2007 Winners of the National Awards for Education Reporting
The 2007 education journalism awards winners are announced!
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Education Writers Association (EWA), the national professional association of education reporters and writers, today announced the winners of the 2007 National Awards for Education Reporting, the prestigious national competition for education writing. The annual contest honors the best education reporting in the print and broadcast media and is the only independent contest of its kind in the United States. Contest entries were limited to stories published or broadcast for the first time during the 2007 calendar year.
A total of 326 entries were judged in this year’s contest. First Prize winners receive a cash prize of $150 and a plaque. Winners of Second Prizes and Special Citations receive certificates. The Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting includes an award of $1,000 and a plaque, and will be presented to the best of the First Prize winners. EWA also honors reporters who have done the best overall Beat Reporting in both small and large media and markets. Prizes, including the announcement of the Grand Prize, will be given at the awards banquet Saturday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m.during the Education Writers Association’s 61st National Seminar, April 24-26, 2008, at the Wyndham Chicago Hotel.
Contest judging was conducted independently, under the direction of Chief Judge Adrianne Flynn of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland. This year’s panel of distinguished judges were Mike Bowler, retired Baltimore Sun reporter; Tracey Wong Briggs, former education reporter for USA Today; Brian Edwards of Montgomery County Public Schools; Stephanie Desmon of the Baltimore Sun; Viola G. Gienger of Bloomberg News; Rob Hotakainen of the McClatchy Washington News Bureau; Andrew Mollison, freelance education writer; Frank Quine of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland; and Carolyn Spellman of the Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families. Television and radio judges were Susan Kopen Katcef of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland; and Lee Thornton of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland.
Recent winners of the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting include Jean Rimbach and Kathleen Carroll of the New Jersey Record;Kati Phillips, Linda Lutton and Jonathan Lipman of the Daily Southtown; and Joshua Benton, Holly Hacker and Herb Booth of The Dallas Morning News.
IA. Newspapers Under 100,000–Breaking or Hard News
First Prize — Greg Esposito, Donna Alvis-Banks, Angela Manese-Lee, Shawna Morrison, Reed Williams, Laurence Hammack, Beth Macy, Anna Mallory, Erinn Hutkin – The Roanoke Times “Virginia Tech Shootings”
IB. Newspapers Under 100,000–Feature, News Feature or Issue Package
First Prize — Rob Jordan, Miami New Times–”The Missionary”
Second Prize– Kate McNeil, Daily Herald– “Merging Faith and Self”
Special Citation– Luke Turf, Westword– “Last Chance High”
IC. Newspapers Under 100,000–Series or Group of Articles
First Prize — Julie Mack, Kalamazoo Gazette– “Cost-Cutters Target Teacher Benefits”
Second Prize — Roy Wenzl, The Wichita Eagle –”Are We Losing Our Boys?”
Special Citation– Terry Rombeck, Mindie Paget,and Shanxi Upsdell, Lawrence Journal-World –”Learning Outside: Home Schooling in Kansas“
ID. Newspapers Under 100,000–Investigative Reporting
First Prize — Jan Murphy, Patriot-News –”PHEAA Spending“
Second Prize –Ron Menchaca and Mindy Hagen, Charleston Post & Courier –”School Bus Breakdown”
Special Citations — Ian Morrison, Virgin Islands Daily News–”Diploma Mill“
Scott Reeder, The Small Newspaper Group –” Hidden Violations“
IE. Newspapers Under 100,000–Opinion
Special Citation –Diane Rado, SchoolWeek –”Memories of Mississippi“
IIA. Newspapers Over 100,000–Breaking or Hard News
