GAGNON WINS 3 KPA AWARDS

On April 27, the Kansas Press Association (KPA) notified the Concordia Blade-Empire that staff writer Russell Gagnon had won three of its prestigious awards.
The KPA awarded Gagnon:
1st Place-Series: 'Continuing To Learn', Gagnon's three-part series on USD 333 teachers, students, and administrators coping with the restrictions of COVID-19 and transitioning to online learning.
1st Place-Sports Feature Story: 'Bob Baumann - A Coach's Life', Gagnon's story on the life and 57-year coaching career of Bob Baumann.
2nd Place-Feature Story: 'Paul Rimovsky: A Passion For The Music Of Life', Gagnon's profile of Concordia's own Paul Rimovsky.
"I'm honored to receive these awards, and proud for the Blade-Empire newspaper," Gagnon said. "Bob Baumann's story was a testament to his six decades of coaching. Paul Rimovsky dedicated his life to this community, and I hope the story honored his life and legacy. The school story was complicated to tell, so I want to thank all the teachers, students and staff who shared their thoughts."
Gagnon has now won 6 KPA awards in five different categories.