The Voice News and staff received five awards and a scholarship at the 139th Annual Nebraska Press Convention, held Saturday, April 13 at the Holiday Inn in Lincoln.

Bill and Linda Bryant, Voice News publishers, received the Omaha World Herald’s coveted community service award and a $200 prize for their work above and beyond regular reporting to benefit the 24 communities and five counties and five school districts it covers.

Linda Bryant, co-publisher for the last 31 years with her husband Bill, said, "This is the award our staff can really celebrate because it is about giving back to the community. Local people, our subscribers and advertisers, have been good to us and besides reporting the news, recording the history of the area and featuring thousands of people in pictures and stories, we want to make a difference in our community. Our community means all 24 towns that we cover, because our staff gets to meet and share stories from so many wonderful people. We want to help however we can, whether it is promoting a benefit for a sick child, a family who has lost their home in a fire or tornado, or helping raise money for one of the many needs and wants in our local villages and schools. Our staff has helped us achieve this award and we are so proud of their contributions to make the world a better place."

The Voice News won the OWH Community Service Award six years ago and donated the $1,000 prize money to the Panama Community Foundation for a community center and to the Hickman Community Foundation aquatic center fund.

The Voice News also received third place for Single Classified Advertising Idea, which is an ad that touts the benefits of using Buck Ads versus Craigslist ads. A first place award for, Special Edition or Section with Multiple Publication Dates, which is the work of everyone in the office from ad consultants, page designers, reporters and photographers was a credit to all of our staff. Reporter/photographer April Refior, of Hickman, is responsible for the content and design of all Voice special sections. April also brought home a third place award for "Breaking News" for her story and pictures of a house fire in Filley. Publisher Bill Bryant dreamed up the Biggest Crack Contest just for fun during the drought last summer and it earned a second place in the "Reader Contest" category.

According to the NPA, more than 4,000 entries were sent in to this year’s contest from 12 daily newspapers and 79 weeklies. Entries were judged by members of the Michigan Press Association.

Additionally, Voice News Cook of the Week Columnist and free-lancer Sara Hinds, of Hallam, was awarded the 2013 Nebraska Press Association Foundation Scholarship.

"We are so impressed with the caliber of our staff and to have Sara win the top scholarship as she continues her journalism education is a significant achievement for Sara and the Voice News. We are so lucky to have so many talented people on our staff," added Linda Bryant.

Hinds is currently a sophomore at UNL. The scholarship is worth $2,000. She is set to graduate in May of 2015. Her parents are Donald and Julie Hinds, of Hallam.

Sara said, "Going into college I never understood the constant reminders from my parents and teachers to apply for scholarships. Once you’re in college, you learn that things cost money and your parents aren’t always going to pay for everything. I gained a sense of responsibility in taking care of how I spent my money. I’m so grateful for receiving the NPA scholarship because it takes a little burden off the cost of college, but also because it reaffirms my journalism dreams and goals."

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