Author: Brad Deen
Three were first-place winners:
- Advisor of the Year — Charlotte Walyko, The Nash News, Nash Correctional Institution. Nash News’s advisor for the last 10 years ago, Ms. Walyko is a psychologist and program services director. The publication’s incarcerated staff nominated her for the award, noting especially her “velvet barracuda” approach to conflict resolution.
- Visual Journalism — The Nash News (overall design and appearance).
- Long Form Story — Cris Gardner, “The Spirit of Giving: Two Bodhisattvas of the DAC,” NC Prison News Today, vol 1, issue 1.
“The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction congratulates our winning entrants and the entire staffs of Nash News and Prison News Today,” said Secretary Leslie Dismukes. “The publications produced by our incarcerated population are valuable not only as vocational development for the creators, but also as a provider of information and a voice for the people in custody.”
The “Pulitzer Prizes of prison journalism” are jointly awarded and administered by the Pollen Initiative and Southern Illinois University School of Journalism. Entries for the contest came from 23 state correctional systems' publications.
Launched last fall, NC Prison News Today is edited and produced quarterly at Nash Correctional Institution with contributions from facilities statewide. The Nash News reports on events and issues more specific to the facility.
Other NCDAC honorees included second-place winners:
- Magazine Format Publication — Nash News.
- Photo — Kalab Lackey, “Peterbilt Truck," Nash News.
- Visual Journalism — Jason Williford, comic strip “Orphan Us,” Nash News.
- Sports — Tony Johnson, “Caitlin Clark: Changing the Scope of the WNBA,” NCPNT.
And third place:
- Local Coverage — Cris Gardner, “Nash Mock Election,” Nash News.
- Opinion — Kwame Teague, “The Effects of Mass Incarceration on the Children Left Behind,” NCPNT.