CCWF Paper Trail wins multiple awards in 2025 American Penal Press Contest
On Sept. 19, 2025, CCWF Paper Trail, the monthly newspaper produced by residents in Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), emerged as victors in the American Penal Press Contest (APPC). This competition honors journalism in newspapers, magazines, and newsletters of the prison press.
The APPC was founded by Charles C. Clayton in 1965. With around a thousand prison newspaper entries, the competition peaked in the late 1970’s through the early 1980’s and came to an end in 1990.
Thirty-five years since the last APPC competition, this relaunch was sponsored by Pollen Initiative and Southern Illinois University.
Over 20 newsrooms across the country participated. Out of the 179 submissions, 13 newsrooms took away at least one award.
Hosting the ceremony was editor in chief of California’s first prison newspaper, San Quentin News, Kevin D. Sawyer and Kate McQueen, Pollen Initiative’s Editorial Director and advisor to California’s first women’s newspaper, CCWF Paper Trail.
CCWF Paper Trail won second place in Best Debut Publication as well as four more awards.
Staff writer Megan Hogg took first place for Best Local News with a story about CCWF population’s new fad, carrying around lizards as pets.
The article “Lizards are the New Fendi Bag,” ran in the Jan. 2025 edition. A judge in the competition praised Hogg for her description.
Upon winning, Hogg expressed, “It is very humbling to be doing something I enjoy, reaching way beyond what I imagined…an amazing team.”
Diana Lovejoy brought Paper Trail another first-place award for Best Opinion, “Nutritional Rehabilitation.” Lovejoy’s piece was noted to be “another perfect insight…” by one of the judges in the competition.
“Writing has a magic in it to help people realize they’re not alone,” Lovejoy said.
Nora Igova was awarded Woman Prison Journalist of the year and secured second place in the Best Feature category for “Pennie’s Rainbow.”
In the story, Igova writes about a woman’s struggle with mental health and her roommates’ compassion that drove them to help.
“It was a humbling experience for me. The credit goes way beyond a reward,” Igova said.
All award-winning contestants and those recognized for their profound contributions will receive a package with their certificates, feedback from the judges, and a commemorative special newspaper issue containing reprints of the award-winning stories. Several newsrooms across the country participated remotely in the ceremony via Microsoft Teams, including Paper Trail.
The energy in the CCWF Paper Trail newsroom was anticipatory and hopeful as the participating prison newsrooms awaited the announcements.
The Paper Trail contributors in the newsroom exploded with cheers and applause as journalists from the Paper Trail team were announced. Rivals expressed good sportsmanship on the screen as they cheered for one another.
The next contest submissions are expected to open for a 30-day period in the spring. The ceremony is set for Sept. 18. Participants are already eager to submit their pieces for consideration.
Those interested in finding out more about the thousands of prison newspapers that participated in the APPC can go to the contest website, americanenalpresscontest.org. Incarcerated readers can access the APPC commemorative newspaper on Edovo.
