July 29, 2026
Japanese Cultural Center
Honolulu, HI

2025 Excellence in Journalism judged by the San Diego and East Tennessee chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists
INTERNET
First Place
Online News Reporting
“More than 2 years later, Lahaina rebuild still a work in progress”
Brian McInnis
Spectrum News Hawaii

Comments: More than two years after wildfires devastated Lahaina, McInnis delivers a ground-level accountability report that resists the temptation of an easy milestone narrative. The writer lets residents speak plainly about bureaucratic obstacles, safety concerns and the long recovery timeline. He balances out officials' claims with lived experience of those on the ground, which I found touching. 
Second Place 
Online News Reporting
“Maui public schools included in flawed, $100 million-plus solar air-conditioning initiative”
Brian Perry	
Maui Now
	
Third Place
Online News Reporting
“Court finds probable cause in murder case involving shooting death of Maui officer”
Wendy Osher	
Maui Now
		
First Place 
Online Feature Reporting 
“The coverage of the Trump Administrations Actions 2025”	
Stanford Fichtman
Politics Hawaii 	
		
Comments: The winner showed a lucid capacity to localize national issues. Playful, inquisitive and personable language brings the reader closer to complex issues. Much needed history, perspective and analysis.
Second Place	
Online Feature Reporting 
“An exclusive tour of Sumida Farm”
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta	
Aloha State Daily
		
Third Place	
Online Feature Reporting 
“Lahaina fire survivor Cesar Martinez looks to be part of the solution for housing”
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros	
Aloha State Daily

First Place 
Best Multimedia Presentation		
“Wisdom of Our Kupuna”
Honolulu Magazine

Comments: A heartfelt, human-interest piece with lovely, crisp photography and a beautiful layout. 	
HONOLULU Magazine

Second Place	
Best Multimedia Presentation
“Hawaii Business I.C.E. Map”
Randall Libramonte, Ken Wills

Third Place
Best Multimedia Presentation	
“Maui police share body camera footage and further details amid ongoing investigation into officer death”
Wendy Osher
Maui Now
		
First Place 
Best Overall News Site		
“Aloha State Daily”
Aloha State Daily Newsroom	
Aloha State Daily

Comments: Great work by a new Internet startup. Aloha State Daily offers comprehensive, continuously updated local content across the islands.		
Second Place
Best Overall News Site	
“Maui Now”
Jack Dugan, David Christy, Wendy Osher	
Maui Now
	
Third Place	
Best Overall News Site	
“Hawaii Public Radio”		
Tori DeJournett, Hannah Kaiulani Coburn 
Hawaii Public Radio

First Place 
Best 1-Person Online Features Site/1-Person Features Blog
“All Hawaii News”
Nancy Cook Lauer
All Hawaii News	

Comments: You have to admire Nancy Cook Lauer for her 16-year-long determination to give Hawaiians daily access to curated news. Her posts are well-written, concise and compelling.		
Second Place 
Best 1-Person Online Features Site/1-Person Features Blog	
Politics Hawaii with Stan Fichtman 2025 		
Stanford Fichtman 
Politics Hawaii 

MAGAZINES
First Place
Business Reporting			
“MATSON KEEPS HAWAI'I WELL-STOCKED”
Ken Wills 
Hawaii Business	

Comments: Amazing very complete 		
Second Place 
Business Reporting	
“Not Grown in Hawai'I”
Ryann Noelani Coules 
Hawaii Business	
	
Comments: Really good and interesting 		
Third Place 
Business Reporting	
“'Ulu Together Now”
Martha Cheng 
NMG Network	
	
Comments: Interesting and very local 		
First Place	
Industry or Trade Reporting	
“Food & Dining”
Mari Taketa 
HONOLULU Magazine

Comments: Well-researched, unique pieces with beautiful photography and attractive layouts. I'm ready to pack my bags and come eat my way through Hawaii!		
Second Place
Industry or Trade Reporting	
“Five stories on Hawai'i real estate and land issues”
Kathryn Drury Wagner, Ryann Noelani  Coules, Perry  Arrasmith, Shelby  Mattos	
Hawaii Business	
			
Third Place 
Industry or Trade Reporting	
“HONOLULU Book Awards”
Don Wallace	
HONOLULU Magazine

First Place 
Profile
“Dana Edmunds, Artist of the Portrait”
Catharine Lo Griffin 
Hana Hou!

Comments: Very interesting and well-written article on the career of photographer Dana Edmunds. Learning the story of how the someone became a photographer is something I have not read before. I really enjoyed it.
	
Second Place	
Profile	
“Anchors, Skulls, and Hula Girls - Sailor Jerry”	
Catharine Lo Griffin	
Hana Hou!

