Bay State Parent Magazine was Designated a 2008 Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner

Bay State Parent magazine was designated a "2008 Parents' Choice Approved" award winner in a national magazine contest, sponsored by the Parents Choice Foundation last week.
The non-profit Parents' Choice Foundation honors magazines that are entertaining, edifying, and that pass on accurate information to parents and/or children.

The judges wrote: "Regular features in this free Massachusetts regional parenting publication include Family Calendar of Events, Fun, Educational Activities, Family Health, and Adoption Insights. Articles are written for parents, by parents and professionals. Supported by family friendly advertisers."

Submitted for the award was an editorial statement and the August, September, October, & November 2007 issues. Entry required a submission of four consecutive issues.
Writers who contributed an article to one or more of the winning issues:
Alyson Aiello, Dr. Kerri Augusto, Amy Benoit, Robin Burke, Rose Cafasso, Leslie Castillo, Michelle Xiarhos Curran, Antoinette Donovan, Lynn Jolicoeur, Jennifer Lefferts, Kate M. Jackson, Jane Mackay, Sue Lovejoy, Jennifer Luccarelli, Sarah MacDonald, Marguerite Paolino, Susan Scully Petroni, Elizabeth C. Regan, Donna Roberson, Dr. Robyn Silverman, Susan Spencer, Tim Sullivan, Carrie Wattu, & Donna White.
Thanks for helping us win yet another national award!

Other 2008 winners that received the same designation include: "Sports Illustrated for Kids, Sesame Street Magazine, Highlights magazine," and a few others.
Previous winners have included Adoptive Families, Family Fun and Ranger Rick magazines.

In the 2008 Parents' Choice Magazine Awards numerous families and teachers pour over many publications, page-by-page, carefully considering the content and appraising the appeal of the publications. Deliberations and final selections were conducted by an esteemed panel of judges.
The magazine awards have been given out annually since 1995. The foundation, established in 1978, also reviews books, toys, music, television, software, video games, Web sites, and magazines for children and/or families of all achievements and backgrounds.

Bay State Parent Wins 8 Awards!

Bay State Parent magazine won 8 awards from the New England Press Association at its banquet on Saturday night. The magazine also was one of three finalists for the George A. Speers Newspaper of the Year award in the monthly circulation category, but lost to Vermont Woman magazine. The magazine earned 4 first place, 3 second place, and 1 third place awards.

*Photographer Steven King won first place for personality photo. His was the only award given in the monthly category. Submitted was the cover photograph of the 4th Annual Adoption Guide (2006). The judges wrote: "Striking image that is beautifully lit. The softness of the light helps convey the gentleness of the girl, while her face and eyes captivate the viewer. Her hands feel active and this brings life to the image. Really a lovely photograph."
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* Freelance writer Kate M. Jackson's human interest feature on 9/11 widows (Sept 2006 issue) earned first place for best feature story for a month publication. The judges wrote: Jackson does an excellent job of balancing narrative voice, vivid details and harvest themes to tell this story about personal loss and healing for these widows of Sept. 11. She successfully leads into the story by revisiting how their lives abruptly changes on Sept. 11, and captures the strength of these women through their daily routines as mothers.
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* The magazine also earned second place in that category for freelance writer Lynn Jolicoeur's feature on a camp for children who are HIV-positive, founded by the founder of Jordan's Furniture and his wife (April 2007 issue). The judges wrote: "The writer's magic shows in the way she uses Ivy's compelling story of abandonment to lead to a story about a fun, safe camp that embraces HIV-positive kids. Also, adding some of the thank-you letters from campers helped illustrate and give voice to the personal bond the kids have with this camp and the people who founded it."
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* The magazine's special report on sex offenders and online predators (October 2006 issue)earned a second place award for general news story for a monthly publication. Awarded were Sarah MacDonald, Marguerite Paolino and Susan Scully Petroni. Read the special report at: http://www.baystateparent.com/news/2006/1001/Articles/
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In the advertising category, Bay State Parent magazine won 4 awards.
*The magazine earned first place for a black & white local ad, designed by graphic designer Stephanie Renaud, for a charitable organization (http://www.coachgift.org/. The judges wrote: "This ad does a terrific job of conveying why a gift should be made to the charity it is advertising. Effective headline, minimal copy, great photo. Any parent with a child in sports will be drawn to this ad."
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* The magazine also took second place in the local ad black & white category with a house ad for the magazine's spring furniture & home decor guide. The judges wrote: "Good call to action for thsi ad for thepublication's special section. Clean copy, concise, useful information and an attention-grabbing photo that matches the headline perfectly. The ad was designed by creative director Paula Monette Ethier with copy by editor Susan Scully Petroni.
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* In the best local color ad category, Bay State Parent won first and third place. The first place ad was a help wanted ad for advertising representatives for our growing magazine. Designed by Paula Monette Ethier, the judges wrote: "Very clean reproduction and quality of color. Great benefit headline. Feature visual upper left and leading as it should be. Good use of color. Interesting and a pleasing ad."
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**Bay State Parent's sister publication The Landmark, won 5 NEPA awards. Both publications are part of the Holden Landmark Corp. Editorial cartoonist Don Landgren Jr. swept the weekly 2 newspaper category with first, second, & third place awards. Editor Jim Keough won a first place award for feature writing and a third place award for humor columnist in the weekly circulation division.
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This year's NEPA Contest featured more than 6,000 entries submitted by daily, weekly, and monthly publications published between July 2006 and July 2007. The entries were judged by the American Press Insitute.
The New England Press Association has more than 525 member newspapers with a total circulation of 5.9 million and 9.8 million readers in the six-state region. The annual convention in Boston draws more than 1,000 newspaper professionals.

