The Jones County News Managing Editor Debbie Lurie-Smith accepted the Georgia School Nutrition Media Award on behalf of the newspaper last week for an unprecedented sixth time.

The award was presented at the GSNA School Lunch Week 2012 Kickoff Luncheon Sept. 6 at the Macon Centreplex. The award is presented in appreciation of media support for the school nutrition program. The kickoff luncheon included greetings from Dr. John Barge, Georgia school superintendent, and Dr. Romain Dallemand, superintendent of Bibb County Schools.

Barge told the audience that he feels connected with school nutrition after working in a nutrition kitchen while attending college, and Dallemand talked about his mother, who raised eight children and sent him to college working in school nutrition.

The state media award was presented by GSNA President-elect Valerie Bowers, and 13 reporters were nominated. Lurie-Smith was nominated by Jones County School Nutrition Director Mary Ann Washburn, as in the previous five times.

The years Lurie-Smith and The Jones County News won the state award, previous to this year, were 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010.

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