Eight First-Place Finishes
Division A Newspaper of the Year · Runner-Up
The Village Reporter earned 12 awards at the Ohio News Media Association’s annual Hooper competition.
By The Village Reporter Staff ·
March 26, 2026
Westerville, Ohio — The Village Reporter was named the Overall Runner-Up for Division A Newspaper of the Year and brought home 12 additional awards at the 2026 Ohio News Media Association Fellowship Day, held March 26 in Columbus. The honors came in the annual Osman C. Hooper competition, the state’s premier contest for non-daily newspapers, where The Village Reporter earned a first-place finish in News Coverage among the state’s largest non-daily publications.
Readers could tell the staff cares about all of its readers.
The Hooper awards, presented annually by ONMA, recognize the best work produced by non-daily newspapers across the state. This year’s competition drew entries judged by an independent panel of experts in design, photography, advertising and journalism. Competing papers were divided into two divisions based on circulation, with Division A encompassing newspapers with circulations of 2,001 and above.
The Village Reporter’s 12 category awards spanned eight different categories — from hard news and in-depth reporting to photography, design, headlines and special sections — showcasing the breadth and quality of the northwest Ohio weekly’s editorial operation.
Division A Newspaper of the Year:
Overall Runner-Up
The Village Reporter was recognized as the Overall Runner-Up for Division A Newspaper of the Year, an honor based on cumulative performance across all 19 Hooper competition categories. The award, presented on March 26, 2026, reflects the paper’s consistent excellence across the full range of community journalism — from reporting and photography to design, advertising and editorial writing.
The Newspaper of the Year designation is widely considered the most prestigious honor in the Hooper competition, as it measures not a single entry but the totality of a newspaper’s work over the course of the year.
News Coverage:
First Place
The newspaper’s highest individual category honor came in the competition’s marquee category. Judges awarded The Village Reporter first place for News Coverage in Division A, praising the paper’s comprehensive approach to serving its readership.
The judges noted that The Village Reporter featured extensive coverage of cops, crime and courts alongside strong community news, including senior spotlights and local history features. The panel highlighted the paper’s range, noting that content spanned from graduating seniors describing their future plans to young children submitting their favorite Christmas toys. The judges concluded that readers could tell the staff cares about all of its readers, calling the paper enjoyable for everyone.
In-Depth Reporting:
A Clean Sweep
The Village Reporter dominated the In-Depth Reporting category in Division A, capturing all three places — first, second and third — a feat no other newspaper in the competition achieved in any category.
First place went to the Fulton County 175th Tribute, a historical package produced by Publisher Forrest Church and Reporter Jacob Kessler. Judges called the coverage in-depth and well done, noting that readers had an opportunity to learn about the history and heritage of Fulton County through the months-long project.
Second place was awarded to John Fryman’s story on Bryan’s 1975 Class AA State Championship baseball team reunion. The judges praised the piece as a thoughtful story that provided a wonderful reflection on the team and the memories they created.
Third place went to Brenna White for her story on a Kentucky youth’s sweet Spangler adventure after an accidental Dum-Dum order. Judges called the piece a thoughtful and creative story that gave readers insight on the subject’s special factory tour.
Original Columns:
First Place
Publisher Forrest Church earned first place in the Original Columns category for Division A with a series of three columns on media bias. The judges offered high praise, noting that the columns speak directly to the community about what it takes to be a real local news outlet. The panel described the work as old school journalism at its best, capturing the spirit of a publisher telling the community, let’s talk.
The judges went on to say that columns like these represent how local media rebuilds trust with the communities they serve.
Newspaper Design:
Second Place
The Village Reporter earned second place in Newspaper Design for Division A, with judges praising the paper’s well-balanced design with nice large photographs and smart, interesting use of color. The entry, submitted by Forrest Church, featured three editions of the paper. Judges noted the overall great design of the publication.
Best Page Design:
Third Place
Forrest Church’s layout for a story on athlete Faber reaching 1,000 career points earned third place in Best Page Design for Division A. Judges highlighted the beautiful layout with eye-catching silhouette cutouts.
