Eric Alan Barton Takes First in Feature Category and Chuck Strouse Places Second for Opinion Piece

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 25, 2004—The Education Writers Association (EWA), the national professional association of education reporters and writers, today announced the winners of the 2003 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 2003 calendar year.

A total of 416 entries were judged in this year’s contest. First Prize winners receive a cash prize of $250 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 is also pleased to announce the addition of Beat Reporting prizes for reporters in both small and large media and markets. Prizes, including the announcement of the Grand Prize, will be given at the awards banquet April 17 at 6:30 p.m. during the Education Writers Association’s 57th National Seminar, April 15-17, 2004, at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

Contest judging was conducted independently, under the direction of Chief Judge Chris Harvey of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland. This year’s panel of distinguished judges included: Dan Froomkin, former editor of washingtonpost.com; Ira Chinoy, visiting professor at the University of Maryland and Washington Post reporter; Joye Mercer Barksdale, spokeswoman for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education; Frank Quine, assistant dean, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland; Ledyard King, reporter for Gannett News Service; Viola G. Gienger, health editor at Bloomberg News; Carl Sessions Stepp, professor, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland, and senior editor at American Journalism Review; Scott Jaschik, former editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education; Patrice Pascual, deputy director of the Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families; Mike Walter, morning anchor at WUSA TV in Washington, D.C.; and Michelle Norris, co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered.

Recent winners of the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting include Eric Eyre and Scott Finn, Charleston Gazette; Patrick Healy, Boston Globe; Ken Weiss, Los Angeles Times; and, Tim Simmons, Raleigh News & Observer.

Under 100,000–Breaking or Hard News

First Prize — Josh Funk and Julie Mah, Wichita Eagle, “BOE Settlement Hidden”

Second Prize — David Hunn, Bakersfield Californian, “Parents Demand Novel be Banned”

Special Citation (tie) — Dorie Turner, Chattanooga Times Free Press, “The Shumaker Scandal”
(tie) Ben Evans, Jim Shamp, Angela D. Forest, Christopher Kirkpatrick, Mark Schultz, Eric Ferreri, Herald-Sun (N.C.), “NCCU Mold”

Under 100,000–Feature, News Feature or Issue Package

First Prize — Eric Alan Barton, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, “Jeb’s Boy”

Second Prize — Jo Ciavaglia, Bucks County Courier Times (Pa.), “Building a New World”

Special Citation — Charles Adamson, Bakersfield Californian, “Special Education” (tie)
Erin Walsh, North County Times (Calif.), “Educational Crossroads: The Small School with the Big Problem”

Under 100,000–Series or Group of Articles

First Prize — Challen Stephens, Huntsville Times, “Separate Again”

Second Prize — David Hunn, Bakersfield Californian, “Culture of Truancy”

Special Citation — Eric Ferreri, Kim Sweet, Angela D. Forest, Herald-Sun (N.C.), “The Graying of the Gown”

Under 100,000–Investigative Reporting First Prize — Karen Ayres, Times of Trenton, “Most NJ School Buses Fail Inspection”

Second Prize — Molly Walsh, Burlington Free Press, “Breach of Trust”
(tie) Matt Bach, Flint Journal, “Frequent Flier”

Special Citation — Mike Fitzgerald, Belleville News-Democrat (Ill.), “Illicit Purchasing of Testing Materials”

Under 100,000–Opinion

First Prize — David Awbrey, Burlington Free Press, “Tax Revolt”

Second Prize — Chuck Strouse, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, “Steal from the Kiddies”

Over 100,000–Breaking or Hard News

First Prize — June Kronholz, Robert Tomsho, Daniel Golden, Robert S. Greenberger, Sholnn Freeman, Matt Murray, Charles Forelle, Wall Street Journal, “Race Matters”

Second Prize — Dana Tofig, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “No Child Left Behind”

Special Citation — Norman Draper, Star Tribune, “Superintendent Pay”

