Photos by Savannah Schmidt.
Elaine Beiersdoerfer, otherwise known as Jiujitsu Grandma, in her class at Gracie Barra in Pelham.
ORANGE BEACH — A multimedia profile of a 76-year-old Vestavia Hills martial artist earned a second-place award for Creative Use of Multimedia for the Vestavia Voice in the Alabama Press Association’s 2025 Alabama Media Awards.
The story about Elaine Beiersdoerfer by Savannah Schmidt, published in December, was recognized among the state’s best works of journalism at the APA’s summer conference and awards banquet Saturday night at Perdido Beach Resort.
The award was one of eight earned by Schmidt, who captured honors in writing, photography and videography.
Schmidt captured first place in Creative Use of Multimedia for The Homewood Star with her video titled “I survived the Lakeshore Owl.” The written story about the owl that terrorized runners alongside the Lakeshore Trail in Homewood earned first place for Best Spot News.
She also earned photography, writing and videography awards for the Hoover Sun and Village Living in Mountain Brook.
Vestavia Voice Community Editor Jon Anderson also serves as the community editor for Hoover Sun, which dominated Division E with first-place victories for General Excellence, Best Public Service, Best Newspaper Website and more. In total, the Hoover Sun won 30 awards across both editorial and advertising divisions. The Hoover Sun also won the Advertising Sweepstakes award for best quality of advertising.
Sarah Owens, who serves as community editor for The Homewood Star and Village Living, captured first place for Best News Feature with her story of Mountain Brook shark attack victim Lulu Gribbin’s road to recovery. Owens, who earlier this year was named the state’s Emerging Journalist of the Year by the APA, also played a key role in a first-place award for Best Public Service for her lead article in a multi-story package titled “The power to save: Why talking about mental health matters.” Versions of the article appeared in all six Starnes Media Publications, including Vestavia Voice, The Homewood Star, Village Living, 280 Living, Cahaba Sun and Hoover Sun. The entry was credited to Hoover Sun and shared with collaborators Jon Anderson and Taylor Bright.
Coverage of Vestavia Hills High School sports was part of the awards won by sports editor Kyle Parmley for Under the Lights, the magazine and podcast shared across all Starnes markets. The preseason magazine was named Best Niche Publication for both its editorial and advertising content, a sweep, and the podcast earned first place for Best Podcast. Parmley also won first place for Best Local Sports Column, which was entered under the Hoover Sun but also appeared in Vestavia Voice.
Another Starnes Media publication, 280 Living, won first place in the Freedom of Information-First Amendment category for Taylor Bright’s coverage of leadership and policy changes at the North Shelby Library. Starnes Media publications won 46 total APA awards.
This year, 53 publications submitted 1,725 entries in the annual contest. The Michigan Press Association membership judged the entries.