Bay State Parent magazine Named Best Parenting Publication, again!

Bay State Parent magazine was named best parenting publication in North America by Suburban Newspaper of America (www.suburban-news.org)
This is the third time the magazine has earned this honor -- 2007, 2006, & 2004.
Submitted into the editorial contest was the March 2007 issue, which featured a special report on childhood obesity, a report on the state of breastfeeding in Massachusetts, and the magazine's 7th Annual Baby Guide.
The judges wrote: "Good job in covering parenting issues that are current."
Writers who contributed to the issue included: Kerri Augusto, Amy Benoit, Robin Burke, Rosemary Cafasso, Lindsay Crone, Marta Kowalczyk, Jennifer Lefferts, Sue Lovejoy, Jane Mackay, Maria Marien, Marguerite Paolino, Susan Scully Petroni, Dr. Robyn Silverman, & calendar editor Carrie Wattu.

The magazine also earned second place nationally for best special section for the 4th Annual Adoption Guide (November 2006).
In this category, the magazine competed with weekly and daily newspapers with a circulation of more than 35,000.
Writers for the guide included: Marguerite Paolino, Sarah MacDonald, Amy Rodgers-Dryfoos, Peter Gibbs, and Barbara Ford.
Some of the judges comments included: "Excellent variety of issues and features, including a rare look in sections like this of a controversial issue Page 52. Well done and valuable section."
(By the way, I NEED to thank the Adoption Community of New England for its help in identifying some of the topics for this adoption guide. )

The American Press Institute judged the entries for the SNA editorial contest.
SNA is a newspaper organization representing more than 2,000 publication in North America.
Publisher Gareth Charter will accept the awards at the SNA Spring Publisher's Conference in February.

(Added API judges comments on 2/6/08)

EXCLUSIVE Interview with Lt. Governor Tim Murray & His Family

“People always call adoption a ‘leap of faith’ and that’s certainly true,” says Massachusetts Lt. Governor Tim Murray in an exclusive interview, inside the November issue of Bay State Parent magazine. “There are more unknowns than knowns. But anyone who’s gone through a process of having a child - whether it’s by giving birth or by adoption - knows it’s something you can’t fully appreciate until the child is in your arms. At that moment, everything else falls away and you understand it was all worthwhile.”
The Lt. Governor and his wife Tammy, in a rare interview, talk about the adoption of their two daughters from Guatemala and the bicultural experience the family is creating inside and outside their Worcester home.
The exclusive interview, inside the November issue, is part of the magazine’s 5th Annual Adoption Guide. The magazine can be found at more than 850 locations in Eastern & Central Massachusetts beginning today.
The Murrays brought home Helen Roowina, now 2 ½, in December 2005 when she was just nine months old. In May 2007, they welcomed Katerine Mariela, called “Kati,” at age 15 months.
The two sisters, with olive skin and dark features, share their permanent home and heritage – and sometimes even their toys. Like most American toddlers, they live in a world of Disney Princesses, Dora the Explorer, and Elmo. They love animals, trips to the zoo, reading books, and rocking out to the Wiggles.
Award-winning freelance writer Kate M. Jackson spent a morning with the family at their home. During the rare interview, Tim & Tammy, who is an occupational therapist for the Worcester Public Schools, talked intimately about their family, blending two cultures, and their personal decision to create that family through adoption.
“Kate did a wonderful job weaving vivid descriptions and candid conversations into a terrific profile of the Murray family for the adoption guide,” said Bay State Parent magazine editor Susan Scully Petroni.
The Murrays are not alone in creating a family through adoption.
Over the last three decades more than a quarter million children have been adopted by America families. International adoptions in the United States have more than doubles in the last decade. And in Massachusetts, international adoptions, as well as foster parenting and domestic adoptions, are on the rise.
November is National Adoption Awareness Month and Bay State Parent magazine's previous adoption guides have been feted with New England and national journalism awards. For its monthly coverage of adoption issues, the magazine was honored with the prestigious Friend of Adoption Award from The Adoption Community of New England (ACONE).

November Issue At the Printers