A Peninsula Beacon writer received two awards at a recent professional journalism competition.
The Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego chapter, held its annual banquet at the Kona Kai Club on Shelter Island, with Scott Hopkins receiving a first place and an honorable mention in judging of work submitted by all San Diego area newspapers, radio and television stations, Internet sites and blogs. 
Earning a first place award in Feature Writing was Hopkins’ story of Tim O’Brien, a 2015 graduate of Point Loma High School, who signed a national letter of intent to play football at Harvard University. O’Brien, standing 6 foot 8 inches tall and weighing 260 pounds, revealed he still carries a dictionary given to him by his second grade teacher who urged him to pursue the highest level he could achieve.
Hopkins has also provided Peninsula Beacon readers with updates on Will Barton, a 2010 PLHS alumni who was shot three times while walking home from work in the early hours of Oct. 29, 2012 by a deranged criminal who was later killed in a shootout with San Diego Police. This update told of Barton practicing walking on the Ocean Beach Pier, counting the concrete benches as measures of his progress. This story won Honorable Mention in Health Writing.
All entries were printed, published or aired during the 2015 calendar year.
Hopkins began writing for the Peninsula Beacon eight years ago after a career in education. He is a 1967 graduate of PLHS with degrees in social sciences and counseling and guidance from San Diego State University.
He is currently preparing entries for the San Diego Press Club competition where awards will be announced in October.