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Mid-Atlantic Media’s parenting publications were recognized nationally with 15 wins at The ParentingMedia Association 2023 Design and Editorial Awards Program on Friday, Nov. 3.

The Parenting Media Association (PMA) is comprised of 52 regional member publications across North America.

The awards ceremony was held at the PMA’s annual conference in Chicago, Illinois.

Each of the parenting publication nominees were eligible for gold, silver or bronze awards in editorial, design and digital categories for publications of a similar size nationally.

Among Mid-Atlantic Media’s publications, Baltimore’s Child earned 10 PMA awards—six in editorial, three in design and one overall. Washington FAMILY earned two editorial awards and one design award and MetroKids clinched two wins for design.

Among the top awards for Mid-Atlantic Media were a gold in “General Excellence” for Baltimore’s Child and a silver in “Overall Writing” for Washington FAMILY.

Judges commended Baltimore’s Child for its “elegant design and robust reporting,” especially on tough issues such as grief and child abuse and advice that goes beyond activities and guides.

Baltimore’s Child won five additional gold awards—three in editorial and two in design.

One was for “Special Section Within a Publication” for its extended “Inclusive” section, appearing in the Oct. 2022 issue. Writing was “clear, balancing science-based facts and jargon with illustrative examples and personal stories,” supported by actionable insights and reader-services resources, according to judges.

Two others were for designer Lonna Koblick’s work in “Special Section” and “Overall Design.”

“Colorful illustrations and pertinent photography strike a harmonious balance, providing a heightened level of visual interest from one story to the next,” judges explain.

Baltimore’s Child also received a silver award in “Department Design” and three bronze awards, in “Column: Family Matters,” “Column: Family Fun” and “Personal Essay.”

Washington FAMILY won three awards—one silver in “Overall Writing” and two bronze.

Judges note writing had clear text with an emphasis on story craft and broad coverage on a number of important topics for families, according to judges.

“The writing is consistently deliberate and direct — no wasted words here. Just solid stories that serve readers well,” judges explain.

Washington FAMILY also won two bronze awards—in“Single-Page Design” and “Profile.”

MetroKids rounded out Mid-Atlantic Media’s wins with one gold award and one bronze award.

Staff designer Steve Burke earned a gold award for MetroKids in “Calendar of Events” for his work on the “Top 10 Family Events” calendar, which judges called “a joy to wander through.”

Staff designer Carl Weigel won a bronze award in “Department Design” for his work on the “Book Marked” section. Judges said typography was clear and consistent in each issue.

“The collection of small book cover images helps move the reader’s eye across the pages, while a dominant image of a child reading makes the design more engaging,” judges note.

Thank you to all of our readers for supporting Baltimore’s Child, Washington FAMILY and MetroKids!