Three documentaries produced by 2014 Wartburg College graduates received Crystal Pillars at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences-Upper Midwest Regional Student Production Awards.

Those honored include:

• Sarah Boraas, Kristin Canning, Carmen Stevens, Daniel Housholder, Jacqueline Schutte, Lanie Crouse and Ali Kilburg for “Home Country,” which chronicles the lives of the people of Postville, Iowa, in the aftermath of the May 12, 2008, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workplace raid at Agriprocessors, Inc.
•  Simon Sager, Beth McAtee, Adam Azzaro, Katlyn Underwood, Anna McMullen, Brianna Becker and Bekah Holten for “To Jake, With Love,” the story of Tipton-natives Jake Stallman and his mother, Tania McAtee, who are working to eradicate bullying in schools. 
• Holly Hejlik, Armand Piecuch, Peter Hoffman, Justin Szykowny, Ashley Dickinson, Ted Leuck and Caitlin Harbach for “The House That Music Built,” which features Banish-Misfortune, an Iowa Celtic band that formed in 2007. 

The documentaries were created as a final project for the students’ senior capstone class.

“I am thrilled for the students. Their hard work and dedication to the craft of storytelling has been recognized by the industry, and I think that speaks highly of all involved,” said Penni Pier, the Grant L. Price Endowed Department Chair in Journalism & Communication.