Education Writers Association honors top scribes

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Writers Association is honoring top journalists from newsrooms across the nation with its 2013 National Awards for Education Reporting.

The association will recognize 72 entries from print, radio and online media outlets at its 67th National Seminar at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., from May 18-20.

The first-place winners are eligible for the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting and that prize winner will be announced at an awards banquet on May 18 during the conference.

There were more than 400 entries in the 26 categories that include investigative, opinion, data and beat reporting. Up to three prizes were selected for some of the categories. The awards went to various outlets including general newsrooms, broadcasters, magazines, weeklies, education organizations and experts.

The first-prize winners for the small newsroom category are: Sara Neufeld of the Hechinger Report and N.J. Spotlight for single-topic news or feature; Alia Wong of the Honolulu Civil Beat for beat reporting; and David DesRoches of the Darien Times for investigative reporting.

The first prize winners for the medium newsroom category are: Benjamin Herold of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook and WHYY/NewsWorks, Dale Mezzacappa of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook, Kimberly Paynter of WHYY/NewsWorks, Michelle Schmitt of Maneto Mapping & Analysis, Paul Socolar of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook and Todd Vachon of WHYY/NewsWorks for single-topic news or feature; Jane Stancill of The News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., for beat reporting; and Vanessa de la Torre and Matthew Kauffman of The Hartford Courant for investigative reporting.

The first prize winners for the large newsroom category are: Liz Bowie of The Baltimore Sun for single-topic news or feature; Denise-Marie Ordway of the Orlando Sentinel for beat reporting; and Dan Mihalopoulos of the Chicago Sun-Times for investigative reporting.

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For more information and a full list of winners:

http://www.ewa.org/2013-winners