Third Place 
Profile	
“In Hale‘iwa, a Legendary Plumeria Farm Opens Its Doors to the Public”
Eric Stinton
Flux Hawaii

First Place	
Feature Writing/Short Form 
“A Mountain Gem”	
Timothy A. Schuler 
Moment, NMG Network
	
Comments: I love learning how people respect and add beauty to their lives through architecture, especially personal living spaces. And of course, how could you not be inspired in Hawaii? 
	
Second Place 
Feature Writing/Short Form			
“UH President Wendy Hensel on Listening, Innovating and Reimagining the Classroom”
Jennifer Ablan	
Hawaii Business	

Comments: Great profile on a woman who is her "authentic self" in an institution where students are paying to learn how to contribute to society AND with a healthy vision toward improving the future. 

Third Place	
Feature Writing/Short Form		
“Beyond the Trophy Hunt”
Martha Cheng 
HL1, NMG Network 

Comments: Managing invasive plants and species in Hawaii seems to be an endless task. Learning about the Axis deer on Lanai was certainly informative. Who knew?! The final comment, "This is hunting not killing" was most compelling.”
	
Competition Comments: "It was difficult to choose a winner. Beautiful narration, informative pieces, and a writer's glimpse into people's lives in an Indigenous area that is claimed as the 50th state by the U.S. Mahalo for sharing your stories."

First Place 
Feature Writing/Long Form		
“Lahaina Is Rising, Slowly”
Cynthia Wessendorf 
Hawaii Business	

Comments: "Lahaina Is Rising, Slowly is superb community journalism, chronicling through crisp writing, beautiful photographs and compelling human-centered storytelling a community's path to rebuilding after a devastating wildfire. Bravo."

Second Place 
Feature Writing/Long Form			
“I Donated a Kidney to a Stranger &#8211; and Maybe You Should Too”
Ryann Noelani Coules	
Hawaii Business

Comments: What a brave journey this writer took in donating a kidney and then writing about it. The writing was incredibly compelling and concise, layering in everything you need to know about organ donation with the narrative of personal journey. Great work.

Third Place	
Feature Writing/Long Form		
“Close Encounters of the Hawai'i Kine”
Conner Gorry
NMG Network

Comments: A compelling read from the very beginning, detailing a fascinating subculture driven by UFO sightings. Creating visuals as well

Competition Comments: "This was a tough competition to judge with every entry being worthy of award. But Lahaina Is Rising, Slowly, stood out for its focus on such a pivotal moment in the community's trajectory. The narrative was propelled by crisp writing, beautiful photographs and compelling human-centered storytelling detailing the community's path to rebuilding after a devastating wildfire. 

First Place 
Body of Work- Single Writer	
“Catharine Lo Griffin - body of work, single writer”	
Catharine Lo Griffin

Second Place 
Body of Work- Single Writer	
“Where Sushi Reigns Supreme; The Kava Boom; Against the Grain; Beyond Taipei”	
Martha Cheng 
Violet, NMG Network	
		
Third Place 
Body of Work- Single Writer	
“Five reports from Managing Editor Ken Wills”
Ken Wills 
Hawaii Business	
		
First Place
Overall Page Design		
“Three issues from 2025”		
Jeff Sanner	
Hawaii Business

Comments: "I loved the way the pages are put together. There is so much diversity not only in design and color, but also in the topics covered in the magazine. It ranges from investigative pieces and data driven stories with graphics to cartoons that make you feel like you’re reading a modern newspaper, as well as deeply human interest reports especially the cover story, which really brings the community into the pages."

First Place 
Best Single Feature Layout	
“Bold Ways to Fix Our City”
James Nakamura	
HONOLULU Magazine

Comments: Powerful design, backed up by substantive ideas to improve a city. This wins first prize for its marriage of design and substance. 
	
Second Place 
Best Single Feature Layout	
“Twenty Kanaka Artist on Twenty-Five Years of Hawaiian Art”	
Matthew Dekneef, Taylor Niimoto, Eleazar Herradura, Coby Shimabukuro-Sanchez	
Flux Hawaii, NMG Network

Third Place 
Best Single Feature Layout	
“The Path to Pro”
HONOLULU Magazine	
First Place
Magazine Cover		
June cover: Likes, Follows and Paychecks 
Jeff Sanner		
Hawaii Business

Comments: I like how the people look like they are popping out of the cell phone. It is a very creative
presentation.

Second Place
Magazine Cover	
The Firebird	
Doug Perrine, Matt Mallams 
NMG Network
		
Third Place 
Magazine Cover	
“Hale 14, Rock Star”
Michelle Mishina 
NMG Network
			
NEWSPAPER

First Place 
Business Reporting
“Matson to No Longer Transport EVs”
Virginia Noone 	
Pacific Business News

Comments: Virginia Noone's breaking story highlights a significant new problem for efforts to build a renewable electric economy in Hawaii.

