Bay State Parent magazine was named best parenting publication in North America by Suburban Newspaper of America. This is the third time the magazine has earned this honor - 2007, 2006, & 2004. Submitted into the editorial contest was the March 2007 issue, which featured a special report on childhood obesity, a report on the state of breastfeeding in Massachusetts, and the magazine's 7th Annual Baby Guide. The judges wrote: "Good job in covering parenting issues that are current." The award was one of 10 awards the magazines won recently from American Press Institute judges in both the Suburban Newspapers of America (SNA) and New England Press Association (NEPA) contests. Bay State Parent magazine also was one of three finalists for the George A. Speers Newspaper of the Year award in the monthly circulation category at NEPA, but lost to a Vermont publication. In the SNA editorial contest, the magazine won a second place award for best special section for the 4th Annual Adoption Guide (November 2006). At the NEPA award banquet in Boston on Saturday, Feb. 9, Bay State Parent magazine earned four first place, three second place, and one third place awards. • Photographer Steven King won first place for personality photo. His was the only award given in the monthly category. Submitted was the cover photograph of the 4th Annual Adoption Guide (2006). • Freelance writer Kate M. Jackson's human interest feature on 9/11 widows (Sept 2006 issue) earned first place for best feature story for a month publication. • The magazine also earned second place in that category for freelance writer Lynn Jolicoeur's feature on a camp for children who are HIV-positive, created by the founder of Jordan's Furniture and his wife (April 2007 issue). • The magazine's special report on sex offenders and online predators (October 2006 issue) earned a second place award for general news story for a monthly publication. Awarded were Sarah MacDonald, Marguerite Paolino, and Susan Scully Petroni. In the advertising and design category, Bay State Parent magazine won four awards. • The magazine earned first place for a black & white local ad, designed by Stephanie Renaud, for a charitable organization. The magazine also took second place in the local ad black & white category with a house ad for the magazine's spring furniture & home decor guide. • In the best local color ad category, the magazine won first and third place. The first place ad, designed by Paula Monette Ethier, was a help wanted ad for advertising representatives for our growing magazine. To read more about Bay State Parent magazine and its awards visit the publication's blog at http://baystateparent. blogspot.com/search/label/awards