CHICAGO (May 17, 2018) – WBEZ 91.5FM, Chicago’s NPR news station, has received a National Award for Education Reporting by the Education Writers’ Association for The View from Room 205. The series is a yearlong examination of a fourth-grade class in Chicago that examines if a public school can overcome the challenges faced by growing up in a high-poverty neighborhood, and received the award in the Single-Topic News or Feature category.
The Education Writers’ Association’s National Awards for Education Reporting advance education journalism by recognizing the field’s very best efforts. WBEZ’s Linda Lutton, Marianne McCune, Cate Cahan, Joe DeCeault, and Ben Calhoun were recognized for this award.
The judges praised Lutton’s work by saying, “Many times, reporters spend a year in a school but without any clear question that they’re there to answer. This documentary shows the benefit of going in with a mission and structuring the reporting around it.” Also, they noted, “Incredible reporting by Linda Lutton. I applaud her for gaining deep access to the kids and their families and the educators. Kudos for the story structure and making the point about what makes news.”
To learn more about the award and The View from Room 205, visit the Education Writers’ Association’s website here.