2025 Writing Award Winners

Our annual awards program highlights stellar 

nonfiction articles, essays, books, and content 

marketing writing in a variety of categories. 

      2025 Winners  

ARTICLES 

The Arlenes: Articles That Make a Difference 

Winner: “Does MCPS Deserve a Passing Grade?” by Amy Halpern in Bethesda Magazine 

Using vivid details that draw the reader into the story, Halpern synthesized a huge amount of information, sources and statistics to create a compelling narrative that uncovers grade inflation and shocking gaps in accountability for students who are chronically absent. Her story also generated a lot of conversation and appears to have catalyzed some change in classroom standards.  

Honorable Mention: “The Lure of Postpartum Luxury” by Anna Medaris in The Cut 

The comprehensively researched story exposes blatant fraud by a so-called postpartum retreat, where well-heeled new mothers paid thousands only to expose multiple red flags in health, safety and supportive services. After the story was published and other women joined the conversation to relate similar experiences, the retreat shuttered a few months later.   

B2B Content 

Winner: “Nebraska clinicians and scientists use team science to fight childhood brain cancer” by Darcy Lewis in Nature Research Custom Media 

Judges said this article drew them in and was really well done on a very important topic, spotlighting the great work that was being done. They appreciated the way the writer provided context around how the pandemic drove team science.  

Honorable Mention: “Raman spectroscopy for edible oil analysis” by Katie Cottingham in INFORM 

The writer did an excellent job explaining the scientific elements that speak to INFORM’s audience, clearly showing the problems and attempts at solutions for this industry. 

B2C Content 

Winner: “The Art of Mothering” by Molly Petrilla in the Pennsylvania Gazette 

The writer used a cohesive thread but examined it from multiple angles, turning what could have been a simple university news story about an alumna’s new book into an opportunity to explore motherhood through a deft series of compelling and intimate profiles that made the subject matter come alive on the page. 

Honorable Mention: “Housing as Healthcare” by Darcy Lewis in Curiosus, the magazine of Barnes-Jewish Hospital 

 The writer did an excellent job with storytelling backed up with quotes, facts and results to make the article interesting, clear and with the right tone. Through lively, conversational writing and sharp details, Lewis injected heart into this feature about a hospital’s program for the unhoused. 

Business Writing 

Winner: “The Jitney at 50: How the Shuttle Service Brought the City Closer to the Hamptons” by John Hanc in Newsday 

ASJA member John Hanc deftly profiles a storied Long Island institution. Writing in an engaging and approachable style, Hanc excels at mixing in-depth research with expert source interviews to paint a fun, interesting and thought-provoking picture of the bus that ferries harried New Yorkers to and from the beach. 

Honorable Mention: “The Hard Work of Bringing Kelp to Market” by Alexandra Talty in Civil Eats 

Opening with a scene at dockside, Talty reels the reader into a growing industry new to the Americas and helps explain the business potential and even climate benefits of this intriguing farming opportunity. With a focus on business operators, the story takes us through the opportunities and challenges of kelp farming and offers a window into a growth industry. 

Donald Robinson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism 

Winner: “A Hidden Sexual Assault Scandal at the New York Philharmonic” by Sammy Sussman in New York magazine 

Sussman’s rigorous and meticulous reporting illuminated a scandal that, without his work, may never have seen the light. He obtained the first interview with Cara Kizer and centered her narrative throughout his story, weaving in a complicated timeline and thorough character studies of the two men she alleges assaulted her. Sussman writes with tempo and allows the reader to play detective. But above all, the judges admired how the story exposed systemic flaws. Sussman’s reporting reveals how a powerful, traditional-bound organization created and maintained the environment in which the suspects were able to operate. His story was not easy to report, but had a real-world impact, as great investigative journalism does. 

Honorable Mention: “Inside the Tragic Life and Controversial Execution of Marcellus Williams” by John Rosengren in Esquire 

Rosengren’s timely and conscientious profile impressed the judges for its compassionate, careful reporting and human-centric narrative which told a wider story of national importance. It is a thorough piece of investigative work, written in with gripping pace and commendable detail. 

Environmental/Climate/Sustainability 

Winner: “The Death Squads Hunting Environmental Defenders” by Alessandra Bergamin in In These Times 

This was an intensely researched article that, while including a lot of information, was expertly woven with captivating and poignant details from the experience of one targeted activist. The author unearths information that is notably opaque, tracing the sources of weapons and showing which groups seem responsible for aggression toward environmental defenders. The featured activist is an American citizen, but no person or organization has yet been held responsible for the attempt on his life while he worked to help stop a dam project in the Philippines. A deep dive on a gripping and underreported topic.  

