KU News Release

KJHK wins 15 awards from Kansas Association of Broadcasters

LAWRENCE — KJHK 90.7 FM, the student-run radio station at the University of Kansas, has capped off another great year with multiple awards from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.

This year, KJHK tied its all-time-best award count, receiving 15 awards for student programming efforts, including six first-place honors. Top awards were for best public affairs program, best complete news feature, best station Web site, best 30-second graduate public service announcement and two top station promotion announcement awards for both graduate and undergraduate categories. In addition, KJHK received five second-place accolades and four honorable mentions.

The Student Broadcasting Awards recognize outstanding student efforts in radio, television and Internet broadcasting. Awards will be presented at the association’s Student Seminar, to be held April 6 in Topeka.

“This is a huge accomplishment for KJHK’s students, and everyone at the station should be extremely proud of their work,” said Tom Johnson, KJHK general manager and program adviser. “Every area of KJHK’s programming and development has been remarkably strong this past year, which really speaks to the high level of talent we enjoy across the entire organization.”

KJHK has been broadcasting from the KU campus in Lawrence since 1975. It is managed through the Union Programs Office at the KU Memorial Unions, a division of Student Success.

All award winners are listed below by hometown, level in school or degree received, major, parents’ names, high school and award.

CRAWFORD COUNTY
From Pittsburg 66762
Abigail Ruth Olcese, junior in journalism, daughter of Charles and Camille Olcese; Pittsburg High School; honorable mention, enterprise news package, for “Alex Gibney Interview.”

From Pittsburg 66762 and Austin, Texas
Daniel James Spence, junior in theatre and film, son of Karen Stolz of Pittsburg and Gary Spence of Austin, Texas; A.N. McCallum High School, Austin; first-place team award, best complete news feature, for “Common Interview.”

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Baldwin City 66006
Alex Russell Beecher, junior in journalism, son of Jeff and Peggy Beecher; Baldwin High School; second-place team award, complete sports feature, for “Scott Van Pelt Interview.”

From Lawrence 66049
Zachary Aaron Gardner, junior in computer science, son of Rex and Jeanne Gardner; Lawrence Free State High School; first place, best station Web site, for www.kjhk.org.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY
From Ellsworth 67439
Kyle W. West, junior in marketing, son of Randy and Kristi West; Ellsworth High School; honorable mention team award, sports play-by-play, for “Oklahoma State vs. Kansas” men’s basketball game.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66206
Anne Kathleen Harrigan, senior in visual arts education, daughter of John Harrigan; Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village; first place, best undergraduate station promotion announcement, for “DJ Applications Spring 2008.”

From Lenexa 66215
Michael L. Spero, junior in management, son of Jeffrey and Marilyn Spero; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee; second-place team award, sports play-by-play, for “Tennessee vs. Kansas” men’s basketball game.

From Olathe 66062
Taylor Arza Ford, fall 2008 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English (creative writing), son of Earl and Lynda Ford; Olathe South High School; honorable mention team award, station promotion announcement, for “Project Everyone — Sean Wilson.”

Kyle D. Larson, junior in journalism, son of Leslie Terrill; Olathe North High School; second-place team award, sports play-by-play for “Tennessee vs. Kansas” men’s basketball game and honorable mention team award, sports play-by-play, for “Oklahoma State vs. Kansas” men’s basketball game.

From Overland Park 66210
Sean Blake Levine, senior in philosophy and pre-journalism, son of Mitch Levine; Blue Valley Northwest High School; second-place team award, complete sports feature, for “Scott Van Pelt Interview.”

From Overland Park 66211
Sean C. Wilson, senior in theatre and film, son of Steven and Patricia Pound; Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North High School; honorable mention team award, station promotion announcement, for “Project Everyone — Sean Wilson.”

From Overland Park 66212
Peter Adany, doctoral student in electrical engineering, son of Istvan and Suzanne Adany; master’s in electrical engineering from KU, fall 2008; bachelor’s in electrical engineering from KU, spring 2005; Shawnee Mission North High School; first place, best 30-second graduate public service announcement, for “Commission on the Status of Women” and first place, best graduate station promotion announcement, for “3 Friends Request Line.”

From Prairie Village 66208
Taylor Muir Witt, junior in journalism, son of C.E. and Jody Witt; Shawnee Mission East High School; second-place team award, complete sports feature, for “Scott Van Pelt Interview.”

From Shawnee 66216
Derek James Zarda, senior in theatre and film and journalism, son of Kathy Zarda; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; first-place team award, best complete news feature, for “Common Interview.”

MARSHALL COUNTY
From Blue Rapids 66411
Rachael Ellen Gray, senior in Spanish and journalism, daughter of Ron and Sally Gray; Valley Heights Junior-Senior High School; second place, promotional event/activity, for “Fresh Sounds from the Underground.”

ILLINOIS
From Carbondale 62903
Justin Samuel Leveret, senior in French and journalism, son of Thomas Leverett and Elizabeth Herman; Carbondale Community High School; second place, complete news feature, for “Community Filmmaking” and honorable mention, complete news feature, for “New Play Nightmares.”

MICHIGAN
From Dexter 48130
Connor Richard Donevan, senior in architecture and architectural engineering, son of Sean and Anne Donevan; Dexter High School; second place, enterprise news package, for “Mass. St. Cats.”

TEXAS
From Austin 78723 and Pittsburg, Kan.
Daniel James Spence. See CRAWFORD COUNTY

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