MONITOR WINS DESIGN AWARDS

In its best showing in a decade of participating, The Christian Science Monitor has won 10 awards in the Society of Newspaper Design (SND) 13th Edition annual design contest, for work published during 1991.

Among the awards are a silver and a bronze, marking the first time the Monitor has earned two medals in one year. The silver, one of only 56 given in the contest, recognizes the series "Ecotourism: Survival of the Galapagos," with text by David Holmstrom, photographs by Melanie Stetson Freeman, and page layout by John Van Pelt.

The bronze award, one of 126 presented, recognizes the Monitor's overall design.

The other eight are awards of excellence, given in the following categories:

* News coverage: the Gulf war.

* News coverage: democracy in the USSR.

* Special series: "National Parks at 75 - America's Parks Under Siege."

* Special series: "Points of the Compass - Mega-Cities."

* Special series: "Global Frontiers."

* Portfolio of informational graphics.

* Regularly appearing feature section.

* Portfolio of feature page design.

"These awards reflect on the entire staff, not just the artists and photographers," said design director John Van Pelt. "It's so rewarding to have this recognition - especially of our presentation of the big significant stories of the day, like the disintegration of the Soviet republic."

"Readers deserve and expect design that's integrated with content, design that organizes and illuminates complex issues and events," Mr. Van Pelt added.

SND is an international professional organization with more than 2,700 members in the US, Canada, and 37 other countries. The 13th Edition contest attracted 7,541 entries. A total of 807 awards were given to 135 newspapers.