Nackey S. Loeb School Names Award Honorees

A teacher who advises students as they start potential journalism careers and an editor who retired after decades in the news business will be honored for their efforts at the Sixth Annual Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications First Amendment dinner in November.

A panel of judges chose Londonderry High School journalism advisor Mary Lukas for this year's First Amendment Award and retired Concord Monitor Editor Mike Pride for the school's first Quill and Ink Award. They were among more than a dozen nominees submitted by the public.

Pride and Lukas will be recognized November 20 at the First Amendment dinner at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, featuring award-wining national columnist and network television commentator Howard Fineman.

Lukas has been advisor to Londonderry's Lancer Spirit student newspaper for five years. Her students report proudly that Lukas taught about First Amendment Free Press guarantees, then stood by them as they wrote articles, editorials and a Point-Counterpoint feature that includes sensitive issues such as abortion, the drinking age and student-teacher relationships.

The First Amendment Award was established to honor New Hampshire residents who protect First Amendment liberties. Past recipients have been former Attorney General Philip McLaughlin, Former Keene Sentinel Editor Thomas Kearney, state Rep. Daniel Hughes, The Citizen newspaper and Dover City Councilor David Scott.

The judges chose to honor Pride for a distinguished newspaper career in which he helped push open the doors of government to bring readers news and opinions about decisions that affect their lives. Pride retired this year after 30 years at the Monitor. His goal as he set out in 1978 was to make the newspaper reflect the community it covers. He is credited with reshaping a small community paper into a Pulitzer-prize winning publication.

Lukas and Pride will receive a bronze eagle, cast from an original sculpture by Loeb.

The judges included former Gov. Stephen Merrill; Foster's Daily Democrat Executive Editor Rod Doherty; former N.H. First Lady Kathy Gregg; Union Leader Vice President Charles Perkins III ; Attorney Gregory Sullivan; and past First Amendment Award Recipients John Howe, executive editor of the Citizen, and Dover City Councilor David Scott.

The late Nackey S. Loeb, president and publisher of the New Hampshire Union Leader, founded the nonprofit school in 1999 to promote understanding and appreciation of the First Amendment and to foster interest, integrity and excellence in journalism and other forms of communication.

The dinner is a major fundraiser that enables the school to offer free classes on topics including the First Amendment, journalism, sports writing, editorials, political writing, blogging, editorial cartoons, photography and broadcasting.

More than 2,500 students of all ages have since taken part in the school's media-related classes and workshops

Ticket information is available at www.loebschool.org or by calling the school at 627-0005.