2018 Features (Small Staff) Finalist: Natalie Orenstein

“Beyond the Buses: The Legacy of Voluntary Integration at Berkeley Schools”

About the Entry

This three-part project marks the 50th anniversary of the unprecedented voluntary integration of all Berkeley Unified schools.

Comments from the Judges

“The reporter doggedly and diligently scoured the landscape for historical documents, research studies and demographic data, tracked down students who were bused out 50 years ago and visited schools to assess the current situation. Kudos to Berkeleyside, a small community news organization, for devoting such time and effort to this pressing social issue.”

“This was an exhaustively reported series of articles on the urgent topic of school integration and how changing demographics and rising home prices are exacerbating the problem that Berkeley first tackled a half-century ago.”