories they cover, and they are committed to helping their student colleagues achieve their very best. I am immensely proud of them."
Missouri Broadcast Educators Association (MBEA) Awards
First Place Scriptwriting - News: "COVID and First Responders"
- Verve Reposar, junior video production major, from Walnut Shade, Missouri
First Place Feature News Story: "John Gill"
- Avery Reed, senior journalism major, from Belleville, Illinois
First Place News Show Non-Recurring: "Christmas Edition"
- Avery Reed
- Lizzie Miller, senior journalism major, from Millington, Tennessee
- Karsten Armstrong, junior history major, from Worthington, Minnesota
Second Place Scriptwriting - News: "Church During Covid"
Second Place Hard News Story: "9/11"
- Verve Reposar
- Nate Hankins, senior journalism major, from Jackson, Missouri
- Jackson Bliss, junior video production major, from Point Lookout, Missouri
- Olivia Best, junior journalism major, from Berryville, Arkansas
Second Place (tie) Hard News: "COVID Guidance"
- Savannah Hampton, senior journalism major, from Allendale, Michigan
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Region 7 Awards
Winner (First Place) Television Feature Reporting: "Tony Melendez"
- Ethan Harrison, senior video production major, from Mountain Grove, Missouri
- Nate Hankins, Jackson Bliss, Verve Reposar
Winner (First Place) Broadcast Feature Videography: "Virtual Homecoming"
- Verve Reposar, Olivia Best
- Sarah Best, senior journalism major, from Berryville, Arkansas
- Nathan Jeffries, senior video production major, from Trimble, Missouri
About MBEA
The MBEA Awards were created to showcase individual accomplishments and group projects from Missouri college students. The Missouri Broadcast Educators Association exists to encourage and coordinate educational and instructional activities related to broadcast education to have the greatest possible effect on broadcast education in Missouri. (https://mbea.us/)
About SPJ
The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its roughly 6,000 members; works to inspire and educate current and future journalists through professional development; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press through its advocacy efforts.