Georgia Highlands College’s student newspaper, the Six Mile Post (SMP), won three first-place awards from the Southern Regional Press Institute (SRPI) and a first-place award from the Georgia College Press Association (GCPA).

From the SRPI, the SMP brought home first-place awards for Best Website, Best Opinion or Editorial in the Editorial category and Best Podcast or Internet Streamed Show as well as Best Campus Community Service-Sports for the GCPA.

“This year’s staff has only met in person one time this year and has still managed to produce quality, award-winning work that rivals previous years,” SMP Faculty Advisor and Assistant Professor of Journalism and Communications Allison Hattaway said. “These students have covered history and covered it well – from COVID-19 to stink bugs to the 2020 election.”

Julia Belew, who served as SMP Editor-in-Chief from August 2020 to February 2021, said she felt lucky to be surrounded such talented writers at the SMP. For example, Belew cited the work of managing editor Lily Chesnut.

“Their pieces portrayed real journalism and I am so glad they got the recognition they deserved,” Belew said. “I am also proud of winning first place for Best Opinion or Editorial for our unsigned ‘Let’s get down with pronouns’ piece.”

The SRPI judges noted “bold, clear and unapologetic position on a widely discussed and misunderstood topic” for the newspaper’s editorial titled “Let’s get down with pronouns” and cited individual reporters’ data-driven, creative and eye-opening stories.

Current Editor-in-Chief Olivia Fortner, who is majoring in the Bachelor of Business Administration program, said she is very proud of all the staffers at SMP. Due to COVID, the routine of writers and contributors meeting in person to discuss current events and campus news has been put on hold.

The SMP has been working remotely and communicating through Zoom, which creates a daunting scenario for students who are taking on the challenge of covering campus news in addition to their responsibilities inside and outside of the classroom.

“Because of these changes, our staff is much smaller than it has been in recent years,” Fortner said. “However, I am not surprised that we received these awards because I have witnessed, firsthand, the hard work and dedication all the staff have put in to maintain excellence.”

Taking on multiple roles had staffers and GHC journalism students like Brandon Dyer receiving awards for both writing and photography. Dyer won a second-place award for photography, as well as a second-place award for Best Column.

“The column that I wrote with my Sports Editor at the time, Bradley Singh, is one of my favorite pieces I have published for the Six Mile Post,” Dyer said.

The Six Mile Post team won the following awards:

Southern Regional Press Institute Awards

Staff Awards

Best Website – 1^st Place

Best Opinion or Editorial – 1^st Place

Best Opinion or Editorial – 2^nd Place

Individual Awards

Best Podcast or Internet Streamed Show – 1^st Place – Austin Williams and Kimberly Lyons

Best News Story – 2^nd place – Lily Chestnut

Best Features Story – 2^nd place – Lily Chestnut

Best Features Story – 3^rd Place – Michelle Hardin

Best Opinion or Editorial – 3^rd Place – Alexis Johnson

Best Sports Story – 2^nd Place – Trevin Wade

Best News Photography – 2^nd Place – Jackson Morris and Olivia Fortner

Best News Photography – 3^rd Place – Jackson Morris

Best Features Photography – 3^rd Place – Olivia Fortner

Georgia College Press Association Awards

Staff Awards

Best Campus Community Service – Sports – 1^st place

Best Campus Community Service – News – 3^rd Place

Best Photo Essay – 3^rd Place

Best Website – 3^rd Place

General Photography Excellence – 3^rd Place

Layout and Design Excellence – 2^nd Place

Individual Awards

Best Photograph-Editorial/Feature – 3^rd Place – Olivia Fortner

Best Column – 2^nd Place – Mariah Redmond, Brandon Dyer, Bradley Singh

Best Photograph – Sports – 2^nd Place – Brandon Dyer

Best Photograph-News – 3^rd Place – Olivia Fortner

Best Sports Story – 2^nd Place – Austin Williams