2002 ONPA Pictures of the Year

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Chad Barchus (left) and Ed Kleman secure the cherry picker arm of a tree trimming truck that overturned after its driver lost control of the vehicle on U.S. 224.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Ron Stacey, parked in his van on Main Street, watches as the Reproductive "Choice" Campaign truck drives by. Billboard size images of aborted human embryos and fetuses were depicted on the sides and rear of the truck, which drove on Findlay streets throughout the day.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Aaron Lewis, 6, hides behind his brother Jarrett, 4, while their dad, Mike Lewis, sprays them. Mike was washing dirt and dust from road construction off the sidewalk in front of his building in downtown Findlay.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Katelyn Clymer, 5, sits on the lap of Jacob Brown, 9, during the turkey judging at the Hancock County Fair.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Pigeons occupy the roof and alley beside the Reick's art store in downtown Findlay. A project being considered by the city is hoped to revitalize Main Street by making it more pedestrian friendly, demolishing unoccupied buildings, and renovating others.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Jessica Schroeder, 17, warms up for her role as the Snow Queen in the Children's Ballet Theatre production of the Nutcracker on November 28. This unique company, in its tenth year, provides the opportunity for children to perform along side professionals and in front of audiences at the Akron Civic Theater.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Jan Young (pictured), and her husband Rob, have been developing their garden for nine years. The garden, which contains 900 petunias, has become known as the Secret Garden by nearby Findlay University Students who see the garden as a colorful oasis in the middle of a parking lot. The Youngs allow visitors to come and go any time, and pride themselves in the garden's handicap accessibility which allows them to host garden parties for local senior citizens homes.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Coldren Crates coach Mike Kerns celebrates with his team after winning the Major Youth League Tournament Championship game in Findlay.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Adam Jago, 19, of Jacksonville, Ohio has recently conquered his addiction to painkillers, but after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder while in rehabillitation for drug addiction and chaos remain prominent themes in his life. After returning from drug rehabilitation at Marietta Memorial Hospital, Jago attempts to replace his American Flag in a hole in the wall of his auto shop where it used to hang.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

After self medicating with marijuana, a manic Adam speaks of his political, social and musical ambitions. Those suffering with bipolar often lose touch with reality while in a manic state, because they feel more capable of, and inspired to live life to its fullest.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Adam’s eighth grade girlfriend, Rebecca Layton, 20, now married and attending college, wipes an eyelash from his face. After ending his OxyContin use, he met with Rebecca, who he had not seen in two years, to show her that he is turning his life around.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Empty cigarette boxes, a sign of the prevalence of addiction in Adam’s life, pile up on a shelf in his bedroom.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Adam smokes marijuana with his mechanic and friend Rodney Richmond in the back of the auto shop. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in rehab, Adam refused to take his prescriptions. “Weed is my only medicine,” he says.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Adam's parents, Sharon and Bob Jago walk with him to a meeting with a social worker at the end of a two week stay in the Southeast Psychiatric Hospital. His mother brought him to the hospital after a manic episode in which he broke a window in the auto shop, and drove a van through the shop's garage door. Adam is currently taking the mood stabilizer Zoloft to control his depression.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Each year more than one million U.S. teens become pregnant. About one in seven Ohio infants is born to a teenager. The birth rate for teens in Ohio is higher that in New York, California, or Pennsylvania. Crystal Dewart, 17, (left) and Tiffany Bates, 17, (right) feel the kicks of Alissa Matteson’s baby. Alissa, 17, gave birth to her daughter, Madison Elizabeth Kirk three and a half weeks later on October 13, 2002, a week and a half premature.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Alissa and friend Tiffany walk behind the student section of stands at a Newark High School football game. 36 of 2,000 students at Newark High are currently enrolled in GRADS. Of those 36, many are criticized and lose their friends. Alissa is one of the few with a supportive core of family and friends.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

“Go into labor and they’ll let you go in,” jokes Dale Kirk, 18, Alissa’s fiancé and the father of her baby, during an especially long wait before one of her final visits to the obstetrician.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Alissa wears the engagement ring given to her by Dale. They plan to marry after they have both graduated from high school. While Alissa stays home from school to care for their daughter, she fears that Dale is flirting with another girl in her class.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Madison, in her first week, cries as Alissa changes her diaper.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

