Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors

| PAPME bylaws | Board of Directors | PAPME News | PAPME Contest Winners |

La Salle's Vella wins Flamminio scholarship at PAPME meeting in State College

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) La Salle University student Vincent Vella was awarded the 2011 Ralph Flamminio Memorial Scholarship at the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors' annual meeting Friday.

        The award honoring the former editor of The Morning Call of Allentown and Coatesville Record salutes an exemplary Pennsylvania college student who best displays the ideals of Ralph Flamminio: passionate about journalism and the first amendment, and a champion for a better informed citizenry.

        Vella, a junior from Tamaqua, will receive a $3,000 scholarship from the state APME. He was chosen from among 47 candidates for his portfolio of work at the La Salle Collegian, Lehighton Times News and internship work at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

        Vella, the son of Linda and Vincent Vella of Kresgeville, received the award at the annual APME state awards ceremony at the Penn Stater in State College.

        Vella holds a 3.99 grade-point-average at La Salle where he writes for the student newspaper and serves as editor of the university's literary magazine. He is also a member of the communication department's student advisory board and helps tutor at La Salle's writing center.

       "I don't need to tell you about the upheaval we are experiencing in journalism. As a result, some young people are disillusioned about the profession," said John H. Kennedy, an assistant professor at La Salle. "Yet Vinny is one of those talented and committed people we need as leaders to ensure robust newspaper journalism survives and thrives."

Bil Bowden wins Vathis award at PAPME meeting in State College

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Bil Bowden, a photographer at the York Daily Record/Sunday News, was named the Paul Vathis Memorial Photography Portfolio Award winner at Friday's annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors.

          The annual $300 award recognizes one photographer across the state whose portfolio entry of spot news, feature and sports photography shows the strong journalistic instinct, skills and dedication that were the hallmarks of Paul Vathis' 56-year-career as an AP photographer.

          April Bartholomew of The Morning Call in Allentown won a Best of Show award for her photo "Anguish on City Streets."

Laura Legere of The Times-Tribune in Scranton won Best of Show for writing for her "Deep Impact Series," which has detailed the growth of the natural gas drilling industry, including fracking, across the state.

          The judges select one Best of Show winner among all entries for writing and one winner among all entries for photography, regardless of circulation class. The winners receive a plaque and $150 each.

          Vathis, who spent most of his career in Harrisburg, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1962 for his pensive picture of President Kennedy and former President Eisenhower walking together at Camp David following the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Vathis died in December 2002 at age 77 as he was preparing to cover the inauguration of Ed Rendell as governor.

          The PAPME is an organization of newspaper editors from across the state who promote cooperation among AP members and help champion and defend the First Amendment and access to government information.