Reminder – Communications contest
The deadlines for the Communications Contest are coming up. There are MANY categories so check it out!
See the earlier blog post for details and links to the NFPW website. APW members enter the At-Large contest.
NFPW 2021 Communications Contest opens for entries
NFPW Communications Contest opens for entries The National Federation of Press Women’s 2021 communications contest is open and accepting entries. The year 2020 has been a year of constant changes, surprises and the unexpected. Many of our members have been documenting this year via methods including the written word, photographs, books, campaigns and presentations. Now is the time to recognize some of those efforts by entering the NFPW communications contest. Entries for the 2021 contest must be published or broadcast in some format between Jan. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020. The NFPW professional contest is a two-tiered contest. Entrants first enter a state level contest in the state they live in or are a member of, People living in a state without a state contest, are encouraged to enter the at-large contest. When entries warrant in the at-large contest, the contest may be split into regions to create a more level playing field. First-place winners in the state-level contest and the at-large contests are eligible to move to the national level of judging. To be eligible for compete in the national level, the entrant must be a member in good standing with the National Federation of Press Women. Unless the affiliate contest requires membership to participate, the entrants can join NFPW once they learn of their winning status. The deadline to join to compete in the national contest is March 15, 2021.
APW members submit their entries in the at-large contest. You do not need to be a member to participate though you must join NFPW if your entry can advance to the national level.
The 2021 contest is available here.
The professional contest deadlines are:
- Early entry deadline — January 27, 2021 at noon in the entrant’s time zone (the first entry submitted by an entrant after this deadline will be charged a $25 fee)
- Final book deadline — Feb. 3, 2021 at noon in the entrant’s time zone
- Final contest deadline — Feb. 10, 2021 at noon in the entrant’s time zone
- Winners must be NFPW members — March 15
- National winners announced and honored at NFPW conference — June 11, 2021
There is also a high school contest.
APW 2020 Virtual State Conference – June 20
Greetings all APW members,
The APW Board has decided to have a short virtual conference this year in June in place of the May one that was cancelled. We hope you are all well.
Date: Saturday June 20
Time: 10:00 am to about 12 noon.
Zoom information will be sent prior to the meeting.
Our agenda will include:
- Vote for new incoming officers (Ballots to be sent out shortly).
- Brief reports from Board Members and Chapter Chairs.
- Approval of the Revised Bylaws (Copies will be sent out for your review prior to the meeting.)
- Presentation to honor our APW 2020 Communicator of the Year, Connie Cockrell.
- Notification of winners of the At-large NFPW communications contest.
- Ceremony honoring our members who have passed.
We encourage all members to be present for this short meeting.
If you have any questions about the Zoom meeting, please contact me at mfasano.apw@gmail.com.
Marie Fasano, President
Marie Fasano – 2020 At-Large Contest winner
Congratulations to Marie Fasano who won second place honors in the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest. Her article, “Riding Horses at the Deuker Ranch,” was published in Story Monsters INK Magazine.
The article was about the Deuker Ranch folks and their horses working with young people with disabilities. You can read about the program in Marie’s article at https://www.storymonsters.com/book-briefs/riding-horses-at-the-deuker-ranch
- The Deuker Ranch Equine Assisted Adaptive Riding program is located in Star Valley, Arizona.
Dianne Beeaff – 2020 At-Large Contest winner
Congratulations to Dianne Beeaff! A Grand Madness, U2 Twenty Years After has taken Second Place honors, Autobiography/Memoir, in the National Federation of Press Women’s 2020 At-Large Communications Contest!
“An enjoyable romp through the eyes of a U2 superfan, filled with telling details of the band and punctuated by lyrical descriptions of extraordinary concert moments and fascinating scenery along the road . . . . my head will be filled with U2 tunes for some time!” Judge, National Federation of Press Women

2020 NFPW Communications Contest open for entries
The 2020 Communications Contest is open for entries for work published/created in 2019. See this page in the NFPW website for all the information. Arizona members will participate in the “at-large” contest as we do not currently have our own contest. See the At-Large page for information and to enter.
We invite all to check out the Communications Contest page. There are over 120 categories for work published in 2019. Entrants who are not a current NFPW member and who win a first place award in the “at-large” contest will need to join NFPW in order to advance to the national level. See the contest webpage for complete rules.