Three Reporter staff members were recognized for their outstanding work by the Society of Professional Journalists earlier this month.

Photographer Chad Coleman received two awards for the annual contest, including first and second place, while education reporter Elizabeth Celms and city reporter J. Jacob Edel each earned a third-place award. Coleman won the Portrait category for his shot of three high school swimmers from the girls team for the fall sports preview in the Sept. 5 issue. His second-place award was in the Portfolio category, which recognizes photographers for their 10 best pictures.

Celms received third place in the Arts and Criticisms News/Features category for her account of living and working as a photographer in Riga, the capital of the Baltic state of Latvia, before returning to the Island in 2007. Her story, titled “Baltic Light,” was published in the May 2 issue last year. Edel was awarded in the Government category for his story about the residence of former City Councilmember Sven Goldmanis. The story, titled “Addressee Unknown,” was published in the July 11 issue.