College Sports
Dispatch wins honors in multiple categories from Keystone Media Awards
Loretta Claiborne says, “It’s okay to be you.” “It’s okay to be you,” Loretta Claiborne said during a visit to Typical Life Corporation in York City, Thursday, March 28, 2024. The Special Olympics athlete encouraged audience members to not limit themselves and what they can accomplish. After winning awards in numerous categories, the York Dispatch […]


Loretta Claiborne says, “It’s okay to be you.”
“It’s okay to be you,” Loretta Claiborne said during a visit to Typical Life Corporation in York City, Thursday, March 28, 2024. The Special Olympics athlete encouraged audience members to not limit themselves and what they can accomplish.
After winning awards in numerous categories, the York Dispatch was named the Sweepstakes Winner in its division for the 2025 Professional Keystone Media Awards.
The Dispatch was the Division IV Sweepstakes Winner, which recognizes multi-day newspapers with a circulation of 5,000 or less. This is the second straight year that The Dispatch has been recognized with that honor.
“I’m very proud of our staff and the exceptional journalism they produce every day for our York community,” Dispatch Editor Patrick DeLany said. “The Keystone Awards are a well-earned recognition, and I couldn’t be happier for them.”
A number of Dispatch staff members were honored for their work this past year.
Reporter Aimee Ambrose took first place in news beat reporting for her work in covering the York County courts and criminal justice system.
Reporter Meredith Willse was a first-place winner in the ongoing news coverage for her story about a Penn State Advisory Board member who resigned after a video of him using the N-word was posted to social media platforms.
Willse also took second place in investigative reporting for her coverage on the Independence Law Center’s influence on area school boards. She also won an honorable mention for her personality profile on Donna Hudelson, a former Dispatch staff member, whose body went unclaimed after her death.
For editorial writing, managing editor Wallace McKelvey took first place, while copy editor and page designer Sherry Coons won first place in news page design.
Sports editor Thomas Kendziora took first place in sports/outdoors column writing. Kendziora also took second place for his sports enterprise story on York College’s ice hockey club and an honorable mention for his sports beat reporting on high school basketball.
Photographer Dawn Sagert also won multiple awards for her work. First-place awards went to Sagert for news event photo, news video for “A Farewell Salute for Dargo” and her feature video on Loretta Claiborne.
Sagert and reporter Anthony Maenza won an honorable mention for breaking news for coverage of a six-alarm fire in York City.
The Dispatch staff won honorable mention for excellence in reporting on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Winners will be honored at the Keystone Media Awards Luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 16, in Harrisburg.
>> Please consider subscribing to support local journalism.