Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting
Each year, contest judges select one piece of coverage from among the first prize winners as the recipient of EWA’s top prize.
Photo credit: James Minichello of AASA for EWA
About the Hechinger Grand Prize
Each year, contest judges select one piece of coverage from among the first prize winners as the recipient of EWA’s top prize, the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting. Named for the late New York Times education editor Fred M. Hechinger, the award includes a cash prize of $10,000.
Past Winners
2023
2022
Jodi S. Cohen & Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica & Chicago Tribune
2021
Laura Bauer and Judy Thomas, The Kansas City Star
2020
Ian Shapira, The Washington Post
2019
2018
Hannah Dreier, ProPublica, New York Magazine and The New York Times Magazine
2017
John Woodrow Cox, Washington Post
2016
Brian Rosenthal, Houston Chronicle
2015
Cara Fitzpatrick, Lisa Gartner and Michael LaForgia, Tampa Bay Times
2014
Nikole Hannah-Jones of ProPublica
2013
Alex Blumberg (Producer), Ben Calhoun (Producer), Ira Glass (Host/Executive producer), Sarah Koening (Producer), Alex Kotlowitz (Independent journalist), Linda Lutton (Education Reporter), Miki Meek (Producer), Jonathan Menjivar (Producer), Lisa Pollak (Producer), Brian Reed (Producer), Robyn Semien (Producer), Alissa Shipp (Producer), Julie Snyder (Senior producer), and Nancy Updike (Producer) of WBEZ (Chicago), This American Life
2012
David Jackson and Gary Marx, Chicago Tribune
2011
Daniel Golden and Oliver Staley, Bloomberg News
2010
Daniel Golden, John Hechinger and John Lauerman, Bloomberg News
2009
2008
Blake Morrison and Brad Heath, USA Today
2007
Martha Irvine and Robert Tanner, Associated Press
2006
Jean Rimbach and Kathleen Carroll, The Bergen Record
2005
Linda Lutton, Kati Phillips and Jonathan Lipman, Daily Southtown
2004
Joshua Benton, Holly Hacker and Herb Booth, The Dallas Morning News
2003
Christine Willmsen and Maureen O’Hagan, The Seattle Times
2002
Eric Eyre and Scott Finn, The Charleston Gazette
2001
Patrick Healy, The Boston Globe
2000
Kenneth Weiss, Los Angeles Times
1999
Tim Simmons, Raleigh News and Observer
1998
1997
Jacques Steinberg, New York Times
1996
Robert Frahm and Rick Green, The Hartford Courant
1995
Dudley Althaus, The Houston Chronicle
1994
Neil A. Borowski, Laura Bruch, Thomas Ferrick, Craig McCoy, Dale Mezzacappa, John Woestendiek and Martha Woodall, The Philadelphia Inquirer
1993
Stephen Henderson, The Lexington Herald-Leader
1992
Kimberly J. McLarin, The Philadelphia Inquirer
1991
Theresa Churchill, Ron Ingram and Carol Alexander, Herald & Review, Decatur, Ill.
1990
Ann Carnahan and Tony Pugh, The Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Co.
1989
Emily Sachar, New York Newsday
1988
Team of 14 reporters from The Chicago Tribune
1987
Emily Sachar, New York Newsday
1986
Ricardo Gandara, Albuquerque Tribune
1985
Janet Groat, Telegraph & Tribune, Macon, Ga.
1984
Cindy Goodaker, The Oakland Press, Pontiac, Mich.
1983
Robert Frahm, Journal Times, Racine, Wisc.
1982
Fred Anklam and Nancy Weaver, Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.
1981
Mary Bishop, Thomas Ferrick, Jr. and Donald Kimelman, Philadelphia Inquirer
1980
Rena W. Cohen, The Daily and Sunday Herald, Arlington Heights, Ill.
1979
Staff of 10 writers, Charlotte Observer
1978
Stanley Moulton and Laurel Sorenson, Daily Hampshire Gazette
1977
Lou Antosh, Philadelphia Bulletin
1976
James Worsham and Marguerite Del Guidice, Boston Globe
1975
Jonathan Neumann, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, Mass.
1974
James Nolan and Linda Stahl, Louisville Courier-Journal
1973
William Grant, Detroit Free Press
1972
John Matthews, Washington Star
