Southeast Missourian Jr. publication earns best overall award

Southeast Missourian Jr. has earned a major first-place prize. The Suburban Newspaper Association named the monthly paper Best Kids Publication among newspapers of all sizes.

The Jr. is filled with original writing and art by local schoolchildren.

SNA, a not-for-profit professional trade association of more than 2,000 North American suburban and community newspapers, announces the awards annually.

The Jr. has articles on health and safety with nutrition tips, puzzles and contests along with children's stories and drawings.

"It's an opportunity for children to express themselves," said Cheryl Ellis, editor/coordinator of the Southeast Missourian Jr. and advertising representative at the Southeast Missourian.

She said the experience can build a child's self confidence.

The Jr. won Best Kids Publication overall in 2003, 2004 and 2005. It also picked up three general excellence awards from Newspaper Association of America Foundation's Newspaper in Education Program. It finished in first place in 2006 and 2005 and third place in 2004. The Missouri State Teachers Association Education gave it the 2001 top literacy program award.

Last year, the Lee's Summit Tribune in Lee's Summit, Mo., copied the Jr. concept and now prints 15,000 copies weekly.

More than 30,000 copies of the Jr. are produced monthly during the school year.