PEAK TO PEAK - On July 9, the National Newspaper Association Foundation announced the winners of its 2025 Better Newspaper Contest and Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. The Mountain-Ear was one of the 102 newspapers in 33 states that won 712 awards in total.
According to Lynne Lance of the NNAF, “Established in 1885, the National Newspaper Association (NNA) is the voice of America’s community newspapers and is one of the largest newspaper associations in the country. The NNA Foundation (NNAF) is the educational arm of the NNA.”
Judges for the awards comprised active community newspaper editors and publishers as well as retired university journalism professors and retired or former newspaper professionals.
Lance quoted one of the judges noting that “Stories like this remind readers why newspapers continue to play an important role in their daily lives.”
The Mountain-Ear competed in the categories “Daily & Non-daily Division, circulation less than 2,500,” “Daily & Non-daily Division, circulation less than 5,000,” and “Non-daily Division, with a circulation less than 2,000.”
Winners will be recognized at the awards ceremony held Friday, October 10, 2025, during NNAF’s 139th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Mountain-Ear’s winners of these awards include:
First Place, Christopher Kelley, Editorial, for a Story-Series: “Preserving Local History, A lifetime in pictures: Jeanette Smith,”
Second Place, Jessica LaFone, Advertising, Best Newspaper Promotion, “Holiday Lights 2024”
Second Place, Jessica LaFone, Editorial, Best Front Page Design, “Eagles in a runaway victory & Camp ACA Trick-or-Treat”
Third Place, Joyce Robinson, Editorial. Best Use of a Double-Truck, “Graduation celebration”
Honorable Mention, Jessica LaFone, Advertising, Best Sales Promotion Section or Edition, “2024 Pet of the Year”
Honorable Mention, Mark Cohen, Editorial, Editions - Best Headline Writing, “Diversion: Mark Cohen, Never bring a paring knife to a hot dog fight"
