KJ Mushung, a reporter and copy editor for Potomac Local News, won 10 awards in the Virginia Press Women’s annual contest. Six of the awards were for her work at Northern Virginia Community College and four for work in Potomac Local News. One of the entries for NOVA went on to win a national award.
For Potomac Local News, Mushung placed first in both food writing and environmental writing, she placed second in online feature writing and in general news story online.
“I try to tell the most important aspects of a story without cluttering it. And if I can uncover some local color that adds depth, that’s an additional benefit. For my article on the waterweed Hydrilla clogging Quantico Bay, I researched and conveyed the history of the area because I felt it was important to know why the makeup of the waterway had changed so much,” said Mushung.
The VPW is a statewide organization of professional communicators, such as journalists and public relations specialists. It’s open to both women and men and promotes the highest ethical standards, fosters the exchange of journalistic ideas and serves the public’s right-to-know.
There is no separate division in the VPW for smaller newspapers. All entrants compete against each other no matter how small or large the media outlet, business or school.
Prior to winning these awards, Mushung placed first for pictorial photo in the Virginia Press Association’s annual contest in the online division for an image of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. She also placed first, along with Publisher Uriah Kiser, for feature series in the online division.
Some of the winning articles that Mushung wrote can be found here:
Chefs Prepare Foods Adored by George Washington
Invasive Plant Plagues Bay as Dumfries Faces Steep Dredge Costs
Woodbridge Little League Gets to Share Spotlight with President