Second Place 
Business Reporting
“Local Artisans Join Efforts to Build a Hui”
Leo Azambuja
Molokai Dispatch		

Comments: Compelling business reporting by a small island newspaper.	

Third Place 
Business Reporting	
“Private Listings: No Longer Just for the Rich and Famous”
Nichole Villegas 	
Pacific Business News

First Place 
Spot News Reporting
“The Beetle Stops Here: Interim Rule Against CRB Approved”
Leo Azambuja
Molokai Dispatch

Comments: Important coverage of a significant agriculture threat to a small island.		

First Place 
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“South Maui Community Pushes Back After Plan Gets More Developer-Friendly”
Leo Azambuja
Molokai Dispatch
	
Comments: This story demonstrated the importance of government accountability reporting and the tangible impacts of county decision making. The reporting spoke to the community members' concerns, infrastructure challenges and environmental impacts. The reporter made this complicated issue accessible and backed their reporting with solid population and development data and numbers.	
	
Second Place 
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“A One-of-a-Kind Short Sale”
Nichole Villegas	
Pacific Business News

First Place 
Feature Writing/Short Form
“A Century of Massive Growth”
Alexander Lugo
Pacific Business News

Comments: Did an incredible job explaining how Waikiki's real estate market functions differently than most areas. Complicated material that was made easy to understand and tied together history and the present. 
	
Second Place 
Feature Writing/Short Form
“The Spirit of Obon”
Leo Azambuja	
Molokai Dispatch

Third Place 
Feature Writing/Short Form
“A Vested Interest in Expansion”
Alexander Lugo	
Pacific Business News 

First Place
Feature Writing/Long Form
“Lahaina Rebuilds, Slowly”
Nichole Villegas, Alexander Lugo
Pacific Business News 

Comments: Told with heart. but also incredible descriptions of how the economics of real estate work. This story explained difficult concepts well and quickly and still held the reader's attention.
		
Second Place
Feature Writing/Long Form
“Tour Offers Unique View of Kalaupapa”
Leo Azambuja
Molokai Dispatch

Third Place 
Feature Writing/Long Form
“Bracing For Impact”
Alexander Lugo	
Pacific Business News

First Place
Community Reporting	
“Party Like 1979 “
Leo Azambuja 
Molokai Dispatch	

Comments: This cover story "Party Like 1979" painted a fun picture of this class reunion. It offered a great balance of nostalgia and showed the connections in the community today. I appreciated the nods to the era of the 70s and loved how the writer wove in details of that decade to help tell the story.

A-MARK PRIZE FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

First Place
A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting	
“Hawaii's Kidney Donation Gap”
Allyson Blair, Darin Akita, Monet Sadural
Hawaii News Now	

Comments: Allyson Blair's multi-part investigation uncovered a "staggering disparity" in kidneys available for transplant in Hawaii. Most are sent out of state. The unfairness for Hawaiians seeking transplants prompted a Congressional inquiry.

Second Place 
A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting		
“Bad Jobs”
Cynthia Wessendorf
Hawaii Business 
Comments: Cynthia Wessendorf's "Bad Job" expose details the challenges women still face at many workplaces in Hawaii. It is a powerful wake-up call to the state's business community about what they may be doing wrong, and how supporting women can create success.
	
Third Place
A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting	
“Internal memo warned that officers were arresting sober drivers for DUI, but practice continued”
Lynn Kawano, Peter Tang, Monet Sadural 
Hawaii News Now

Comments: It is troubling when police repeatedly arrest citizens who are innocent. Hawaii News Now uncovered a shocking internal memo that showed officers were arresting drivers for DUI even though they had no breath alcohol. The reporting resulted in a class-action lawsuit.

Competition Comments: It was a challenge to rank four well-crafted investigative reports that show such work continues to flourish in Hawaiian journalism.

NEWS MEDIA

First Place
Column Writing or Blog/News
“Pipikaula Corner”
A.Kam Napier  
Aloha State Daily

Comments: Aloha State Daily Editor A. Kam Napier promised readers "something to chew on," and his well-written columns achieve that goal.	

Second Place 
Column Writing or Blog/News
“Eric Stinton”
Eric Stinton
Honolulu Civil Beat	

Third Place 
Column Writing or Blog/News	
“All Hawaii News”
Nancy Cook Lauer	
All Hawaii News	

First Place
Column Writing or Blog/Features or Sports
“Afterthoughts” 
Melissa Chang, Christine Hitt, Cody Kawamoto, Mindy Pennybacker, Katrina Valcourt 
HONOLULU Magazine	

Comments: Prosaic but affecting in their totality. Truly did feel like the afterthoughts of actual locals, which was original for a series of columns. Originality of concept, combined with good editing, made this the first place entry. 

