The Crowder Quill, the literary/art magazine of Crowder College, has again been awarded the prestigious top award of “Best Community College Literary-Art Magazine” for the 2500+ enrollment category from the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) as well as “First Place with Special Merit.”

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“Creating a magazine promotes and supports a community of writers and gives them esteem,” said Richard Plass, chairman of the ASPA contest, in a congratulatory letter to the Quill staff. “It teaches students the fundamentals of creative writing, publishing, good writing skills, proofreading and editing skills, concepts of design and composition.”

The ASPA, located in College Point, New York, judges college and high school publications for content, organization, design, presentation, and creativity.

“Your magazine shows the superior efforts of talented and creative editors, writers, artists, photographers, layout/graphic designers, staff members and advisor,” Plass added.

The Quill’s national award was based on the spring 2016 publication.

The current contest entry deadline is Feb. 6. Categories include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and photography for high school and Crowder College students as well as adult community members. Winners will be notified in April and recognized at an awards ceremony on May 11 on the Neosho campus of Crowder College.

Since 1980, the Quill has been published and distributed free on campus and in the community to “showcase and encourage artists and authors,” Bailey said.