Communicators from throughout the United States were honored June 22 when the National Federation of Press Women announced the winners of its 2024 Professional Communications Contest as the final event of the organization’s 2024 National Conference in St. Louis, Mo.

Nearly 2,000 entries were submitted in this year’s contest including entries from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C. and Canada.

“The NFPW professional communications contest puts a spotlight on outstanding entries from throughout the United States,” says Helen S. Plotkin, NFPW professional contest director. “Our judges continue to comment about the high quality of entries they judge in the contest. The entries showcase high quality and exceptional efforts.”

Laurie Hallstrom, editor of the West River Catholic, was awarded a 2nd place finish in the national contest in the Specialty Articles — Religion. Her entry was “Racial Healing Conference a launch pad for discussions.” Judges said the article was, “Very comprehensive and a detailed overview of an important topic.”

NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including print and electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio and television.

Professional journalists, communications specialists and educators judged entries in a wide variety of categories. Only first-place winning entries at the state or at-large levels are eligible to enter the national contest. Hallstrom won first place in the at-large category as there is no longer a chapter in South Dakota. All entries were published or broadcast between Jan. 1, and Dec. 31, 2023.