The Paul Hansell Award for Distinguished Achievement in Florida Journalism

Deadline to enter: March 30

The Paul Hansell Award for Distinguished Achievement in Florida Journalism will be presented at the Florida Society of News Editors annual convention on July 5-7 in Destin. The contest is open to all individuals who write for a Florida newspaper. The winner receives $1,000.

The late Paul Hansell was a long-time Associated Press bureau chief in Florida and a former member of FSNE.

Deadline for the contest is March 30, 2012. The rules are simple:

* The Award is for overall excellence in reporting and writing, either news or editorials, by an individual writing for a Florida newspaper. Judges will pay particular attention to the sum of a writer’s work, its range and diversity.

* For purposes of judging, each entry is limited to 10 articles. However, entries may include additional back-up materials to give judges an overview of the scope of the writer’s work.

* Newspapers must submit FOUR copies of each individual entry. Each newspaper may submit a maximum of two entries.

* The material submitted must have been published in a Florida newspaper during the 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2011. If the work has extended over a longer period, it must have included significant development during the last 12 months.

* Entries should be mounted on letter-size paper and enclosed in four standard file folders, each identified with the name of the paper and the name of the writer.

* The entry fee is $50, payable to FSNE.

* Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 30, 2012. Send entries to:

The Paul Hansell Award

P.O. Box 11199

Daytona Beach, FL 32120-1199

For questions, contact Cory Lancaster, managing editor, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, atcorylancaster@rocketmail.com or 386-216-9296.