MinnPost among several nonprofit news outlets honored with SPJ awards

MinnPost and several other nonprofits were among the media outlets recognized with 2026 Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists Page One Awards.
              
MinnPost won four awards at the SPJ’s banquet in St. Paul: first place in solutions reporting for a series on school mental health treatment by Andy Steiner, with photos by Ellen Schmidt; first place in news photography for photos by Ellen Schmidt; second place in the best website category; and third place in education reporting for a story on electric vehicle programs in the Minnesota State system by Brian Arola. MinnPost community health reporter Maddie Robinson won third place in health news reporting for an Eden Prairie Local News story about a family’s battle with a rare disease.
              
Other nonprofits collecting awards Tuesday included Sahan Journal, Minnesota Reformer, Project Optimist and Iron Range Today.
              
Reid Forgrave of the Star Tribune was named Journalist of the Year, Madison McVan of the Minnesota Reformer was named Young Journalist of the Year and Anshu Patel of The Minnesota Daily was named Student Journalist of the Year.  

Meanwhile, Georgia Fort received the Peter S. Popovich Award for, as SPJ said, “courageously and tirelessly advocating for press freedom.” Fort, founder of BLCK Press and Center for Broadcast Journalism, continued to report while facing federal charges for her coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church.

And Joe Spear, the former editor of the Mankato Free Press, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Spear recently retired after 40 years as a journalist.

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