CJA Names Winners at 80th Anniversary Awards Dinner

Our 80th Anniversary Awards Dinner was a magical evening — from the packed house of prominent journalists to ABC 7 Chicago Anchor Cheryl Burton’s inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award speech. If you couldn’t join us on Nov. 15, check out the full list of award winners.

View photos from the event here.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Cheryl Burton, ABC 7 Chicago

Dorothy Storck Award

1st Place: Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune

2nd Place: Barry Rozner, Daily Herald

2nd Place: Natalie Moore, Chicago Sun-Times

Sarah Brown Boyden Awards

Best of the Best

Mary Mitchell, Chicago Sun-Times

“A century of progress, but still an ‘invisible divide’”

Arts

Joseph Pete, The Times of Northwest Indiana

Series of stories on public arts initiatives in Gary, Indiana

Best Series

WBEZ/Chicago Tribune

“16 Shots”

Blog

Michele Weldon, The OpEd Project

Take The Lead’s Movement Blog

Breaking News

Daily Herald, Staff

Series of stories on an Aurora warehouse shooting

Business

Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times

“Daley pension debacle: Where did $54 million go?”

Commentary

Mary Mitchell, Chicago Sun-Times

“A century of progress, but still an ‘invisible divide’”

Editorials

Chicago Sun-Times, Lorraine Forte

Education

Lauren FitzPatrick, Chicago Sun-Times

Series of stories on Chicago Public Schools’ nurse shortage

Features

Burt Constable, Daily Herald

Series of stories on the anniversary of the 1969 moon landing

Health/Science

Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune

Series of stories on the impact of abortion laws

Investigations

Melissa Sanchez and Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica Illinois

“You’re Destroying Families”

News/Sports Photography

Brian O’Mahoney, Freelance, Chicago Tribune suburban papers

Portfolio of photos covering local high school sports

Politics

Marni Pyke, Daily Herald

Series of stories on the Illinois tollway board

Public Service

Suzanne Le Mignot, CBS Chicago

“Misidentified Man” series

Sports

Steve Greenberg, Chicago Sun-Times

Honorable Mention: Lily Jiang, Long Grove Living

Transportation

Alejandra Cancino, Better Government Association

Series of stories on O’Hare International Airport