Second Place 
Column Writing or Blog/Features or Sports
“Cheryl Tsutsumi's Uncles and Aunties”
Cheryl Tsutsumi		
Aloha State Daily
	
Third Place
Column Writing or Blog/Features or Sports
Eric Stinton
Eric Stinton
Honolulu Civil Beat

First Place 
Government Reporting	
“He Served His Country. His Country Ordered Him to Leave”	
Ken Wills	
Hawaii Business	

Comments: Wills takes us behind the scenes as a crisis unfolds in the lives of Park, a  US combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient who becomes a target of the US immigration system.

Second Place 
Government Reporting	
“How physically present must state lawmakers be during session, if at all?”
Ashley Mizuo
Hawaii Public Radio	

Third Place 
Government Reporting	
“Kaua'i Pediatrician Who Warned About One Toxic Pesticide Sees a Bigger Threat”
Ken Wills
Hawaii Business	

First Place
Breaking News Reporting 
“Tsunami warning canceled”
ASD Staff
Aloha State Daily

Comments: The breaking news Tsunami warning coverage is the perfect example of journalists who place their personal safety and worries aside for the good of the public - ensuring that their communities have the information they need to seek shelter and safety during a weather event. The coverage itself is well-organized and robust and is a true testament to the necessity for local journalism. 

Second Place 
Breaking News Reporting	
“Lawsuit filed against Maui Land & Pineapple”
Stephanie Salmons
Aloha State Daily		
 
First Place
Health Reporting
“Hawaii's Kidney Donation Gap”
 Allyson Blair, Darin Akita, Monet Sadural
Hawaii News Now

Comments: A robust investigation into kidney donation in Hawaii and how many locals are being kept out of local donations. This piece shines a light on an issue that is affecting many Hawaiians, complete with reliable data and documentation as well as the appropriate sources that can speak to this issue. The main source's testimony is incredibly compelling. Overall, an excellent report worthy of this award!	

Second Place
Health Reporting
'Invisible battles': 2 years post-fire, Maui survivors struggle with mental health
Catherine Cluett Pactol 
Hawaii Public Radio	

Comments: An aspect of post-disaster recovery that is rarely talked about, this story dives into how the survivors of the Maui fires are managing and often struggling with their mental health. Compelling sources, good data and information and approaching the subject from various viewpoints including cultural. Very good piece. 	
	
Third Place
Health Reporting	
With HB1118 advancing, here's a look at the state mandated vaccines for public school kids
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros
Aloha State Daily
	
First Place	
Science Reporting	
“Where do fish go and why? For many species, nobody knows”
Amy McDermott
Front Matter	

Comments: A fascinating, detailed look at the mysterious travels of baby fish, which can drift long distances on currents, and the implications for managing fish stocks.
	
Second Place
Science Reporting
“These Hawai‘i native plants are the last of their kind in the wild”
Savannah Harriman-Pote 
Hawaii Public Radio				

Third Place 
Science Reporting
“Kaua'i Pediatrician Who Warned About One Toxic Pesticide Sees a Bigger Threat”
Ken Wills
Hawaii Business	

First Place
Data Journalism Story or Series 
“The Fabulous Data on Water Use in a Kapalua Subdivision”
Patricia Tummons 
Environment Hawai'i

Comments: The piece exemplifies data journalism at its best: specific, grounded, and damning without overreaching. In a state where water rights are existential, this story used numbers to ask the question that matters most: who gets water, how much, and whether anyone is watching. 
	
Second Place 
Data Journalism Story or Series 
“I.C.E. Map”
Ken Wills, Randall Libramonte
Hawaii Business	
		
Third Place
Data Journalism Story or Series	
“Hawai'i education then and now: A 50-year view on soaring costs and declining enrollment”
A.	Kam Napier     Aloha State Daily	

First Place 
Sports Reporting
“Tough Spot”
Rae Sojot
NMG Network 

Comments: Exquisite, evocative writing that brings a sport, a place, and its people to life so vividly it seems as if you're watching a movie when reading it. I felt this article in my bones. The best writing I've read all year, anywhere. 
	
Second Place
Sports Reporting
“The Path to Pro”
Don Wallace, Diane Seo	
HONOLULU Magazine

Comments: Thorough and thoughtful look at the quest by students and their families to beat the odds, and the sacrifices it takes.

Third Place
Sports Reporting
“The Word for Ocean is Kai”
Catharine Lo Griffin 
Hana Hou!

