2021 ONPA  Annual Contest Winners

George A. Smallsreed, Jr. Photographer of the Year (Small Market)
1st – Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun

George A. Smallsreed, Jr. Photographer of the Year (Large Market)
1st – Joshua A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch
2nd – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer
3rd – Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch

Chuck Scott Student Photographer of the Year Award
1st – Erin Burk, Ohio University
2nd – Chris Day, Ohio University

Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship
1st – Joe Timmerman, Ohio University
2nd – Ryan Grzybowski, Ohio University

Best of Show
Erik Schelkun, Freelance, “Cicada”

Monthly Clip Contest Photographer of the Year
1st – Kyle Robertson, Columbus Dispatch
2nd – Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade
3rd – Rebecca Benson, The Bade

Staff of the Year
1st – The Cincinnati Enquirer
2nd – The Columbus Dispatch
3rd – The Blade

Feature
1st – Erik Schelkun, Freelance, “Cicada”
2nd – Rebecca Benson, The Blade, “Birthday Fishing”
3rd – Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, “Windy Day”
Award of Excellence – Chris Day, Ohio University, “Fashion Show”

Feature Picture Story
1st – Erin Burk, Ohio University, “Medicare”
2nd – Joshua A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch, “Our Rivers’ Keepers”
3rd – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Vaccine Hesitancy”
Award of Excellence – Alie Skowronski, Ohio University, “New Normal”

General News
1st – Chris Day, Ohio University, “Miami Protest”
2nd – Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, “Kiss”
3rd – Albert Cesare, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Police Abuse”
Award of Excellence – Joshual A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch, “CRT Protests”
Award of Excellence – Alie Skowronski, Freelance, “Go Beyond”

News Picture Story
1st – Gaelen Morse, Freelance, “Ma’Khia Bryant”
2nd – Chris Day, Ohio University, “New Marshfield, Ohio”
Award of Excellence – Tanner Pearson, Ohio University, “Tornado”
Award of Excellence – Doral Chenoweth, The Columbus Dispatch, “Kaylie Harris”

Pictorial
1st – Alie Skowronski, Freelance, “ActionQuest”
2nd – Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, Balloons”
3rd – Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, “Hanging Shoes”
Award of Excellence – Rebecca Benson, The Blade,”Snake”

Portrait Personality
1st – Joseph Scheller, Ohio University, “Sarah Strouds”
2nd – Alie Skowronski, The Columbus Dispatch, “Phoebe Congleton”
3rd – Joseph Scheller, Ohio University, “Zion Baptist”
Award of Excellence – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “MJ”
Award of Excellence – Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal, “Brown Boy Joy”
Award of Excellence – Kareem Elgazzar, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Alex Spencer”

Product Illustration
1st – Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, “Ice Cream Sandwiches”
2nd – Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, “The Hopper”
3rd – Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, “Kengo”
Award of Excellence – Barbara Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, “Beef Tartare”
Award of Excellence – Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, “Doughnuts”

Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year
1st – Rebecca Benson, The Blade
2nd – Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch
3rd – Kareem Elgazzar, The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sports Action
1st – David Richard, Freelance, “Safe at Home”
2nd – Shane Flanigan, ThisWeek Community News, “Out at Second”
3rd – Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Backhand”
Award of Excellence – Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, “Save”
Award of Excellence – Shane Flanigan, ThisWeek Community News, “Blind Side”

Sports Feature
1st – Rebecca Benson, The Blade, “Mocking”
2nd – Erik Schelkun, Freelance, “Head Pat”
3rd – Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal, “State Champs”
Award of Excellence – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Farmer Break”

Sports Picture Story
1st – Joshua A. Bickel, The Columbus Dispatch, “Austin Bowman Leads the Way”
2nd – Kareem Elgazzar, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Olympic Softball”
3rd – Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, “Hilltop Tigers Soccer Program”
Award of Excellence – Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, “Solheim Cup”

Spot News
1st – Marshall Gorby, Dayton Daily News, “Fatal Gun Run”
2nd – Gaelen Morse, Freelance, “Ma’Khia Bryant”
3rd – Marshall Gorby, Dayton Daily News, “Crazy Man”
Award of Excellence – Rebecca Benson, The Blade, “Apartment Fire”
Award of Excellence – Dave Zapotosky, The Blade, “Homicide Reaction”
Award of Excellence – Kurt Steiss, The Blade, Regina Manor Fire”

Multimedia Photographer of the Year
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer
2nd – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch
3rd – Liz Dufour, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Award of Excellence, Amanda Rossman, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Award of Excellence, Phillip Kaplan, The Blade

Audio Slideshow
No entries

News Video
1st – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, “La Poblanita”
2nd – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Mother of 8-Year-Old Gunshot Victim”

Feature Video
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Pen Pals”
2nd – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Saving the Mill Creek”
3rd – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, “Afghan Couple Escapes”
Award of Excellence – Amanda Rossman, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Foraging Healthy Foods and Friendship”

Sports Video
1st – Amanda Rossman, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Harrison Wrestler Rise Too the Top”
2nd – Amanda Rossman, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Volleyball Fans”
3rd – Phillip Kalan, The Blade, ”Wukie Qualifies For Tokyo Olympics”

Documentary Video
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Devils In That Water”

Team Video
1st – Meg Vogel & Amanda Rossman, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “What Is Motherhood?”

The Judges

Still image judges were Kathy Kieliszewski, the senior news director for visuals at the Detroit Free Press; Tim Nwachukwu, a staff sports photographer for Getty Images based in Philadelphia; and Angela Wilhelm, a staff photojournalist at the Asheville Citizen Times in North Carolina.

Matt Mills McKnight, a Seattle-based video producer for Reuters and Jovelle Tomayo, an independent visual journalist also in Seattle judged the Multimedia entries.