NYSUT officers from left, Maria Neira, Dick Iannuzzi, Ivan Tiger and Kathleen Donahue, with the two top award winners in NYSUT's Journalism contest. Above, Robin Brennan, president of the North Rockland TA, receives the Ted Bleecker Best of the Best award.
Tim Southerton, president of the Sayville TA, receives the Solidarity award.
This year's "Meet the Editors" Roundtable and Journalism Awards dinner was a toast to union scribes across the state, from editors in small, rural locals to retirees keeping former colleagues informed and entertained. The event was held Thursday before the first general session.
The Ted Bleecker Award for the "Best of the Best" went to NORTA News, published by the North Rockland TA in Rockland County. This prestigious award is named for the founding editor of New York Teacher.
"North Rockland's newsletter consistently reflects a committed local led by dedicated leaders and editors," said Lance Howland, editor of New York Teacher, hosting the event on behalf of NYSUT.
The president of the North Rockland TA is Robin Brennan, and the editor and designer of the award-winning publication is Lauren Isaacs Schimko.
Judges said the publication won for qualities such as a "strong president's message," "a commanding front page," a "right-from-the-gut" editorial, a "colorful" profile feature story, new member outreach, and varied coverage.
The Solidarity Award went to The STAtement, newsletter of the Sayville TA from Long Island. This award honors publications that provide coverage of inter-union issues.
"The award-winning Sayville column was moving in telling a story about what it means to be a unionist," Howland said.
Tim Southerton, local president, wrote about how he and his wife, Kathy, a member of United University Professions, went to check into a hotel while traveling. The workers were picketing. Though it was a cold and snowy holiday night, the couple headed out to another hotel.
In attendance at the dinner were NYSUT officers including President Dick Iannuzzi, himself a former award-winning columnist for the Central Islip TA newsletter, CITAtion.
"If you have a message, we need to get it out," Iannuzzi told the award winners gathered at the Hyatt. "You are the people who do that."
There were more retiree entries than ever this year, including some from locals that had never entered before.
A list of winners will appear on the NYSUT Web site, www.nysut.org.