THROWBACK THURSDAY General Excellence Winners since 2013

One of the most highly coveted awards at the annual APA Better Newspaper Editorial Contest is that of General Excellence. General Excellence winners are determined by a points system, with the overall number of points from individual winning entries determining the first, second and third-place General Excellence winners in each division.

Below is a list of first-place General Excellence winners over the last decade.

Batesville Daily Guard: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

Bella Vista, The Weekly Vista: 2015, 2016

Benton, The Saline Courier: 2014, 2015, 2016, 201, 2019

Berryville, Carroll County News: 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Farmington/Lincoln, Washington County Enterprise-Leader: 2015, 2016, 2019

Fayetteville, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023

Hardy, Spring River Chronicle: 2020, 2021

The Helena World: 2022, 2023

Hot Springs, The Sentinel-Record: 2020, 2022

Jacksonville, The Leader: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

During the fall ARVBands travels to area high school football games to highlight the bands during marching season. “We call this Friday Night Feature,” Welch said. “2023 will be our seventh year of Friday Night Features.”

In addition to halftime shows, ARVBands covers and livestreams area marching contests, the Region 8 Marching Assessment, the Region 8 All-Region tryout and concert for symphonic and jazz band, and any other area band event, concert or competition. Last year ARVBands also covered the Arkansas State Marching Band Contest, where eight River Valley area bands competed for the State Championship.

“Our motto is ‘Covering area bands where you live,’” said Welch. The website is arvbands.wixsite.com/arvbands. Coverage can also be found on YouTube on the Arkansas River Valley Bands channel and on Facebook, Instagram and Threads at @arvbands.

“We have 1,500 followers on Facebook and 1,100 on Instagram,” said Welch. “As a new APA Associate Member, I feel my work for these students is validated. I hope to learn and grow in this new media community.”

Little Rock, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021

Mountain Home, The Baxter Bulletin: 2013

Nashville Leader: 2014

North Little Rock, The Times: 2018

Pea Ridge, The Times: 2013, 2014

Searcy, The Daily Citizen: 2013, 2021, 2023

Siloam Springs Herald-Leader: 2014, 2019

Van Buren, Press Argus-Courier: 2017