The Otter Realm, CSU Monterey Bay’s student newspaper, was honored at the National College Journalism Convention held recently in Seattle.

The Associated Collegiate Press, the largest and oldest national organization for college student media in the U.S., sponsored the convention.

The Otter Realm competed in the Best of Show contest, which was judged on the basis of a single issue of the editor’s choice published this academic year. Competition was held for daily papers, weekly publications, and less-than-weekly papers – the Otter Realm’s category, where it earned a fourth-place award.

The entries were judged for general excellence, which included the quality of the reporting, writing, editing, design, photography and examples of special-project reporting and editorial page leadership.

The Observer from Fordham University in New York City took the top honor in the less-than-weekly category.

“This award is a representation of the dedicated team of reporters, editors, photographers and designers who work on the paper,” said Crystal Lopez, this year’s editor-in-chief.

The Otter Realm is published the first and third Thursday during the school year. It also operates a website where news stories are posted on a regular basis. Students in Human Communication 389, Otter Realm Workshop, produce both.

Professor Estella Porras is the faculty adviser.