Never a Dull Moment, MetroKids magazine’s calendar of family-friendly events and attractions, and Book Beat, the magazine’s children’s book reviews, have received Gold Awards in the Parenting Publications of America (PPA) 2009 Editorial and Design Competition.
MetroKids also received four awards in the 2010 Delaware Press Association (DPA) Communications Contest: first place for Magapaper / Tabloid, Four-color; second place for Headline Writing; and in the Page Layout, General or Specialized Circulation category, a third place award for cover design and honorable mention for design of the Never a Dull Moment Day-by-Day Calendar.
Faculty from the University of Missouri School of Journalism judged the PPA contest. Winners were announced March 6 at the PPA’s Annual Convention in Charlotte, NC.
"’Never a Dull Moment’ is the title of the calendar for MetroKids, but it’s also descriptive of the calendar itself. It’s tightly edited and well-organized," said the judges. "Listings for free events start with the word Free in all caps and red letters – great for quick scanners. Activities within a day’s listings are organized by type of event: arts, performance, nature, museum, event. It’s fun and easy to use, obviously written with the users in mind." Stephanie Halinski is MetroKids’ calendar editor.
On www.metrokids.com, visitors can search the day-to-day calendar on the Attractions & Events page. A searchable Attractions Guide lists dozens of southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Delaware venues. Attractions articles spotlight exciting events, describe new exhibits and include guides on types of attractions such as art museums, children’s theater and indoor fun centers.
In choosing Book Beat to receive top honors for Reviews, the judges said, "The selection of books signals wisdom. They are grouped sensibly. The writing is lively." MetroKids contributing writer Frank Lipsius writes Book Beat each month. On www.metrokids.com, visitors can find the current month’s book review on the News & Views page and an archive of reviews by clicking "More On This Topic" next to the review.
In the DPA contest, awards recognized:
- MetroKids as the state’s top tabloid-sized newsprint magazine
- The design of a MetroKids cover page and the layout of Never a Dull Moment.
- Headlines for two articles: "Happy? Sad? Chatty? Mad? Here’s what babies are really feeling.” and “Zap Varicose Veins: New therapies make removing them quick and (almost) painless.”
The DPA is an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women. Its contest is judged by out-of-state communications professionals.