Best News Photo:
First Place
A community-submitted photo of a duck rescue earned The Village Reporter first place in Best News Photo for Division A. The judges were effusive, noting that the image told a complete story — the characters, the plot, the setting, the tension and even the resolution. The panel pointed specifically to the rescuer’s face as the detail that says it all.
Best Feature Photo:
First Place
Jacob Kessler captured first place in Best Feature Photo for Division A with a dramatic bicycle kick image from a soccer match. Judges praised the shot as peak sports action captured in what appeared to be difficult lighting at a night game.
Best Sports Photo:
First Place
Kessler struck gold again in the Best Sports Photo category for Division A with an image from a bat bending competition. Judges called the photo amazing in its capture of the action, awarding it first place over entries from across the state.
Best Headline:
Second Place
Jesse Davis earned second place in Best Headline for Division A with the headline “Residents Cry Fowl.” Judges noted their appreciation for how the headline perfectly paired with the article’s accompanying photo, a hallmark of effective newspaper layout while gaining laughs from the large attendance.
Special Edition or Section:
First Place
The Village Reporter’s Fulton County 175th Tribute, produced by Forrest Church and Jacob Kessler, earned first place in Special Edition or Section for Division A. Judges noted that The Village Reporter spent months creating the highly informative and educational publication, which included articles about historic events and people that readers would likely be hard pressed to learn about anywhere else. The tribute, which marked the 175th anniversary of Fulton County, served as both a celebration of community heritage and an original work of local journalism.
The Full Picture
Across the 12 awards, The Village Reporter’s staff showed strength in nearly every dimension of community journalism. Publisher Forrest Church was credited on six winning entries. Reporter and photographer Jacob Kessler appeared on four. Reporter John Fryman earned recognition for his in-depth feature work, while reporter Brenna White and Jesse Davis each contributed winning entries of their own.
The paper competed in Division A against publications including the Geauga County Maple Leaf, The Gazette, The Telegram of Jackson, Athens Messenger and The Budget, among others. Geauga County Maple Leaf was the only other paper in Division A to match The Village Reporter’s breadth, with wins spread across multiple categories.
The Hooper competition has been a staple of Ohio journalism for decades, named in honor of Osman C. Hooper, a longtime journalism educator and advocate for the state’s newspaper industry. This year’s ceremony was held during ONMA’s annual Fellowship Day in Columbus.
About the Competition
The 2026 Hooper Awards featured 19 categories spanning news coverage, feature writing, photography, sports, design, advertising, editorials and community awareness.
The Ohio News Media Association also presented its annual Collegiate Newspaper Awards during Fellowship Day, recognizing outstanding work by student journalists at 11 Ohio colleges and universities in 10 categories across two enrollment-based divisions.
Complete List of Village Reporter Awards
★ Newspaper of the Year, Division A — Overall Runner-Up
| 1. | News Coverage — First Place (Forrest R. Church, Newspaper Staff) |
| 2. | In-Depth Reporting — First Place (Forrest Church, Jacob Kessler) — Fulton County 175th Tribute |
| 3. | In-Depth Reporting — Second Place (John Fryman) — Bryan’s 1975 State Championship Reunion |
| 4. | In-Depth Reporting — Third Place (Brenna White) — Kentucky Youth’s Spangler Adventure |
| 5. | Original Columns — First Place (Forrest Church) — Media Bias series |
| 6. | Newspaper Design — Second Place (Forrest Church) |
| 7. | Best Page Design — Third Place (Forrest Church) — Faber Reaches 1,000 |
| 8. | Best News Photo — First Place (Community/Staff) — Duck Rescue |
| 9. | Best Feature Photo — First Place (Jacob Kessler) — Bicycle Kick |
| 10. | Best Sports Photo — First Place (Jacob Kessler) — Bat Bending Competition |
| 11. | Best Headline — Second Place (Jesse Davis) — “Residents Cry Fowl” |
| 12. | Special Edition or Section — First Place (Forrest Church, Jacob Kessler) — Fulton County 175th Tribute |
BY THE NUMBERS Division A Newspaper of the Year: Overall Runner-Up 12 Category Awards • 8 First-Place Finishes • 8 Categories |