Gray Hawkins played an integral role in the relaunch of Corbin High School’s student-led newspaper publication two years ago. Now, the former Paws Print staffer is helping the Murray State News win multiple Kentucky Press Association “Excellence in Newspaper” awards.
Hawkins, a 2023 graduate of CHS, was present at a KPA awards banquet for the very first time last week at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington. It was a very good night for the Murray State News, which ended up dominating in the Student Publication, Class 1 division by bringing home over 40 awards. Among those awards were winning staff entries in the Best Ongoing/Extended Coverage, Best Website, Best Picture Essay and Best Special Section categories.
“It was a really great experience,” said Hawkins, who is double majoring in journalism and creative writing at Murray State. “It was very eye opening to see not just how many newspapers at different levels are active in Kentucky, but also the quality of work that they are putting out. There are still a lot of news outlets that are thriving, and an event like the KPA awards banquet shows just how many people are putting their efforts into keeping the industry alive in Kentucky.”
Hawkins said certain experiences in high school left a lasting impression that ultimately led to a decision to pursue a journalism degree at Murray State. Among those experiences was a trip to visit the News Journal offices in Corbin, and the printing presses at J. Frank Publishing in London, back in November of 2022.
“We put out a lot of quality stories, but it was ultimately all about having fun while recognizing the students, organizations and faculty and staff at the high school,” Hawkins said of working for the Paws Print at CHS, adding that it has been a big jump transitioning from that experience to working in a more “structured and professional” environment at the Murray State News.
Hawkins is currently a staff writer for Murray State’s student-led news publication, which makes weekly updates to its website (www.murraystatenews.org) and produces monthly print editions that are distributed all over campus and throughout the surrounding community.
Hawkins said there are also two other magazine-style publications that the staff produces on a yearly basis.
When asked about how life at the collegiate level has matched up with prior expectations, Hawkins said, “It is always surprising me and challenging me in all kinds of ways.”
Specifically, Hawkins said that learning to balance coursework with writing weekly articles has been an ongoing process, as well as working on developing the “people skills” that are needed to reach out and make contact with individuals who can provide important information.
Hawkins added that getting over any initial doubts and resistance to constructive criticism was also necessary, but that it has gotten much easier with time and has led to a realization that, “it can be challenging, but also very gratifying once you get to a point where you know what you’re doing. You begin to see that you are learning, instead of just feeling like you’re doing things wrong.”
When asked about hopes for the future, Hawkins said the main goal is to just continue learning and developing skills as a writer.
Seeking out internship opportunities with newspaper publications was also mentioned as a priority for the next couple of years.
Niki Junker, who was Hawkins’ journalism teacher at CHS, said of her former student, “I am so proud to see Gray excel in writing. It is exciting for me to watch a former journalism student achieve so much, and to know that greater things are to come.”
To view the full “Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers” awards presentation from last Friday, visit the KPA’s official YouTube channel by searching for @KentuckyPressAssociation.