Comments: Vivid portrait of a sportsman unique to the islands, with rich details.
	
First Place
Arts/Entertainment Writing
Hawai'i in the House
Sarah Rose
NMG Network

Comments: Very interesting, well-written article with a great lede that is descriptive and draws the readers in. Well done.	
	
Second Place 
Arts/Entertainment Writing	
'Defining Courage' returns to Hawaii for 3 performances	
Sarah Yamanaka 
Spectrum News Hawaii	
		
Third Place 
Arts/Entertainment Writing
Molokai High School Unveils New Murals
Leo Azambuja
Molokai Dispatch

First Place
Editorial Opinion
All Hawaii News 
Nancy Cook Lauer	
All Hawaii News

Comments: The piece outlining the discrepancy between Hawaii's program to bring in teachers from other countries and the federal policy on immigration lays out some of the challenges that arise with discrepancy in immigration policy. The argument is robustly, well-argued with a strong examples throughout. 
	
Second Place
Editorial Opinion
“Editorial Opinion”
Patricia Tummons
Environment Hawai'i

Third Place
Editorial Opinion
“Pipikaula Corner: Making elections elections again”
A.	Kam Napier Aloha State Daily	

First Place
Editorial Cartoon/Illustration
“Hawai'i's Housing Crisis Was Decades in the Making”
Jeff Sanner	
Hawaii Business	

Comments: The winning entry is an evocative and emotionally impactful image that matches the systemic weight of the subject matter. It gives a sense of place, and transmits to the the reader the implications of the issue.

Second Place
Editorial Cartoon/Illustration
Mazie Hirono
John Pritchett
Pritchett Weekly Cartoon	t	

Third Place
Editorial Cartoon/Illustration
“The Sound of Gunfire”
John Pritchett 
Pritchett Weekly Cartoon

First Place
 Informational Graphic	
“I.C.E. Map”
Randall Libramonte, Ken  Wills
Hawaii Business	

Comments: Very creative use of Internet features to let businesses and residents know exactly where ICE is raiding and take precautions.

Second Place 
Informational Graphic	
“Fall 2025 BOSS Survey, published in August and September”
Jeff Sanner, Steve Petranik
Hawaii Business	

First Place
Feature Photography/Videography
“Wisdom of Our Kupuna”
Photos and video:  Aaron K. Yoshino, Videos: Eleven 17	
HONOLULU Magazine

Comments: This entry was especially well done. I liked how the videos had a nice mix between the interview portions and clips that showed the individuals' lives and activities. 
	
Second Place 
Feature Photography/Videography
“Double Feature”
Andrew Hreha
NMG Network

Third Place
Feature Photography/Videography
“MATSON'S UNIQUE 'SHIP-TO-SHELF' DELIVERY SYSTEM KEEPS HAWAI'I WELL-STOCKED”
Aaron Yoshino
Hawaii Business	

First Place 
Sports Photography/Videography
“Channeling Greatness”
Elyse Butler 
NMG Network

Comments:  Beautifully composed with an eye for movement and color. 	
	
Second Place
Sports Photography/Videography
‘Kailua, Kamehameha-Maui win HHSAA football titlesz’
Christian Shimabuku 
Aloha State Daily

Comments: This is a photo nicely conveys the emotion every athlete hopes to feel: victory. 
		
Third Place
Sports Photography/Videography
“UH looks to capitalize on first Hawai'i Bowl since 2019”
A moment that's so fleeting and worth preserving.
Christian Shimabuku
Aloha State Daily

First Place
Photo/Video Essay 
“Fire in the Mountain”
Andrew Richard Hara, Doug Perrine, Andrew  Hreha
NMG Network

Comments: The photographer's composition catches both the form of the volcano and the form of the spectacle. We see the contrast between humans and the severe landscape, and then we also see the pull to witness, so in that sense a kind of connection to the fire. Awe filling images.

Second Place
Photo/Video Essay
“Point Panic”
John Hook
NMG Network

Third Place
Photo/Video Essay	
“The Life Preservers”
Mike Ito, Mike Coots
NMG Network		
.
First Place
Headlines
“Aloha State Daily headlines”
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros, Stephanie Salmons, Katie Helland
Aloha State Daily		

Comments: The winner showed both restraint and cleverness. Each headline created some allure, but also conveyed meaning and some open-ended appeal.

