This year’s convention was set to take place at The University of North Texas in Denton, but the in-person opportunity was cancelled due to COVID. 

Nevertheless, AC Student Media won awards for work published during the 2020-2021 school year. The prizes include two first-place awards in magazine story package and magazine cover design. One judge commented on the ‘future filmmakers’ spread from the spring 2021 issue of The Current saying, “the design and presentation are perfect.” 

“When I found out that we won 20 awards, I was in awe,” Ruth Martinez, co-editor of The Ranger, AC’s student newspaper, said. “It makes me feel good knowing that my colleagues and I have all worked hard. I really appreciate TCCJA recognizing our hard work as well.”

Other awards included five second-place awards for column writing, headline writing, magazine story package, illustration and editorial cartoon; seven third-place awards for in-depth reporting, news photo, sports action photo, picture page, non-journalism story, magazine cover design and editorial cartoon; and five honorable mention nods for sports action photo, feature photo, editorial writing, non-journalism story and advertising. 

Jill Gibson, chair of media, arts and communication, and Maddisun Fowler, student media coordinator, collaborate to advise AC Student Media. 

“AC Student Media did it again,” Fowler said. “Some community college students really struggled to publish or to even cover news and events during the pandemic, but AC students persisted regardless of COVID and I’m so proud of them,” she said.

“Because of the pandemic, students have faced extra challenges,” Gibson said. “I am extremely proud of this validation that they have continued to do excellent work despite the obstacles,” she said.

Please contact Fowler at mfowler@actx.edu or 806-371-5293 for more information about AC Student Media.