2 Groups Recognize Work of Times, Staff Members

The Newspaper Assn. of America’s highest award--first place in the General Program Excellence competition for newspapers with a circulation of more than 100,000 that promote their use as an educational resource--has been won by The Times for the second year in a row.

In addition, two Times staff writers--Mark Arax and Paul Jacobs--have received top awards from PEN Center USA West, a division of an international organization created to foster understanding among men and women of letters throughout the world.

The Newspaper Assn.’s award singled out Times in Education regional managers Diana Gilmore, Kathy Graham Headly and Barbara Neder for special recognition. Gilmore also won second place in the association’s special projects competition.

Arax was honored by PEN Center USA West for “A Labor of Love for Boys of McFarland,” a Times story about a cross-country track team whose five consecutive state championships were especially remarkable because the runners came from Mexican farm worker families too poor to buy them athletic shoes.

Jacobs was recognized for his book “James Printer: A Novel of Rebellion,” the true story of a Nipmuck Indian, raised by an Englishman, who gets caught between cultures during the brutal English-Indian war in 17th century Massachusetts.