Second Place
Headlines
“The Good Fight, Close Encounters of the Hawai'i Kine, Tough Spot, 'Ulu Together Now, The Word for Ocean is Kai”
Michael Shapiro
NMG Network

Third Place
Headlines
“A collection of five headlines”
Steve  Petranik, Ken  Wills, Cynthia  Wessendorf
Hawaii Business

First Place 
Best Explanatory Journalism
“Hawai'i's Housing Crisis Was Decades in the Making”
Kathryn Drury Wagner	
Hawaii Business

Comments: The winner created a clear concise picture of a local and current articulation of a historic problem. It shows both the systemic issue, and the hyper local impacts. Its a needed addition to an issue of increasing importance.

Second Place
Best Explanatory Journalism	
“Permitting in Paradise”
Virginia Noone 
Pacific Business News 

Third Place 
Best Explanatory Journalism
“AI in Education	“
Ann Auman 
Hawaii Business		

First Place 
Special Section	
“Hawaii Business Magazine's 70th Anniversary Section”
Steve Petranik, Jeff Sanner, Ann Auman
Hawaii Business	

Second Place
Special Section
“Wisdom of Our Kupuna”
HONOLULU Magazine	
HONOLULU Magazine 

Third Place
Special Section
“New York Creatives”
Matthew Dekneef, Taylor Niimoto, Eleazar Herradura, Coby Shimabukuro-Sanchez
Flux Hawaii, NMG Network
	
First Place 
Best Independent Journalist (not supported by an organization)
“Catharine Lo Griffin, independent journalist”
Catharine Lo Griffin 

Comments: Writing for a variety of publications, Catharine Lo Griffin provides compelling coverage of Hawaiians engaged in entrepreneurial and cultural pursuits.

Second Place 
Best Independent Journalist (not supported by an organization
“Why We Need Hawaii Artists At Burning Man /How Hawaii's Pride Revives The Mahu Spirit”
Jenny (Jeta) Tang 
University of Hawaii

First Place 
Public Service Reporting	
“SNAP Coverage”	
Ashley Mizuo, DW Gibson, Catherine Cruz 
Hawaii Public Radio		

Comments: This is what public service reporting should be: a thorough look at a pressing issue affecting the community including an examination of solutions and detailed information to help members of the community who might be affected - 'news you can use' to alleviate hardship. 

Second Place
Public Service Reporting	
“Keep Country, Country”
Mary Vorsino 
HONOLULU Magazine

Comments: It's a common problem: progress versus preservation. The reporting is even-handed and complete. 
	
Third Place 
Public Service Reporting	
“Outreach team provides medical, social services to homeless in WaikIkI”
Stephanie Salmons 
Aloha State Daily		

Comments: An illuminating first-person look at a vexing community issue. 

NEWSLETTERS/PODCASTS
	
First Place 
General Information. 
“When Good Health Isn't Just an Act: Hawaii Conservatory for Performing Arts”
Jay Corsilles 
HMSA		

Comments: A beautifully shot visual piece about the ambitions of these young actors and how their craft helps navigate their identities and mental health. 
		
Second Place 
General Information
“High school girls flag football hits Hawaii”
Marvin Buenconsejo
HMSA

Third Place
General Information
“A children's choir, blue alien pet, and the spirit of Hawaii”
Michelle Liu
HMSA

First Place
Feature Information 
“Hoa aina o makaha: planting seeds of hope”
Summer Nakaishi
HMSA

Comments: A beautifully told story about a vital community space, where students and others learn about environmental stewardship and their culture. 			
Second Place 
Feature Information 	
“kaimana scholarship boosts Waipahu High senior's college aspirations”
Marvin Buenconsejo 
HMSA	
Third Place
Feature Information 
“the timeless bond of hanafuda”
Michelle Liu
HMSA

First Place 
Opinion	
“Continuing the work: Politics Hawaii blog 2025 in review”
Stanford  Fichtman
Politics Hawaii

Second Place
Opinion
“Read Everything”
Eric Stinton
Eric Stinton

Third Place
Opinion
“losing someone to suicide: how to grieve and heal
Kristen Nemoto Jay
HMSA

First Place
Illustrations or Cartoons
“losing someone to suicide: how to grieve and heal”	
Garry Ono
HMSA	

RADIO

First Place
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“ICE has been sending immigrants from the continental U.S. to Hawai‘i, and no one knows why”
Ashley Mizuo, Maddie Bender 
Hawaii Public Radio		
Comments: This report broke new ground by exposing a little-known federal practice, transferring detained immigrants thousands of miles away to an isolated island detention facility. They did it through meticulous sourcing that included legal advocates, detained individuals, and congressional representatives. Reporters Ashley Mizuo and Maddie Bender combined strong shoe-leather journalism with compelling human voices to illuminate real-word consequences of an opaque enforcement policy. Well done! 		

