The Kentucky Kernel staff added to their award-winning history Friday night, receiving multiple awards at the 151st annual convention of the Kentucky Press Association.

The Kernel staff received the top honor among collegiate papers, first place in the General Excellence category, for the second year in a row.

“Very excited, very proud of the staff both this year and last year’s,” said Kernel Editor-In-Chief Rick Childress. “Lots of amazing people doing great work for their community, acting as watchdogs, taking amazing pictures writing great columns, features, everything. I hope we can take home another one next year.”

Bailey Vandiver, Editor-In-Chief of the Kernel for the 2018-2019 school year, said the awards were a great way to end her college career.

“I’m so excited and proud of all the amazing journalists at the Kernel,” said Vandiver. “I know this award is well deserved because I know how hard these people work.”

Kernel staff competed against student journalists across the state in the Class 2 Student Publications division.

“We are very glad to have been named the best collegiate newsroom in the state of Kentucky,” said student media adviser Ryan Craig. “The staff worked hard and remain some of the best collegiate journalists in the country and tonight it showed.”

Individual staff members were awarded for their work in news, sports, photo and opinion.

Best breaking news coverage:

2nd place – Bailey Vandiver

Best feature story:

1st place – Akhira Umar

2nd place – Akhira Umar

3rd place – Sarah Ladd

Best columnist:

1st place – Sarah Ladd

2nd place – Hannah Woosley

3rd place – Sarah Halsey

Best sports columnist:

1st place – Erika Bonner

2nd place – Chase Campbell

Best sports story:

3rd place – Chase Campbell

Best sports feature story:

2nd place – Jake Maynard

Best enterprise or analytical story:

1st place Sarah Ladd

Best investigative story or series:

1st place – Rick Childress

2nd place – Sydney Momeyer

Best on-going/extended coverage story:

2nd place – Kentucky Kernel staff

3rd place – Kentucky Kernel staff

Best business/agribusiness story:

3rd place – Emily Laytham

Best use of social media or multi-media:

1st place – Arden Barnes

Best video:

1st place – Sarah Ladd

2nd place – Sarah Ladd

Best breaking news picture:

1st place – Arden Barnes

2nd place – Michael Clubb

3rd place – Arden Barnes

Best general news picture:

1st place – Jordan Prather

2nd place – Sukruthi Yerramreddy

3rd place – Arden Barnes

Best feature picture:

1st place – Michael Clubb

2nd place – Jordan Prather

3rd place – Michael Clubb

Best picture essay:

1sr place – Arden Barnes

Best sports picture:

1st place -Jordan Prather

2nd place – Michael Clubb

3rd place – Jordan Prather

Best sports picture essay:

1st place – Michael Clubb

2nd place – Kentucky Kernel staff

3rd place – Jordan Prather

Best sports page/section:

1st place – Kentucky Kernel Staff

3rd place – Kentucky Kernel Staff

Best headline writer:

1st place – Kentucky Kernel Staff

3rd place – Kentucky Kernel Staff

Awards were determined by published work from September 2018 through September 2019.