Use of Information Graphics and Graphic Illustrations ( Over 7,000,3,001 to 7,000,1,501 to 3,000,1,001 - 1,500,Under 1,000)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Worthington - The Globe Entry Title: A Year Like No Other Entry Credit: Becca Clemens, Leah Ward, Julie Ann Buntjer Judge Comment: What an attractive page and a fun page, not for the tragic topic of COVID-19 but for a review of the year that lets you look back at simple stats in a simple format or dive deeper into events with the timeline on the bottom half. There's clearly a lot of writing, editing and assembly that went into this, and then an artist's touch with the label/headline up top, not to mention throughout with the backgrounds and use of color such as for labeling. Only quibble would be wishing that the line with the stats up top was set up so that the line always went up when the numbers did and down similarly, but I get why that'd be hard to do in the space. In the end, quite a unique front page.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Mora - Kanabec County Times Entry Title: High school design finalized Entry Credit: Kirsten Faurie Judge Comment: This is really a tremendous effort: using a site map to build a full-page graphic around, with effective labeling, nice assembly of copy and photos added to illustrate further. It's unfortunate that the giant cutout mugshot in the refer at the top distracts from the full-page graphic (maybe even could be confused for being part of it), and maaayybe the lead headline at the top left could be larger, but this is impressive work and a unique front page.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Jackson County Pilot Entry Title: County Farmland Prices Entry Credit: Justin Lessman Judge Comment: This is a neat lead package on the page, with the fever chart serving as the border on the farm-scene photo and overseeing the story, then complete, easy-to-follow data table on the bottom. The fever chart quickly and effectively illustrates the price rises and falls. Then the table lets readers have a deeper look without being too dense. I wish this package had more depth (squeezing down the stories below) so that the headline could be bigger and more room be left for the first leg of type, including to allow for a more natural byline placement. But it's still a fun, impressive approach.
Competition Comment: The Worthington Globe's full-front-page review of a year with COVID-19 was clearly the most attractive while also being both simple and comprehensive. The Kanabec County Times' high school layout graphic was a brave approach that turned a site map into a fun full page. The Jackson County Pilot's front-page centerpiece anchored by a farm-price fever chart was an attractive, effective way to present information. Shoutouts to the Wadena Pioneer Journal for an effective timeline illustrated with photos, the Cloquet Pine Knot's full page of Class of 2020 newspaper clips that clearly was a lot of painstaking work, and the Jackson County Pilot's front-page centerpiece anchored by the hometown montage with neat magnifiers to highlight a couple of spots. And there was nice work in the other entries as well.
