Related Finalists
2024 News (Small Newsroom) Finalists
See finalists listed in alphabetical order.
Tamica Jean-Charles
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Local Head Start Provider Closes Due to Major Federal Violations
- Charlottesville area’s only free Head Start program closed suddenly, leaving nearly 200 families without child care
- After closing in March, Head Start center’s board disagrees on how to move forward
- Major federal ‘deficiency’ violations forced MACAA to shut down its free Head Start child care centers
Comments From the Judges:
“I enjoyed learning about the quasi-public organization MACAA and its role in Head Start and child care programming. The reporter did a great job providing context about the organization, the impact of its closure on the community and teachers, and following up with PRA-requested data on violations.”
“You can feel how much reporting [went] into these stories. From laying out timelines, to explaining federal and state requirements, violations and funding mechanisms, to contacting former teachers and parents, Tamica meticulously wove together a narrative of poor performance and its impact on children and parents. I think it’s a shining example of the importance of journalism in service of a community.”
Nuria Martinez-Keel
Oklahoma Voice
Oklahoma Quietly Lowering Testing Rigor
- Oklahoma’s education department quietly made changes that will cause big jumps in state test scores
- Oklahoma state superintendent confirms new student test results are ‘very different’
- Critics say Oklahoma damaged trust, failed students by quietly lowering testing rigor
Comments From the Judges:
“Excellent, dogged reporting on a crucial topic. I thought this story highlighted an issue that a lot of the public might not have been aware of. Lowering the requirements for “proficient” raises questions about the quality of the education children are receiving.”
“This story series was both enlightening and compelling. It left me wanting to know more about the discrepancies in scores and why the state administration sought to distance itself from its own decisions. I also appreciated the diversity of thought and voices across the three stories. Additionally, I was curious about why the state superintendent cited ‘misinformation’ when public records confirmed the accuracy of the information provided.”
Amber Payne, Jamil Smith, Cristal Balis, Alex LaSalvia, Melissa Clavijo, Tami Nguyen, Yuchen Hong, Sabira Khalili, Mattew Rushford & Sixun Ren
The Emancipator & Northeastern University Media Innovation Studio
The Supreme Court Ended Affirmative Action for Higher Education. The Impact Could Be Felt for Years to Come.
- The Supreme Court ended affirmative action for higher education. The impact could be felt for years to come.
- After affirmative action
Comments From the Judges:
“Such creative storytelling — loved the charts and interactive features. This was really, really comprehensive reporting. I loved and appreciated the focus on student voices, the interviews with admissions officials weren’t just canned automated responses either. They elicited a deeper conversation than I’m used to reading about. The data added rich context for the stories, too.”
“This story is a great foreshadowing about the headlines that are currently in national media. I appreciate that they included the perspectives of both recent graduates and those from several decades ago, as well as the national context. These stories offer a diverse range of perspectives and highlight ongoing issues of race and diversity in college settings, offering historical context, student perspectives, and institutional responses.”
