We are excited to share the recent awards won by ‘hood Magazine! The 2026 Parenting Media Association (PMA) Award winners were announced at the annual PMA Conference in Chicago, IL, on November 6th. These awards recognize excellence in local and regional parenting publications, with entries judged by the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
‘hood Magazine was recognized with seven awards across Editorial and Design categories. We are proud to share the awards we received, along with the judges’ comments.
Editorial
Profile
Silver: “Making Birthdays Matter”
Editor/Author: Sarah Parker, Design and Art Director: Ally Chase, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Client Coordinator: Jennifer Fleming
Judges: This story provides a powerful message about the importance of birthdays from a man who grew up an orphan in Thailand and didn’t experience such a celebration until he was 8 years old. It’s not about the big gifts. It’s about the celebrant feeling seen, valued and loved.
Special Series
Silver: “Money Milestones”
Author: Sarah Kurtenbach, Editor: Sarah Parker, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Design and Art Director: Ally Chase
Judges: Parents get help with raising financially smart kids via this series of short stories that provide practical information and realistic tips parents can follow. The writing is conversational and refreshingly straightforward.
Sponsored Content
Silver: “Saddles Over Screens”
Editor/Author: Sarah Parker, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Design and Art Director: Ally Chase, Client Coordinator: Jennifer Fleming
Judges: This is sincere, authentic content about the healing possibilities of horses with a child’s story at the center. The mother’s voice has a heartfelt quality that enhances the integrity of her message about trading screens for the joy of engaging with animals. The endearing photographs add to the charm of the spread.
Design
Front Cover: Original Photo
Silver: July/August 2025
Photographer: Patricia Solis, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Editor: Sarah Parker, Design and Art Director: Ally Chase, Client Coordinator: Jennifer Fleming
Judges: In a unique and fun idea for a cover photograph, both children and cattle are in a compact space, with gorgeous backlight. The children seem comfortable with the animals, and it’s easy to imagine the cattle are invited guests at the birthday party.
Event Highlights
Gold: “’hood Featured Events”
Design and Art Director: Ally Chase, Editor: Sarah Parker, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Client Coordinator: Jennifer Fleming,
Judges: Featured events are logically arranged into even columns for easy reading. Photos and shading effectively draw readers into the page, particularly in the July-August layout. Subtle color coding on the date numbers underscores the clear separation of events by month.
Feature Layout
Bronze: “The Best 2 Weeks of Summer”
Design and Art Director: Ally Chase, Editor: Sarah Parker, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Client Coordinator: Jennifer Fleming,
Judges: A wildly appropriate color palette, a strong scholastic typeface that evokes education and learning, and an array of playful intricate icons all combine to create a visual approach that feels perfectly suited to summer camp. The exciting photography captures the energy, adventure, and fun-filled memories made at Camp Leif Ericson.
Overall Design
Gold
Design and Art Director: Ally Chase, Publisher: Steffanie Holtrop, Editor: Sarah Parker, Digital Director: Jaclyn Small, Client Coordinator: Jennifer Fleming
Judges: The smaller format immediately gives this publication a distinctive quality, creating a sense that the book itself is something sentimental, special, and meant to be cherished. The use of large full-bleed photography paired with creative typographic headlines makes the feature stories both impressive and visually playful. The design presents content in a clear, concise and highly approachable way, while an expansive use of color adds visual energy and personality to each page.
Thank You, ‘hood Community!
Here at ‘hood Magazine, we are so thankful that we get to represent the Sioux Falls Area on a national stage! A huge thank you to our team, contributors, partners, and readers for being part of our ‘hood. The Sioux Falls Area is a fantastic community, and we are grateful to be your parenting and family resource!