Honorable Mention: “Honeybees Aren’t the Pollinators We Should Be Most Worried About” by Amy Brecount White in Arlington magazine 

A counterintuitive masterpiece. The story creates an emotional connection to draw in readers and make them want to do more for native bees and flowers, offering great information about the variety of bees, what they most frequently pollinate and where they live. 

Excellence in Reporting 

Winner: “New York Set Out to Keep Half of All Foster Youth With Family. Some Counties Still Fall Far Short of That Urgent Goal” by Steven Yoder in The Imprint 

Yoder blends in-depth research, compelling data, powerful interviews with impacted families and strong storytelling to shed light on the complexities of the U.S. foster care system. 

Honorable Mention: “Math ends the education careers of thousands of community college students. A few schools are trying something new.” by Steven Yoder in The Hechinger Report 

Yoder deftly weaves together data, academic studies, expert voices and student testimonies to tell the story of community colleges’ creative solutions to help students pursuing technical degrees excel at math. 

First-Person Essay 

Winner: “American Boys” by Will McGrath in The Believer 

The writing was so alive, it was like a living organism due to the writer embedding himself with this team. They read as characters in a novel, like The Outsiders, which is something you rarely see in nonfiction. 

Honorable Mention: “Creation of Woman: Evangelical and Transgender in the Bible Belt” by Lane Scott Jones in Longreads 

This piece has a masterful way of following a changing person, marriage and belief system. It looks deep into how our lives evolve as we grow and gives the reader the courage to change, no matter the circumstances. 

Food & Drink (this category had a tie for Winner) 

Winner: “Hey, I Grew That: The Native American School That’s Decolonizing Foodways” by Kate Nelson in The Guardian 

A clearly presented, well-reported, well-sourced article on an important topic with a deep and timely meaning.  

 Winner:  “The Sabbath Stew” by Benjamin DuBow in Longreads 

A wisely written, historically in-depth and laugh-out-loud funny food essay with layer after layer of culture and exploration.  

Health 

Winner: “Insatiable: A Life Without Eating” by Andrew Chapman in Longreads 

The first-person perspective, lively tone and strong, detailed reporting take this into the reported essay genre. Many of the insights will be new to readers. It’s clear and accessible explaining medical complexities and the kicker at the end was particularly compelling. 

Honorable Mention: “Picturing an End to Alzheimer’s” by Jeff Oloizia in Madison magazine 

This is a thorough, even-handed look at a topic that affects many and has been in the news in recent years; the bigger picture here provides much-needed context behind the headlines. The way the personal stories — including the author’s own — are woven throughout makes the narrative engaging and easy to follow winding its way through the history of research, current studies and future prospects. 

How-To Service 

Winner: “How to Behave When Visiting Sites of Remembrance” by Ruksana Hussain in Fodor’s.com 

This detailed service piece offered an extensive list of practical tips that are widely applicable. Within a well-researched global context, the content was well-structured, relatable and pragmatic, delivering on its purpose in an engaging and inclusive manner. 

Honorable Mention: “Help Vets With PTSD Get Life-Saving Service Dogs” by Jen Reeder in Next Avenue 

This article combined practical advice with poignant, personal stories and will be very helpful for veterans who would benefit by having service dogs. 

June Roth Memorial Award for Outstanding Medical Journalism 

Winner: “When Infection Sparks Obsession: PANDAS and PANS” by Esther Landhuis in Undark 

Landhuis expertly illustrates and reports on the fear, frustration and complexities of navigating and understanding a diagnosis and treatment of this controversial childhood disorder. Her deft choice of anecdotal lede, expert interviews and current and historical medical research drive the point that PANDAS isn’t a quack disease but a real illness that needs more serious consideration. 

Honorable Mention: “All About Cholesterol” by Amber Dance in Knowable magazine 

Dance takes a well-known medical topic and injects it with fresh insight, evidence-based research and clear, but scientific takeaways that lay readers don’t often get. Easy-to-understand visuals add to this thorough and reader-friendly crash course in the role cholesterol plays in the body, the benefits and limitations of past and current treatments and the hope for future treatments. 