Second Place
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“ 'We are not the mistake': First graduates of Women's Court blossom back into society”
Emma Caires
Hawaii Public Radio
	
Third Place 
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“Quieting invasive coqui; frogs to hear the heartbeat of Waimanalo”
Savannah Harriman-Pote
Hawaii Public Radio

First Place
Feature Reporting
“ 'A lost art': Building holua fosters revival of the death-defying Hawaiian sport”
Catherine Cluett Pactol 
Hawaii Public Radio	

Comments: The winning piece teaches listeners about an art form that is unique and fascinating. The piece opens our eyes to a cultural practice and its practitioners, gives us a window into a world that grows our understanding of a unique indigenous art. The voices in the story also show how the practice is in a phase of rediscovery and reinvention, which makes the story come to life. 

Second Place 
Feature Reporting
”Fire prevention pilot program in O‘ahu neighborhood park turns to lamb-scaping”
Mark Ladao	
Hawaii Public Radio
 
Third Place 
Feature Reporting
“ 'Good morning, aloha': Auntie Uilani Souza has welcomed riders of TheBus for 40 years	“
DW Gibson, Tori DeJournett
Hawaii Public Radio

STUDENT

First Place
Student Investigative Journalism in Any Media
“ 'Movies And TV Shows Left Hawai'i. The Workers Followed' ”
Alani Calderon	
University of Hawaii

Comments: Comprehensive coverage of the issue and how multiple factors have led to a downtown in the movie and TV industry. The story also examines what can be done and connects all of the pieces with personal accounts. Excellent reporting and writing.	

Second Place
Student Investigative Journalism in Any Media	
“How UH Is Trying To Hold Onto Hawai‘i's High School Grads”
Kiani Vidaurri
University of Hawaii

Third Place 
Student Investigative Journalism in Any Media
"A Season of Scarcity"
Maria Ysabelle  Ganal
University of Hawaii

First Place 
Student Breaking News in Any Media
"UH Manoa Community Protests Trump Administration's Higher Education Policies”
Laurel Galvin 
University of Hawaii

Comments: This category had a lot of well-deserving entries, and it was tough to narrow it to three. The category also showed the devastation caused by the Trump administration to all aspects of education. The first place winner captured the impact with an assortment of voices and painted a picture with words of how the anger and dismay.

Second Place 
Student Breaking News in Any Media
“UH Grappling with Fallout Over Federal Funding Freezes”
Alani Calderon, Emma Davidson		
University of Hawaii

Third Place
Student Breaking News in Any Media
“Resilience in the Face of Rising Costs”
Dwight Byrum
Ka Leo O Hawaii	

First Place
Student Feature Journalism in Any Media
“UH Native Hawaiian Programs Brace for a New Wave of Uncertainty”
Malia Manuel 
Ka Leo O Hawaii	

Comments: Besides being very well-researched and well-written, the story painted a scene of what could be lost due to the whims of federal funding. Feature writing, any writing, is storytelling and connecting the readers to the why and how - and making them care. Excellent work.
	
Second Place
Student Feature Journalism in Any Media
“Why We Need Hawaii Artists At Burning Man / How Hawaii's Pride Revives The Mahu Spirit”
Jenny (Jeta) Tang
University of Hawaii 
		
Third Place 
Student Feature Journalism in Any Media
“Tavares Revives Hawai?i's 'Seasons of Love' at UHM”
Kiani Vidaurri
University of Hawaii

First Place 
Student Sports Journalism in Any Media	
"No Place Like Home" for Local Softball Star
Yuzu Martin
Ka Leo O Hawaii	 

Comments: Excellent sports feature, especially the intro and returning to it to wrap up the ending. Athletes have stories to tell, and good sportswriters get them to tell them.
		
Second Place 
Student Sports Journalism in Any Media	
"Lawmakers Push to Support High School Surfing”
Kiani Vidaurri
University of Hawaii

Third Place 
Student Sports Journalism in Any Media
“Hawai'i Men's Basketball: Gytis, Ganot, and Getting Started”
Julia McFarland
University of Hawaii

First Place 
Student Journalism Featuring Video
"Ma Hope Makou o Lili‘uokalani: Remembering 132 Years of the Illegal Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom”
Jordan Kala'waia Nunies
University of Hawaii		

Comments: The video component moved this entry into first place because of how it captured the event visually. All of the entries were excellent and the stories relayed very well the significance of the event. The video for this entry elevated the story.
	
Second Place 
Student Journalism Featuring Video
"Campus Center: Lunar New Year Celebration"	
Jordan Kala'waia Nunies
University of Hawaii				
Third Place 
Student Journalism Featuring Video”50 Years After the Fall of Saigon, Vietnamese Americans in Hawai'i Reflect On Their Journey”
Michelle Nguyen
University of Hawaii
	
First Place 
Student Journalism Featuring Photography
“We Tried It: Shark Diving with One Ocean Diving”
Gabriela Cervantes 
University of Hawaii

Comments: The photographer captured both the beauty and the essence of the sharks in their environment. Very well done.

