More than 195 student journalists and faculty advisers from 22 Georgia colleges and 50 professional journalists were in attendance at the annual Georgia College Press Association Press Institute Feb. 1-2 at The Classic Center in downtown Athens.

This year’s program provided print journalism professionals and students from community and college newspapers across the state the opportunity to attend 21 sessions presented by newspaper professionals and college professors. Among the topics presented at the Institute were communications law, sports writing, community journalism, investigative reporting, lede writing, newspaper layout and design and multimedia. Students also had the opportunity to have their newspapers critiqued by more than a dozen experts in the field.

Students were awarded for their hard work and excellence in newspaper journalism at the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Ceremony and Luncheon. 163 awards were presented to 19 college newspapers.

Berry College, Campus Carrier Newspaper:

Best Campus Community Service—Features, 4 Year Division B, 2nd Place; Best Campus Community Service—News, 4 Year Division B, 3rd Place; Best Review, 4 Year Division, 3rd Place, Sydney Kelly, General Advertising, 4 Year Division B, 3rd Place; General Excellence, 4 Year Division B, 3rd Place; Improvement, 4 Year Division B, 2nd Place; Layout and Design, 4 Year Division B, 1st Place

Georgia Highlands College, Six Mile Post Newspaper:

Best Campus Community Service—Editorial, 2 Year Division, 2nd Place; Best Campus Community Service—Features, 2 Year Division, 3rd Place; Best Campus Community Service—Sports, 2 Year Division, 2nd Place; Best Column2 Year Division, 2nd Place, Becky Crooks; Best Editorial or Editorial Series, 2 Year Division, 3rd Place, Andrew West; Best Photo Essay, 2 Year Division, 3rd Place, Kaitlyn Hyde and Ryan Jones; Best Photo Essay, 2 Year Division, 1st Place, Kaitlyn Hyde, Ryan Jones, Scott Hale; Best Photograph—News, 2 Year Division, 2nd Place, Ryan Jones; Best Review, 2 Year Division, 3rd Place, J.P. Erickson; Best Review, 2 Year Division, 1st Place, Kevin Horan; Best Sports Story, 2 Year Division, 3rd Place, Andrew West; General Advertising , 2 Year Division, 1st Place; General Excellence, 2 Year Division, 2nd Place; General Photography, 2 Year Division, 1st Place; Layout and Design, 2 Year Division, 1st Place

Shorter University, The Periscope Newspaper:

General Photography, 4 Year Division B, 3rd Place

The Georgia College Press Association officer and board elections were held Saturday. The newly elected board and officers come from six different colleges and will hold one-year terms. President, Sabastian Wee of Georgia

State University; Vice President, Jessie Reese of Georgia Southern University; Treasurer, Leigh Beeson of Georgia Regents University; Secretary, Ashley Copeland of University of West Georgia; 4-year college board members, Lindsay Gaskins of Georgia Southern University, Rhett Lewis of Georgia State University and David Schick of Georgia State University; 2-year college board members, Sarah Lane of Georgia Highlands College and Ashley Oglesby of Georgia Perimeter College.