Lifestyle 

Winner: “Deck Chairs, Tuberculosis, and the Titanic: The Unexpected Origins of a Summertime Staple” by Elizabeth Yuko in Dwell 

This article takes an ordinary item – the outdoor lounge chair – and makes it incredibly interesting by explaining its unusual history. Who would have thought the chairs we enjoy all summer came about because of the tuberculosis epidemic?! Lots of great research and writing went into creating this fantastic piece and it shows. Excellent final sentence! 

Honorable Mention: “Wheels Up” by Wendy Helfenbaum in Next Avenue 

One great way to explore a new destination or your own city is by bike, but not everyone can ride a two-wheeler. Luckily, as Helfenbaum demonstrates, there are other wheel-based options. 

Long-Form Content 

Winner: “PFF Registry 2024 Annual Report: Research, Impact, Community” by Darcy Lewis 

This is an impressive annual report that doubles as a powerful appeal to readers to get involved. The report makes a clear ask throughout and builds on it with abundant evidence about why participating in the PFF Community Registry makes a difference. It includes testimonials from participants and their families about what they’ve gotten out of the registry and from researchers who use it, with links to their resulting studies. Concise, readable graphics answer reader questions and show how participants benefit. The report also includes a compelling pitch and closing case for how participants can give back by signing up. Overall, a convincing call to action about a project sure to end up saving lives.  

Honorable Mention: “URAC Five-Year Specialty Pharmacy Report: Making a Difference with Measurement” by Emily Paulsen 

Paulsen uses clear, engaging language with a tone that strikes a balance between professional authority and patient-centered empathy. It’s a great example of how health communication can blend data with thoughtful narrative. 

Op-Eds 

Winner: “The Black press democratized America” by Nicole Carr in The Emancipator 

Carr weaves together compelling storytelling with historical insight, showing how the Black press has long served as a vital force for truth and democracy. The article’s voice is both personal and urgent, drawing readers in with vivid classroom moments and guiding them through the often-overlooked legacy of Black journalists who challenged injustice and shaped the national narrative. Carr delivers a tour de force that traces an unbroken line from Freedom’s Journal in 1827 to today’s media crisis following the 2024 election. She makes a persuasive case for why honest, courageous reporting — rooted in lived experience rather than false neutrality — remains essential today. This piece not only informs but inspires, reminding us of the press’s responsibility to confront uncomfortable truths and advocate for a more just society. 

Honorable Mention: “The U.S. Supreme Court is Operating Like a Rogue EPA” by Derrick Z. Jackson in The Equation 

Jackson makes a compelling case that the Supreme Court has repeatedly prioritized polluters over public health, undermining the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect air and water quality. Drawing on extensive research and urgent statistics, the piece connects the court’s recent rulings to real-world consequences, including thousands of preventable deaths. In a particularly effective twist, Jackson reflects on Richard Nixon — a conservative president who, despite his personal views, responded to public pressure by creating the EPA. In citing this historical legacy, Jackson crafts a convincing argument that the Supreme Court should rise above ideology to confront today’s growing environmental threats. 

Personal Platform 

Winner: “Loaded” by Gray Chapman in Holding Patterns (a personal Substack) 

The author does an exemplary job of relating a harrowing personal experience with emotional clarity and a lack of sensationalism, creating a story arc. She incorporates solid statistics into the article and uses some creative turns of phrase as well. 

Profiles 

Winner: “He was shot in the throat. Now he saves gun victims as a trauma surgeon in Baltimore” by Simar Bajaj in The Guardian 

The tightly written article skillfully weaves Dr. Bajaj’s career as a Baltimore trauma surgeon with his experience as a gunshot victim and his present-day activism against gun violence. Not a word in the piece was wasted, creating an article that is hard to put down.  

Honorable Mention: “Variations of Healing” by Heather Johnson in Steinway & Sons Owners’ magazine 

Heather Johnson deftly weaves a wealth of fascinating musical and medical information into a highly readable profile of an inspiring man. The judges found it to be well-written and uplifting.  

Reported Essay 

Winner: “I Used a Self-Driving Taxi for a Week. Things Got Weird” by Benton Graham in Slate 

The judges were unanimous in choosing this as the category winner. The subject matter is current and relatable and the article was executed impeccably. Graham weaved personal experience seamlessly with facts and reporting and the writing was engaging and well paced. It struck the best balance between journalism and personal experience in the category. 

