NCSMA advisers, associates, students or other school officials may nominate individuals for the Kay Phillips Distinguished Service Award. The award was established by the NCSMAA Executive Committee to honor those who have made significant contributions to scholastic journalism in North Carolina and/or to NCSMA. The award is named in honor of Kay Phillips, former director of NCSMA. Each recipient must have contributed at least five years of service to scholastic journalism.

Winners:

Bill Cloud, UNC-Chapel Hill, NCSMA, 2002
Chuck Stone, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2002

Richard Cole, UNC, 2003
Bill Elsen, The Washington Post, 2003

Grady Locklear, Sumter, S.C., 2004
Bruce Waterson, Roan, G.A., 2004

N.C. Press Association, 2005
The Daily Tar Heel, 2005

Brenda Gorsuch, West Henderson High, 2006
C.A. Tuggle, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2006

Martha Rothwell, North Iredell High, 2007
Kay Windsor, R.J. Reynolds, 2007

Robin Sawyer, First Flight High, 2008
Bradley Wilson, N.C. State University, 2008

Geoff Belcher, Wake Forest High, 2009
Mark Harrison, T.C. Roberson High, 2009

Phyllis Cooper, A.C. Reynolds High, 2010
Beth Lail, Statesville High, 2010

Linda Florence Callahan, N.C. A&T State University, 2011
Jeremy Parrish, Athens Drive High, 2011

David Jackson, William A. Hough High, 2012
The News & Observer, 2012

Bill Allen, East Mecklenburg High, 2013
Kevin Schwartz, The Daily Tar Heel, 2013

Marva Hutchinson, Providence High, 2014
The Charlotte Observer, 2014

Frank LoMonte, Student Press Law Center, 2015
Jan Reid, Cape Fear Academy, 2015