CTA has honored 12 entries by 14 journalists with its 49th annual John Swett Awards for Media Excellence.
The awards honor individuals, publications, and television and radio stations for outstanding achievement in reporting and interpreting public education issues during 2007.
The winning stories covered such topics as problems with the Los Angeles Unified payroll system, how urban violence affects San Francisco students, and student achievement gaps.
An independent panel of media professionals chose the winners from nearly 50 entries nominated by teachers and local CTA chapters.
The winners in the newspaper category are Seema Mehta, the Los Angeles Times; Jill Tucker, the San Francisco Chronicle; Nanette Asimov, the San Francisco Chronicle; Katy Murphy, the Oakland Tribune; Richard Irwin, the Rowland Heights Highlander, West Covina; Robert Gammon, the East Bay Express, Emeryville; and Gary Walker, the Argonaut, Los Angeles.
In the radio category, the winners are Ana Tintocalis, PBS Radio-San Diego; and Penny Griego, KFWB News Radio, Los Angeles.
In the television category, the winners are Karen Massie, Dana Howard and Tim Daly, News10 KXTV, Sacramento; Lyanne Melendez, ABC 7 News (KGO-TV), San Francisco; and Robert Lyles, KPIX-TV, San Francisco.
The winners received their awards during a reception in their honor at the CTA State Council of Education meeting in Los Angeles June 6.
CTA will take out a full-page advertisement in the July/August issue of Columbia Journalism Review to give the winners national recognition.
