On Papago Park Development-This photojournalist figured out that the way to make this story interesting is to show how people enjoy the park. We've seen professionals go out and shoot this assignment and come back with a bunch of real estate shots and shots of signs -- no people. And seeing people use the park makes this story work. There was some very creative composition. We loved the silhouette shot framed by the rocks! This photographer was definitely looking for interesting ways to frame and compose shots. And none of it looked forced or contrived. The story had nice visual development and an interesting variety of shots from many different locations. Not sure if it was a deliberate decision to shoot the story when the light was so nice, but it really added to the feel of the piece.

On Immigration March-A very well done general news story. And in an uncontrolled, real-world setting. Good use of natural sound and editing to make me feel like we were at the march. Good storytelling pictures. Clear storyline reinforced visually. Very good natural sound from the cops that helped convey the potential the event had to blow up. The judges were very impressed that a student would go out and execute this type of assignment. Great story to have for your resume tape.

On Homemade Trebuchet-A very well done general news story. And in an uncontrolled, real-world setting. Good use of natural sound and editing to make me feel like we were at the march. Good storytelling pictures. Clear storyline reinforced visually. Very good natural sound from the cops that helped convey the potential the event had to blow up. The judges were very impressed that a student would go out and execute this type of assignment. Great story to have for your resume tape.

General Comments From Contest Chair Eric Blumer-This was the first year for the national student videojournalism category! Thanks to all who entered, and congratulations to those who earned recognition. Keep up the good work. Every professional got their start somewhere, many at a college TV station. The NPPA has helped many of us learn and improve our craft and stay inspired. We invite all college students to take advantage of the benefits of NPPA membership. The winners of the professional Best of Photojournalism contest will be available on DVD to members, or for purchase separately. Please spread the word to other college journalism programs about the NPPA's BOP contest. We hope to see an increase next year in entries as the awareness of the contest spreads. This year, there were 31 weekly assignment entries and 6 in-depth stories entered. There were a couple disqualifications because some entered too many stories (2 allowed per category) and one CD did not play. So, please spread the word, and get your stories ready for next year!