HIGH 5!

Evangelist staff takes home five CPA awards

Photographer Cindy Schultz won a first-place Catholic Press Association Award for this photo of the Catholic Central girls’ basketball team. (Courtesy photo of CINDY SCHULTZ)

The Evangelist won five Catholic Press Association Awards, including a first-place honor for photographer Cindy Schultz. The awards were announced on the final night of the Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta on June 21.

Schultz won for Best Photograph — Sports Photo for her shot of Catholic Central School girls’ basketball coach Audra DiBacco and her team reacting to a play during the Crusaders’ 62-49 loss to Averill Park in the Section II Class A championship on March 3, 2023.

“Cindy proves year after year that she is one of the best photographers in New York state,” said Mike Matvey, editor of The Evangelist. “The paper is lucky to have her and I can’t wait to see what photos she turns in from each and every assignment.”

Schultz also earned an honorable mention in the Best Photograph — Sacramental category for her photo of Father Daniel Quinn baptizing a first-grader at Blessed Sacrament Church in the Dec. 14 edition.

Photographer Cindy Schultz earned honorable mention honors for this photo of Father Daniel Quinn baptizing a first-grader at Blessed Sacrament School.

In the Best Seasonal Issue — Print Only category, The Evangelist team of Emily Benson, Matvey, Brenda Powell and Schultz earned third-place honors for their Catholic Schools Week special section on Feb. 2.

Matvey also earned two honorable mentions. In the Best Feature Writing — Weekly category, Matvey was recognized for his Dec. 7 story on Family Promise of the Capitol Region, which serves homeless families and more recently asylum seekers. He also earned honorable mention in the Best Headline category for his headline “Alto this world” for a story about the Cathedral Choir School, which was published on Nov. 16.

“It is a joy to love what you do for a living and to be recognized by your peers makes it that much special,” Matvey said. “As I said in the past, any honors the paper wins would not be possible without the amazing staff that we have.”

Editor Mike Matvey earned an honorable mention in feature writing for his story on Family Promise of the Capital Region.