While visiting her parents’ bowling league, Alissa presents her daughter to Mary Dwiggins. During the first week after Madison’s birth she received a steady stream visitors and gifts from admiring relatives and friends.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - James Patterson / Ohio University

Following the birth of her baby, Alissa is entitled to five hours a week of tutoring for six weeks before returning to school. Denise Wiley, a teacher at Newark High School, and Alissa’s home instructor, reads from “Of Mice and Men” during one of their sessions.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Terri Day, 14, is comforted by her boyfriend Roland Higgins Jr, 17, as firefighters remove the remains of her pet cats from the fire damaged Heath apartment where Terri lives with her mother Linda Day, October 8, 2001.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Emily Oiler, 4, walks through a pile of dead deer at Oiler's Meat Processing, a family owned business in Utica, December 2, 2002. The Oiler family expects to process about 1,000 deer before the end of the one week deer gun season.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Andrew Anderson, 11, pauses by the gravestone of Willoughby Dayton Miller while placing American Flags in the Maple Grove Cemetery, May 24, 2002. Children from Alexandria Elementary participated in the Memorial Day celebration by placing flags on graves.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

In an uncertain world threatened by terrorism, Lindsey McIlwain, 7, and her sister Taylor, 5, peacefully sleep on board an airplane to a family vacation in Florida.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Aurora Smith, 6, covers her eyes while her sister Lydia Wears, 5, gets a shot in the thigh at the Licking County Health Department, August 20, 2002.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Brad Colegate gives his partner Jim Mitchell a kiss in the backyard of their Columbus home. The two have been together for over seven years, however can not be married in Ohio.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Ohio State's Maurice Clarett leaps over a San Jose State defender near the goal line to score a Buckeye touchdown during Saturday's game. The Buckeye's defeated San Jose State, 50-7.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Cody Kershaw, 5, of Erie Pennsylvania covers his ears from the sound of a car making its way down the track at Norwalk, July 7, 2002. His father, James Kershaw, raced in the Bracket One race at the Super Chevy Show.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

The following collection of photographs are of the commemoration of the one year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack on New York City. The images were made on the streets around the former site of the World Trade Center, Ground Zero. Jo Estrada, of New York City, is overcome with emotion as she views what remains of the site of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers for the first time since its destruction, September 10, 2002.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Daniel Amirez (left) and Eleazar Nunez, of New York City, hang on a fence around Ground Zero to get a glance of the empty pit left behind one year after the destruction of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, September 9, 2002.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Veronica Jara walks down West Broadway in Lower Manhattan selling American flags for two dollars each on the one year anniversary of the terrorist attacks, September 11, 2002.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Retired New York Fire Fighter Tom Strong with his horse Jake honor the lost fire fighters during ceremonies to commemorate the one year anniversary of the attack on New York, September 11, 2002.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Outside a gate to Ground Zero Randy Garon (left) and Catherine Gill Knudsen listen to the reading of the names of the victims of Sept. 11 on the one year anniversary of the attacks.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

As the sunsets on September 11, 2002, Marianna Dryl of Poland ties flowers to a fence overlooking the former site of the World Trade Center.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Early in the morning on May 17 Gary McMurtry, a Columbus Drag Queen known on the stage as "Brazon," was murdered in his home by a male dancer who performed in shows with him at the Columbus Eagle a gay bar in downtown Columbus. This is the story of how the patrons and staff of the Columbus Eagle mourned the loss of their star performer, Brazon. Here a promotional picture of the Drag Queen sits inside the cash box at the front door.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Eric Jundt, manager of the Columbus Eagle, pauses by the dressing room mirror of the bars star performer, Brazon, on the day of her murder. Jundt spent much of the day planning a tribute show in her honor.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Tara Richmond, the Drag persona of Richard Henson, performs during a tribute show to Brazon at the Columbus Eagle, May 19, 2002. The show drew a crowd larger than any other in the Columbus Eagle's history. Two months later Henson was found dead in a parking lot behind the same bar in what appeared to be a homicide.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Missy Marlo (left) and Maria Garrison (right) comfort Olivia Pantene backstage during the tribute show to their friend Brazon.

Second Place, Student Photographer of the Year - David Distelhorst / Ohio University

Vivi Velure (right) and Jennifer Hart pay tribute to Brazon, pictured, during a show in her honor. More than 20 drag queens from Central Ohio took part in the show.