By Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten on Jun 27, 2025

Project Optimist wins 3 Minnesota journalism awards

The Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists announced award recipients on Thursday, June 26.

Project Optimist

A worker uses a skid steer to move glass at the Otter Tail County Recycling Center on Oct. 1, 2024. Project Optimist's recycling series won an award from the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists. (R.C. Drews for Project Optimist)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Project Optimist received three 2025 Page One Awards, the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists announced on Thursday, June 26.

Project Optimist's website took first place in the best website category.

The organization's series on recycling and its newsletter took third place in the enterprise/in-depth reporting and the best newsletter categories, respectively.

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Project Optimist competed in the largest entry tier, which includes outlets with 50,000 or more in circulation or outlets that have a statewide focus. The nonprofit news organization produces solutions journalism about greater Minnesota.

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