Report for America corps members are producing award-winning journalism in newsrooms across the country. These are just a few examples.
Top of the Rockies
Theresa Davis, Albuquerque Journal, won first place agriculture and environment feature story from the Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for “A ‘slow and painful’ crisis,” about the fifth anniversary of the Gold King Mine spill.
Texas APME Awards
Mark Rosenberg, The Victoria Advocate, won first place in feature writing from the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors.
Texas APME Awards
Brandon Lingle, San Antonio Express-News, won first place in business reporting from the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors.
Livingston Award Finalist
Eileen Grench, The City, is a 2021 Livingston Award finalist for excellence in local reporting for “Education, iPads, and Child Welfare Workers in the Age of Covid.”
Livingston Award Finalist
Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor, is a 2021 Livingston Award finalist for excellence in local reporting for “Defenseless: Investigating the Only State Without Public Defenders.”
Illinois Press Association Awards
DeAsia Sutgrey, Belleville News-Democrat, received a first-place award for community service from the Illinois Press Association for her coverage of how regional government and elected officials failed to correct years of ongoing flooding and sewage system problems.
Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting
Michelle Liu, Associated Press, won the Shorenstein Center’s Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting for her contribution to Mississippi Today’s investigation into the state’s penal system, “Think debtors prisons are a thing of the past? Not in Mississippi.”
National Press Foundation Poverty and Inequality Awards
Amelia Ferrell Knisely, Mountain State Spotlight, won the National Press Foundation’s Poverty and Inequality award for best reporting from a small newsroom for her story, “School’s back, but hunger persists. West Virginia still struggles to feed its neediest kids, especially remote learners.”
Sacramento Press Club Awards
Kim Bojórquez, Sacramento Bee, won the Sacramento Press Club Award for best Spanish-language reporting for her stories “Latinos de la Generación Z votan en California” (Gen Z Latinos vote in California) and “Estos Latinos de California quieren votar por Trump en 2020” (These Latinos from California want to vote for Trump in 2020).
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Alejandra Martinez, KERA and The Texas Newsroom, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her continuing coverage of “Shingle Mountain,” a monstrous 100-foot-tall pile of waste dumped in a community of color.
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Dominic Walsh, Texas Public Radio, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in innovation for his contribution to “There Are Millions of Latino Voters — But No Latino Vote.”
Alaska Press Club Awards
Erin McKinstry, KCAW, won first place for best reporting on government or politics from the Alaska Press Club for “Tongass ‘Roadless Rule’ exemption leaves subsistence users feeling left behind.”
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Mallory Falk, Texas News Hub, based in KERA, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her news series, “The Asylum Trap: Stories From Migrants Forced To Wait In Mexico While Seeking Asylum.”
California Journalism Awards
Amanda Ulrich, The Desert Sun, won first place for in-depth reporting from the California News Publishers Association for her contributions to a series on a “Tribe’s plans to build one of the largest prisons in the US.”
California Journalism Awards
Maria Sestito, The Desert Sun, won first place for best feature from the California News Publishers Association for “A Palm Springs man was separated from his sister in 1946. Here’s how they finally reconnected in 2020.”
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Rachel Cohen, Boise State Public Radio, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for breaking news with “Health District Abruptly Cancels Meeting After Protesters Show Up To Board Members’ Homes.”
National Awards for Education Reporting
Becky Dernbach, Sahan Journal, was a finalist for the Education Writers Association’s National Awards for Education Reporting for her beat coverage of “Education in Minnesota’s Immigrant and Refugee Communities.”
California Journalism Awards
ChrisAnna Mink, The Modesto Bee, won first place for best health reporting coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic from the California News Publishers Association for “Los Banos woman survived COVID-19 thanks to doctors she never met in person.”
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Lucia Starbuck, KUNR Public Radio, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in the hard news category for her contribution to ” Trump Energizes Base, Attacks Democrats During Nevada Campaign Stop.”
NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards
Manny Ramos, Chicago Sun-Times, won first place in business reporting from the National Association of Black Journalists for “Why tearing down Englewood to save it hasn’t worked.”
