Three Polaris photographers garnered awards in the National Press Photographers Association's Best of Photojournalism 2006 contest. Gerard Rancinan took second place in the Best Published Picture Story category as well as an Honorable Mention in the Local Portrait and Personality category, Yannis Kontos took an Honorable Mention in the International News Picture Story category and Robert Stolarik took an Honorable Mention in the Natural Disasters Picture Story 2005 category.

Gerard Rancinan, "Hibakusha"
Best Published Picture Story

In 1957, the Japanese government recognised certain people as hibakusha: 1- Those who had been within 4km of the epicentre of the explosion on August 6, 1945. 2- Those who had been within 2km of the epicentre within two weeks of the explosion. 3- Those caught in the Black Rain. 4- Those who treated the victims in the city suburbs. 5- Those who were in the wombs of their hibakusha mothers. Two witnesses were required to validate hibakusha status./Kinuyo Watanabe, age 82, was 23 at the time and 2 km away from the Hypocenter.
http://bop.nppa.org/2006/still_photography/winners/OPS/61173/117126.html

Yannis Kontos, "Sierra Leone Amputee Victims"
International News Picture Story

During Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war, an estimated 10,000 innocent people were maimed by rebels from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who developed the horrific tactic of chopping off the hands or legs of civilians as a way of sowing terror. Abu Bakarr Kargbo was amputated by the rebels in the eastern part of Freetown on January 20, 1999.
http://bop.nppa.org/2006/still_photography/winners/INS/42756/81925.html

Robert Stolarik, "Hurricane Katrina Aftermath"
Natural Disasters Picture Story 2005

One day after Hurricanne Katrina hit New Orleans, while rescue workers were busy saving people trapped in homes which had been covered by water, people of New Orleans began looting and Marshall Law went into effect.
http://bop.nppa.org/2006/still_photography/winners/DPS/61043/116744.html

Gerard Rancinan, Hibakusha
Local Portrait and Personality

In 1957, the Japanese government recognised certain people as hibakusha: 1- Those who had been within 4km of the epicentre of the explosion on August 6, 1945. 2- Those who had been within 2km of the epicentre within two weeks of the explosion. 3- Those caught in the Black Rain. 4- Those who treated the victims in the city suburbs. 5- Those who were in the wombs of their hibakusha mothers. Two witnesses were required to validate hibakusha status./Sakaru Takigawa, age 79, was 19 at the time and 1,5 km away from the Hypocenter.
http://bop.nppa.org/2006/still_photography/winners/LPP/61168/117121.html