Honorable Mention: “For caregivers, a friend who ‘gets it’ can be a lifeline” by Abby Alten Schwartz in The Washington Post 

Schwartz’s description, level of detail and story framing shined in this most personal and affecting essay. It was relatable on a level most parents who have a child with disabilities, not just Cystic Fibrosis, could connect with, illuminating the writer’s anguish and experience in a way that draws empathy from the reader. 

Science 

Winner: “Investigating Crime Science” by Amber Dance in Science News 

Dance’s article was very well written, bursting a bubble of reliability around what we take for granted as being “true” crime science — fingerprinting, DNA tests, police line-ups — and showing the limitations of their ability to solve crimes. 

Honorable Mention: “Can Trauma Be Inherited Through Genes?”  by Andrea Cooper in NationalGeographic.com 

Cooper explores the ways in which trauma is transferred through generations, calling on the research of many epigenetic scientists to trace the mental health effects on the offspring of Holocaust survivors at the DNA level. By exploring this meaningful issue through science, the writer brings new insight to help the reader better understand the complex and even biological results of trauma. 

Social Change 

Winner: “The Eviction Experts” by Mya Frazier in Harper’s magazine with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project 

Frazier’s three years of reporting has produced a devastating portrait of eviction lawyers in Columbus, Ohio and shows how one-sided the eviction process has become across the country, putting tenants at risk of losing their homes. This piece combined a clear explanation of a complicated system with heartbreaking stories of people caught in its web. 

Honorable Mention: “Trick Clock” by Lillian Perlmutter in The Baffler with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project 

This investigative story about migrant workers exemplifies what the Social Change category stands for: exposing systemic injustices with nuance, empathy and clarity. 

Technology 

Winner: “The surprising promise and profound perils of AIs that fake empathy” by Amanda Ruggeri in New Scientist 

First person is not often used for technology articles but it was especially appropriate for this look at one application of AI technology. In this well researched article, Ruggeri considers whether, when and for whom artificial empathy can be an intelligent choice. She does a great job explaining the tricky topic of AI pretending to care about people, using real-life stories and expert opinions to make the subject interesting and easy to follow. 

Honorable Mention: “I lost 15,000 friends In 5 seconds” by Susan Shapiro in The Huffington Post 

Shapiro sets us up for a good story about the perils of relying on an online presence as a professional writer and teacher. It’s a personal piece with a timely warning. 

Trade 

Winner: “The Political Temperature of Climate Change Education” by Jennifer Larson in School Administrator   

 The judges believed this thoughtful take on a touchy subject provides a model for discussion and education. They appreciated its actionable suggestions for readers (school administrators) as well as the article’s resources.  

Honorable Mention: “What Is a Cell Type?” by Amber Dance in Nature 

The writer did an excellent job distilling a complex topic into something readable and understandable. 

Travel 

Winner: “How the forgotten tourist homes of the 1930s predicted Airbnb” by Robin Catalano in The Washington Post 

Catalano did an excellent job linking the past to the present by making the connection between yesteryear’s tourist homes and today’s short-term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO), presenting the evolution of this travel history clearly while weaving interesting facts, quotes and anecdotes into an historical overview of the movement. Anyone familiar with the Green Book Travel Guide for Black motorists will find more detail to flesh out their knowledge in this piece, which also lays out how women and other homeowners benefitted from the movement.  

Honorable Mention: “The Erie Canal: The manmade waterway that transformed the U.S.” by Robin Catalano in BBC.com 

Catalano did a wonderful job highlighting the importance of the Erie Canal moving people and goods across New York before railroads arrived, also demonstrating the present-day thrill of experiencing Lock 11 and how each canal segment has become its own tourist area. 

Wellness, Fitness & Sports 

Winner: “I Nearly Died Drowning. Here’s What It’s Like to Survive” by Maggie Slepian in Longreads 

Slepian takes what sounds like an obvious topic and turns it on its head. Fast-paced and well-written, this piece is the perfect mix of a gripping, high stakes adventure narrative coupled with research and expert interviews offering clinical perspective and takeaways for the reader.  

Honorable Mention: “The Newest Member of Your Local Run Club: Ozempic?” by Anna Medaris in Women’s Health 

A balanced and well-reported, although early, look at the effects of weight loss drugs on runners and running times. Medaris offers a mix of anecdotal and expert insights on the potential gains and harms of using GLP-1 drugs for sports enhancement — and how to do this as safely as possible for those tempted to try it.