Michigan Press Photographers Awards
KT Kanazawich, Flint Beat, received honorable mention from the Michigan Press Photographers Association in the COVID-19 experience category for a photo of a Flint resident who was dealing with long-term symptoms from COVID-19.
Top Ten Military Veterans in Journalism
Chris Jones, 100 Days in Appalachia, was named among 2020’s top ten veterans in journalism by Military Veterans in Journalism for “Who watches the polls? WV election officials dismiss federal concerns over threat of domestic extremism.”
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Eve Zuckoff, CAI, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in diversity, equity and inclusion for her contributions to the station’s reporting, “Covering Race and Systemic Racism on Cape Cod, the Islands, and the South Coast.”
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Keren Carrión, KERA and The Texas Newsroom, won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in video for her piece, “A Quinceañera Shares How The Pandemic Changed Her Big Day.”
SPJ Northern California Excellence in Journalism Awards
Jackie Botts, CalMatters, was honored by the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California for explanatory journalism for her contributions to “Close Quarters: California’s overcrowded homes fuel spread of coronavirus among workers.”
Minnesota Monthly: Champions of Change in Minnesota
Jaida Grey Eagle, Sahan Journal, was honored by Minnesota Monthly as one of 22 Champions of Change for her photojournalism, including documenting the perspectives of immigrant businesspeople.
Wyoming Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest
Jessi Dodge, Buffalo Bulletin, won first place portrait from the Wyoming Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest for her portrait of “Father Halloween.”
SPJ Northern California Excellence in Journalism Awards
Laurence Du Sault, Mercury News, was honored by the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California for investigative reporting for her contribution to “California’s Criminal Cops” series, “This Central Valley police chief forced an officer to remodel his home; now he’s California’s latest criminal cop.”
Public Media Journalists Association Awards
David Fuchs, NPR Utah, won first place for continuing coverage from the Public Media Journalists Association for “The burden of proof: Kane County residents worry proposed frac sand mine may jeopardize aquifer.”
Mental Health Advocates of Western NY Advocacy Award
Camalot Todd, Spectrum News Buffalo, was recognized by the Mental Health Advocates of Western New York for her #IAm1in5 series, a four-part television series highlighting how stigma is a barrier to mental health care.
Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
Alexandra Watts, WFAE, won first place news series from the Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, for her Mississippi Public Broadcasting report: “It just keeps getting worse, Delta flooding still a concern.”
Maine Press Association Awards
Samantha Hogan, Maine Monitor, won 11 awards from the Maine Press Association, including six first-place honors, like best investigative story for her reporting on the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services.
Public Media Journalists Association Awards
Eve Zuckoff, WCAI, won first place sports feature from the Public Media Journalists Association for “Racing against climate change: Falmouth Road Racers feeling the heat.”
Idaho Press Club Awards
Megan Taros, Arizona Republic, won first place in religion reporting in the Best of Idaho Press Club Awards for her Times-News article, “Holy Night: How an Idaho church is adapting to a growing demographic.”
2020 Jacque I. Minnotte Health Reporting Fellow
Lucia Starbuck, KUNR Public Radio, was named the 2020 Jacque I. Minnotte Health Reporting Fellow by the Radio Television Digital News Foundation. This fellowship recognizes excellence in health or medical television and radio reporting.
Should your picture be here?
If you have an award to share, please send an email to us with links to any announcements and your award-winning work at: press@reportforamerica.org
Notable Alumni
- Manuela Tobias, Fresno Bee, was named in the Los Angeles Times’s Best California Writing of 2020 for “Systemic racism isn’t just about police brutality — and it has a long history in Fresno.”
- Mara Abbott, Buffalo Bulletin, won first place for business reporting in the 2020 National Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest for her article, “Trump’s ruling dashes hopes for Wyoming uranium mines.”
- Will Wright, Caity Coyne and Molly Born, in partnership with the Lexington Herald-Leader, Charleston Gazette-Mail and West Virginia Public Broadcasting, were finalists for the 2019 Livingston Award for their collaboration on the series, “Stirring the Waters: Investigating why many in Appalachia lack reliable, clean water.”