"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Phoenix Staff Wins Native Media Awards

***"Cherokee Phoenix staff members; Lisa Hicks, Travis Snell, Bryan Pollard and Dan Agent (Photo by Will Chavez)"***

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Phoenix staff brought home nine media awards at the 22nd annual Native American Journalists Association Convention held Aug. 9-12 in Tulsa.

The Phoenix won first place in the General Excellence category for monthly/bi-monthly publications, which is based on content, photography and design.

Staff Writer Travis Snell won first place for Best News Story with "Warrant issued for former councilor, case postponed" in the September 2005 issue. Snell also won second place for Best News Story with "Tribe and Corps still debating water rights" in the April 2005 issue.

Assistant Editor Bryan Pollard won first place for Best Sports Photo with his picture of a distraught Sequoyah basketball player sitting next to the silver ball trophy after losing in the Class 3A state championship. The photo appeared in the April 2005 issue.

Pollard also won second place in the Best Sports Photo category with his picture of SHS cross country runner Brandi Walker leading a pack of runners at the Class 2A state meet. That photo appeared in the November 2005 issue.

Advertising Coordinator and writer Lisa Hicks won second place for Best Feature Story with "Learning traditional pottery with Jane Osti" in the May 2005 issue. She also won second place in the Best Column category with her opinion piece "Federal mandate could save Oklahoma a lawsuit" in the August 2005 issue. Hicks also won a third place award for Best Layout for a tabloid publication.

Editor Dan Agent won third place in the Editorial Writing category for his August 2005 opinion piece "A free press, a free people: establishing a tribally funded free press."

Since 2001, the Phoenix has won 45 awards at the annual NAJA media awards including 13 first place (two in the General Excellence category), 18 second place, six third place and eight honorable mentions.

Pollard, who was elected to the NAJA board of directors in 2005, was also selected by the board to be its secretary, and former Cherokee Phoenix Staff Writer Christina Good Voice was elected to her first term as a NAJA board member.

Founded in 1984, NAJA is a national nonprofit that works to recruit Native people into journalism, improve the skills of Native journalists, ensure fair and accurate coverage of Native communities and advocate for a free press in Indian Country.