First Prize –Bill Bush, Jennifer Smith Richards, Jill Riepenhoff and Randy Ludlow, Columbus Dispatch–”Blemished Backgrounds: The Past of School Bus Drivers“
Second Prize –Jennifer D. Jordan, The Providence Journal–”Roger Williams University“
Special Citation –Carrie Melago and Erin Einhorn, The New York Daily News –”School Bus Fiasco“
IIB. Newspapers Over 100,000–Feature, News Feature or Issue Package
First Prize — April Jimenez, Long Island Press–”Reading, ‘Riting and Revenge“
Second Prize — Timothy Egan, New York Times–”Little Asia on the Hill“
Special Citation –James Walsh, Star Tribune–”Shadow Schools“
IIC. Newspapers Over 100,000–Series or Group of Articles
First Prize –Robert Tomsho, Daniel Golden and John Hechinger, Wall Street Journal –”Cross-Currents in Mainstreaming“
Second Prize – Stephanie Banchero, Chicago Tribune –”The Toughest Assignment“
Special Citations –Ron Matus, St. Petersburg Times–”Saving FAMU“
Dave Marcus, Newsday –”The College Quest: Seven Seniors Seven Dreams“
Elizabeth Bernstein, Wall Street Journal–”Campus Quandary“
II. D Newspapers Over 100,000–Investigative Reporting
First Prize –Martha Irvine and Robert Tanner, Associated Press--”Teacher Sex Abuse“
Second Prize –Ron French,The Detroit News –”Michigan’s Education Time Bomb”
Special Citations –Jennifer Smith Richards and Jill Riepenhoff, Columbus Dispatch–”The ABC’s of Betrayal“
Chris Davis, Matthew Doig, Tiffany Lankes, Sarasota Herald-Tribune -”Broken Trust“
II. E Newspapers Over 100,000–Opinion
First Prize –Rick Green,Hartford Courant– “Pop-Up Madness“
Second Prize –Peter Schmidt, for Boston Globe — “At the Elite Colleges-Dim White Kids“
IIIA. Beat Reporting–Small Media or Market
First Prize –Andy Hall, Wisconsin State Journal –”Beat Coverage“
Second Prize –Kendall Tenney and Kathy Topp, KVBC-TV –-”Kids First“
Special Citation –Rena Havner, Press-Register–”Education Reporting“
IIIB. Beat Reporting–Large Media or Market
First Prize –Linda Shaw, Seattle Times –”Beat Reporting“
Second Prize– Karen Ayres Smith, Dallas Morning News –”Karen Ayres Smith Portfolio“
Special Citation – Melissa Ludwig, San Antonio Express-News– “The Higher Education Beat“
IVA. Magazines–National Circulation
First Prize –Susan Berfield and Anne Tergesen, BusinessWeek – “I Can Get Your Kid Into an Ivy”
Second Prize –Diane Brady, BusinessWeek –”The Holy Cross Fraternity“
Special Citations — Mary Mohler, Family Circle– “So Much Homework, So Little Time”
Lisa Goff, Good Housekeeping –”Send Your Kids to College Without Going Broke“
IVB. Magazines–Regional or Local Circulation
First Prize –Jesse Katz, Los Angeles Magazine–”The Test of Their Lives“
Second Prize — Kate Beem, Kansas City Star Magazine–”A Higher Education“
V. Special Interest, Institutional and Trade Publications
First Prize — Del Stover, National School Boards Association–”Schools and Race Series“
Second Prize –Jeffrey Selingo, Burton Bollag and Elizabeth F. Farrell, The Chronicle of Higher Education- – “Academe Grows Increasingly Global”
Special Citations –Lesli A. Maxwell,Education Week –”New Orleans Schools: Recovery and Reform” (Subscriber Log In Necessary)
Stephen Burd, New America Foundation–”Student Loan Scandal“
VIA. Television–Hard News and Investigative
First Prize –Kendall Tenney, Kathy Topp and Rob Klein,KVBC-TV–”Seats for Students“
VIB. Television–Documentary and Feature
First Prize –Brent Renaud and Craig Renaud, Downtown Community Television Center–”Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later”
Second Prize –John Merrow, Learning Matters, Inc.–”Lessons of War”
Special Citation — Greg Groogan, Mark Muller and Aprille Meek, KRIV-TV–”Denied. Special Needs in Texas”
VII. Radio
First Prize –Larry Abramson and Producer Marisa Penaloza, National Public Radio –”Northwestern High Series”
Second Prize– Mills College Public Radio Reporting Class 2007, KALW-FM (Public Radio)–”The Drop Out Dilemma”
Special Citation –Emily Hanford, Alison Jones, Ben Shapiro and Deb George, American Public Media/North Carolina Public Radio – WUNC –”Put to the Test”
