The Mountain View Voice won first in the photo essay category in the state-wide Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the California Newspaper Publishers Association, it was announced Saturday.

Staff photographer Michelle Le's photo essay, "Foothill students join march on Sacramento," was the winner, and former staff writer Kelsey Mesher won a certificate of merit in the local breaking news category for her accompanying story on the protest.

The Voice was awarded certificates of achievement for general excellence and six other categories as well.

Le was awarded certificates of merit for another one of her photo essays, "So you think you'd like to dance?" about tryouts for ballet school scholarships, and in the general news photo category for her "Yuri's night" photo of people lined up to tour the "Raygun Gothic Rocketship" art installation at Moffett Field.

The series of stories on the local effects of the downturn, "Recession Tales," was awarded a certificate in the public service category. Publisher Tom Gibboney earned certificates for his editorial, "The superintendent and the principal", and for the editorial pages category for the issues of Aug. 6 and 13, 2010.

Staff writer Nick Veronin was awarded a certificate for his story "The penitent pugilist" about a local high school drop-out who turned his life around thanks to the Mountain View Police Activities League's boxing program.

The Voice competed against other weekly newspapers in the state in its circulation category.