Second Place
Student Journalism Featuring Photography
“Zucker, Pink Sweat$ headline 20th Aloha Bash”
Alec Johnson, Adrie Nossaman
Ka Leo O Hawai

Third Place
Student Journalism Featuring Photography
“Celebrating the 41st Annual Honolulu City Lights: A Photo Essay”
Lilly Marco
Ka Leo O Hawaii	 

First Place 
Student  Journalism Featuring Audio
“Immigration crackdowns hit close to home for this University of Hawai‘i law graduate”
Emma Caires
University of Hawaii

Comments: Talent abounds in the student competition, and each audio story covered its topic well and held the listener's interest. The first place entry underscored the human toll taken with changes in federal policies and laws and maintained its neutrality throughout while also conveying a powerful story.		
Second Place 
Student  Journalism Featuring Audio
“The price of hunger: Navigating the cost burden of free meals for Hawai‘i students”
Emma Caires
University of Hawaii

Third Place
Student  Journalism Featuring Audio
“Rooted in the Land: The Importance of Farm Life”
Emili Phomsouvanh
University of Hawaii

First Place 
Student Editorial/Opinion Writing
“State Funding for High School Surfing Sends the Right Message”
Tia Lewis
University of Hawaii

Comments: The writer made a solid case for why surfing should be a well-funded high school sport. "Sunsets, saltwater and each other" was pure poetry.

Second Place 
Student Editorial/Opinion Writing
“Lack of Restrooms Can Make Bus Rides Torturous”
Alyssa Salcedo
University of Hawaii

Third Place 
Student Editorial/Opinion Writing
“Why Black History Month Matters to Me”
Lili Hurd
University of Hawaii

TELEVISION

First Place 
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“Purple Heart veteran forced to self-deport from Hawaii”
Annalisa Burgos, Darin Akita, Ryan Smith, Sydney Brammer Hawaii News Now

Comments: This reporting showed the tangible local impacts of the federal government's deportation actions. The reporter's source trust building/work was evident as she was able to tell Sae Joon Park's story through his lawyer, loved ones and personal narratives. And showing his final moments in Hawaii left a lasting impact.
 
Second Place 
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“New Human Species”
Jill Kuramoto, Justin Kanno
KHON2	

Third Place
General News/Enterprise Reporting
“Repeated Kunia fires affecting Oahu farmers”
Bryce Moore, Filipo Tuisano
KHON2

First Place 
Feature Reporting
“Communities unite over football after shared disasters”
Stephen Florino, Reid Shimizu
KHON2

Second Place 
Feature Reporting
“Where do the items travelers surrender at TSA go? To this state office”
Paul Drewes, Diane Ako, Sunshine Kuhia Smith 
KITV4

First Place 
Spot News Reporting
“Lifeguards rescue dozens on the North Shore”
Nathan Shinagawa 
KHON2	

Comments: Lifeguards rescue dozens on the North Shore	This reporting shared important weather and safety updates for this community. The reporter does a solid job of addressing the high surf warning and talking to the experts to keep the community informed.
.	
Second Place 
Spot News Reporting
“Deadly fireworks disaster”
Nikki Schenfeld
KHON2

First Place
Investigative Reporting
“Hawaii's Kidney Donation Gap”
Allyson Blair, Darin Akita, Monet Sadural
Hawaii News Now
Comments: Fantastic data work and display of that work in TV news format. Reporter is very earnest in asking questions of main subject of piece. Great, captivating opening of long investigative-form TV reporting with the man on dialysis. Incredible job!	

Second Place 
Investigative Reporting	
“Behind the scenes of immigration enforcement in Hawaii”
Gina Mangieri, Justin Kanno 
KHON2	

First Place 
Series Reporting/Documentary/Special News
“Who Killed Diane Suzuki?”
Lynn Kawano, Peter Tang, Monet Sadural
Hawaii News Now

Comments: An excellently produced piece that sheds light on a tragic incident. The interviews, infographics and footage were all compelling.

Second Place 
Series Reporting/Documentary/Special News
“Hokulea: Decades of Discovery”
Jill Kuramoto, Howard Dashefsky, Ryan  Ragus, Jason Sakamoto, Ken Mashiyama	
KHON2

JUDGES
These people helped us judge the East Tennessee and San Diego SPJ chapters’ contests:

  Nancy Cook Lauer
  Joe Guinto
  Stirling Morita
  Diane Ako
  Christie Wilson
  Janice Gin
  Colette Fox
  Stanford Fichtman
  Eric Stinton
  Don Wallace