First place, Portrait Personality - Joseph Scheller / Ohio University, "Sarah Strouds"Sarah Liese, a graduate journalism student at Ohio University, poses for a portrait at Strouds Run, in Athens, Ohio, one of her favorite places near school, April 20, 2021. Liese had just been accepted at the Sundance Institute as a 2021 Full Circle Fellow, which is a fellowship to help support indigenous artists.
Second place, Portrait Personality - Alie Skowronski / The Columbus Dispatch, "Phoebe Congleton"Phoebe Congleton, 12, stretches before ballet practice in her living room in London, Ohio, on Dec. 8, 2021. Congleton is a back up Clara in BalletMet’s production of the nutcracker this year. All participants in the nutcracker had to be 12-years-old because vaccination was a requirement.
Third place, Portrait Personality - Joseph Scheller / Ohio University, "Zion Baptist"Doctor Tee Ford-Ahmed, director of communications for the Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society, poses for a portrait inside of the historic church next to the stain-glass window that has since become the symbol for the organization, in Athens, Ohio, on July 21, 2021.
Award of Excellence, Portrait Personality - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "MJ"Marcellus "MJ" Whitehead, 8, sits in his wheelchair at his grandma's house in Evanston on November 12, 2021. In July, MJ was shot in the head and leg while leaving his neighborhood corner store with his older brother. For months, MJ has been receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children's Hospital for a severe brain injury. MJ left the hospital earlier this week, but still requires constant care from his grandmother and mother.
Award of Excellence, Portrait Personality - Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal, "Brown Boy Joy"Demetrius "Dee" Davis, the eight-year-old CEO of Our Brown Boy Joy, grins as he peeks over an arm load of his company's "My Friend" dolls. The 18-inch plush dolls were created in his likeness, with his black curly hair, a white and tan Timberland boots.
Award of Excellence, Portrait Personality - Kareem Elgazzar / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Alex Spencer"Westwood native Alex Spencer, who launched Alex Spencer Reserve boutique cigar company in 2019 from his home in Madisonville, lights The Mansa cigar, Nov. 18, 2021, at Blaze Cigar Lounge and Bar in Newport, Ky. Spencer's first release, a hand-rolled premium cigar called The Mansa, has quickly grown in popularity and can be found locally at Over the Rhine Premium Cigars in OTR, The Party Source in Bellevue and Blaze Cigar Lounge and Bar in Newport.