Over 100,000–Feature, News Feature or Issue Package

First Prize — Christopher Shea, Kate Zernike, Greg Winter, Jane Gross, James Schembari, New York Times Education Life, “Sticker Shock”

Second Prize — Michael Winerip, New York Times Education Life, “How to Win a Rhodes”

Special Citation — Bill Schackner, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “May the Course be with You”

Over 100,000–Series or Group of Articles

First Prize — Daniel Golden, Wall Street Journal, “White Affirmative Action”

Second Prize — Dale Mezzacappa, Susan Snyder, Martha Woodall, Toni Callas, Kellie Patrick, Dan Hardy, Connie Langland, Alletta Emeno, Philadelphia Inquirer, “No Child Left Behind”

Special Citation — Aimee Edmondson, Ruma Banerji, Sherri Drake, Wayne Risher, Commercial Appeal, “Stress Tests: Teacher Survey”

Over 100,000–Investigative Reporting

First Prize — Christine Willmsen, Maureen O’Hagan, Seattle Times, “Coaches Who Prey: The Abuse of Girls and the System That Allows it”

Second Prize — Kimberly Miller, S.V. Date, Palm Beach Post, “Florida School Vouchers: A Lack of Accountability”

Special Citation (tie) — Debbie Cenziper, Jason Grotto, Miami Herald, “Crumbling Schools”
(tie) Aileen Dodd, David Milliron, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Gwinnett County, Ga., School Discipline Under-Reporting”

Over 100,000–Opinion

First Prize — Geri Throne, Orlando Sentinel, “Voucher Voodoo”

Second Prize — Joe Copeland, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, “Road to Mediocrity”

Special Citations (tie) — Linda Fandel, Des Moines Register, “No Child Left Behind”
(tie) Louis Freedberg, San Francisco Chronicle, “Reclaiming Childhood”

Beat Reporting–Small Media or Market

First Prize — Matt Bach, Flint Journal

Second Prize — Julianne Basinger, Chronicle of Higher Education

Special Citation — Jeffrey Amy, Mobile Register

Beat Reporting–Large Media or Market

First Prize — Jonathan Rockoff, Baltimore Sun

Second Prize — Matthew Pinzur, Miami Herald

Special Citations (tie) — Robert Frahm, Hartford Courant
(tie) David McKay Wilson, Journal News

Magazines–National Circulation

Special Citation — John Cloud, Time Magazine, “Inside the New SAT”

Magazines–Regional or Local Circulation

First Prize — Doug Most, Boston Magazine, “Teachers’ Dirty Looks”

Second Prize — Marc Fisher, Washington Post Magazine, “Pass/Fail”

Special Citation — Tyler Currie, Washington Post Magazine, “Reaching Rommel”

Special Interest, Institutional and Trade Publications

First Prize — Kevin Bushweller, Linda Jacobson, Robert Johnson, Education Week, “Nation at Risk: The Next Generation”

Second Prize — Jeffrey Selingo, Chronicle of Higher Education, “The Money Crunch: The Changing Relationship Between States and Public Higher Education”

Special Citations (tie) — Jeff Archer, Education Week, “Agent of Change”
(tie) Samantha Stainburn, Teacher Magazine, “What’s So Funny?”

Television–Hard News and Investigative

First Prize — Tisha Thompson, WMAR-TV, “Filthy Schools”

Second Prize — Jeff Hirsh, WKRC-TV, “S-T-R-S Investigation”

Television–Documentary and Feature

First Prize — John Merrow, John D. Tulenko, Learning Matters, Inc., “Public Schools, Inc.”

Second Prize — Jeff Hirsh, WKRC-TV, “Learning the Language”

Radio

First Prize — Amy Tardif, WGCU Public Media, “Summer Reading Help”

Second Prize — Stacey Farb, KNRC AM 1150, “Denver School of the Arts”

Special Citation — Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio, “A Lesson on Learning: Behind No Child Left Behind”