Molly Hayes from the Hamilton Spectator and Katie May from the Lethbridge Herald have been selected as the two recipients of the 23rd annual Goff Penny Memorial Prize for Young Canadian Journalists.
In the over 25,000 circulation class, sponsoring Editor Jim Poling praised 23-year-old Hamilton Spectator reporter Molly Hayes for her confidence, creativity and news instincts. Hayes impressed the judges with her thorough and well researched articles covering the highly publicized Tim Bosma murder.
Hayes found stories within the story—writing about the forensic anthropologist assigned to the case, the friend who became a spokesperson for the Bosma family, and the accused murderers’ first months in jail.
Her submission package also included an original e-book titled The Penniless Millionaire, about a Hamilton woman who won $10 million in a lottery and then lost it all on foolish spending.
Judges selected Katie May as the winner in the 25,000 and under circulation category for the second year in a row.
The accomplished reporter submitted an impressive portfolio of work she produced while working at the Lethbridge Herald. Her entries included a poignant interview with the parents of a young man who was shot and killed by a local police officer, an investigation into illegal suites in the Lethbridge area, a story on the plight of temporary foreign workers brought to Canada under a troubled federal government program, and a special report on high-school bullying.
May recently joined the staff at the Winnipeg Free Press.
The 2013 Goff Penny Awards honour outstanding work published in daily newspapers by young Canadian journalists aged 20-25. Entries were evaluated by a panel three experienced industry representatives: Joey Smith, News Editor at the Truro Daily News; Paul Harvey, Associate Managing Editor, Local News at the Calgary Herald; and Sylvia Stead, Public Editor at The Globe and Mail.
Newspapers Canada would like to thank all of the young journalists and judges who participated in this year’s competition. Hayes and May will be awarded the Goff Penny Memorial Prizes at a special recognition luncheon on Thursday, May 29 during the INK+BEYOND newspaper conference in Charlottetown, PEI.
For more information about the Goff Penny Memorial Prizes for Young Journalists please contact Taylor Kormann at awards@newspaperscanada.ca.
