South Carolina H 5508: Alyasha Maple 2026 S.C. Journalist of the year from the S.C. Press Association

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5508 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 14, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5508

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND 
COMMEND ALAYSHA MAPLE FOR BEING NAMED THE 2025 DAILY JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR BY 
THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION.

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to honor Alaysha Maple, 
Next Gen News Editor and public safety and arts and entertainment reporter for the 
Sumter Item, upon her receipt of the 2025 Journalist of the Year award for 
daily newspapers, at the annual South Carolina Press Association awards 
ceremony held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Friday, March 
6, 2026; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina Press Association's annual news contest recognizes excellence in 
journalism produced during the previous year, and this recognition of Alaysha 
Maple marks the first time in the 132-year history of the family-owned 
newspaper that a Sumter Item reporter has received this prestigious honor. In 
addition, according to the association's records, Alaysha Maple also is the 
first Black woman to be named Journalist of the Year in the history of the 
awards; and

Whereas, a native of 
Sumter, Alaysha Maple is a 2021 graduate of College of Charleston, where she 
earned a bachelor of arts in communication. She joined the Sumter Item later 
that year as a multimedia reporter and has since been promoted to editor of the 
paper's Next Generation beat, where she leads Sumter's Next Generation series and 
coordinates student-focused field trips and community programming; and

Whereas, Alaysha Maple 
has distinguished herself through comprehensive coverage of crime, local 
government, investigative reporting, feature writing, and community events. Her 
work reflects diligent research, persistence, and a steadfast commitment to 
ensuring important stories receive sustained public attention, earning 
recognition for its fairness, accuracy, and impact; and

Whereas, her individual 
work that was awarded in the 2025 contest included two first-place honors for best 
series, with video editor Zac Hooks, for Past is Present, and best government 
beat reporting, as well as second-place award for best arts and entertainment reporting 
for a story on the Sumter Community Concert Band, and a third-place recognition 
for her obituary of Wilson Hall matriarch Sarah Witherspoon Nash Wilson. She 
has also contributed to staff honors for General Excellence and best special edition 
in Life is Good, both earning second place; and

Whereas, during the 
contest period, Alaysha Maple graduated from America's Newspapers' Executive 
Development Program and has participated in additional professional development 
cohorts, bringing enhanced expertise to her newsroom. She also mentors two USC 
Sumter student interns through a partnership supported by the 
Williams-Brice-Edwards Charitable Trust; and

Whereas, beyond her 
professional accomplishments, Alaysha Maple's dedication to mentorship, 
collaboration with students, and ability to build meaningful relationships 
across her community, from residents to business leaders to public officials, 
further distinguish her service; and

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina House of Representatives commend Alaysha Maple for her 
insightful reporting, articulate writing, and an unwavering commitment to 
excellence in journalism. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, recognize and commend Alaysha Maple for being named as the 
2025 Daily Journalist of the Year by the South Carolina Press Association.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Alaysha Maple.

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This web page was last updated on April 14, 2026 at 12:57 PM