The A-Mark Prizes award $15,000 per state, presented by press clubs and associations as part of their journalism contests in the states highlighted below. Winners will be listed below the map once they are announced in each state.
Mouse over a highlighted state for basic information or click on the state for details on the A-Mark Prize in that location.
2026 A-Mark Prize Recipients (alpha order)
The results below are for the current year only. See the winners from previous years by clicking on a state in the map above.
Alaska Press Club
First Place
Michelle Theriault Boots, “The short life and sudden death of one of Alaska’s longest-institutionalized psychiatric patients,” Anchorage Daily News
Second Place
Hal Bernton and Nathaniel Herz, “How a Risky State Investment in Seafood Cost Alaskans Millions and Left a Fishing Town in Crisis,” ProPublica and Northern Journal (Link)
Third Place
Emily Schwing, “Alaska’s Crumbling Schools,” KYUK (Links: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Illinois: Chicago Headline Club
First Place
Frank Main and Alexandra Salomon, “Chicago Under Ice,” Chicago Public Media
Second Place
Block Club Chicago Staff, “Chicago Under Siege: Block Club’s Coverage of Operation Midway Blitz,” Block Club Chicago
Third Place
Manny Ramos, Mick Dumke, Stephanie Lulay, Jen Sabella, and Kelly Bauer, “Some Call It ‘Death Hospital’: Inside The Northwest Side Medical Center Plagued By Problems,” Block Club Chicago
Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
First Place
Second Place
Bob Segall, Ryan Thedwall, and Susan Batt, “13 Investigates: What Happened Inside,” WTHR (Link)
Third Place
Leslie Bonilla Muñiz and Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism staff, “LEAP spending nears $1B, investigation finds,” Capital Chronicle and Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism
Iowa Newspaper Association
First Place
Lee Rood, “Iowa’s problematic towing laws,” Des Moines Register (Links: 1, 2, 3, behind a paywall; PDF of series)
Second Place
Monica Cordero, “Investigative impact for marginalized communities,” Investigate Midwest (Links: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Third Place
Sarah Weber, “Buckle up,” (PDF of series), Orange City – Sioux County Capital Democrat
Nebraska Press Association
First Place
Carrie Pitzer, “Courthouse Security, Open Meetings and Legal Accountability in Knox County,” (PDF of series), Knox County News
Second Place
Destiny Herbers, “Dying Blind,” Flatwater Free Press (Links: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Third Place
Sara Gentzler, “Pattern of alleged staff sexual abuse at state-run youth center,” Flatwater Free Press (Link)
South Carolina Press Association
First Place
Tony Bartelme, Glenn Smith, and John Dell’Osso, “Uncovered: Power & Polo/The Russians Next Door,” The Post and Courier (Links: 1, 2)
Second Place
Cynthia Beasley and Maggie Brown, “Price of Pursuit,” WIS News 10
Third Place
Zak Koeske, “SC school district spent $200K on out-of-state trips, including 5-day tour of London,” The State (Links: 1, 2, 3, 4, behind a paywall)
Virginia Press Association
First Place
Peter Cary, Christopher Stern, Lynn Medford, Doug Stroud, and Laura Stanton, “The New Energy Crisis,” Fauquier Times
Second Place
Cardinal News Staff, “State of Surveillance: Everyone’s Watching,” Cardinal News (Links: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Third Place
Joey LoMonaco, Kendall Perkinson, Taft Coghill Jr., Kathy Knotts, and Lindley Estes, “The Tribe,” Fredericksburg Free Press (Open in Apple Podcasts or Spotify)
Wisconsin Newspaper Association
First Place
Second Place
Danielle DuClos, “High-speed police chases,” The Cap Times
Third Place
Todd Milewski and Jim Polzin, “Shattered Dreams,” Wisconsin State Journal (Link, behind a paywall; PDF of series)
Wyoming Press Association
First Place
Sarah Squires and Marit Gookin, “(Tax) Money and Politics,” Riverton Ranger (behind a paywall; PDF)
Second Place
Sarah Squires and Marit Gookin, “Premature Publication,” Lander Journal (behind a paywall; PDF)
Third Place
Alex Taylor, “Wyoming AD Tom Burman under contract until 2027,” Laramie Boomerang