Winner: Katie Michael, University of Oregon Daily Emerald

Judges: Jerry Sass (chairman). University of Oregon; Andy Bechtel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Gerald Price, Antelope Valley (Calif.) Press; Ron Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Judges’ comments:

• Michael has a knack for the clever. She shows a wide range of skills in this headline portfolio, and she uses those skills wisely. Her wordplay elicits smiles, not groans. (‘Travel agency takes a page out of Facebook’). She uses alliteration without drawing attention to that technique (‘Dance Marathon a Miracle in Motion’). And she’ll use some rhyme when the moment is right. (‘Internet spam a lucrative scam’). These headlines show that Michael has a promising future as a top-notch headline writer.

Award of Excellence: Audrey Kuo, UCLA Daily Bruin

Judges’ comments: Not available