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Scripps Howard Foundation honors award winners

By WTOP Staff

CINCINNATI (AP) — Reports on mismanagement of infant blood tests in the nation’s hospitals and on the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records were among the journalistic efforts honored this year by The Scripps Howard Foundation.

The national journalism awards recognize excellence in work done in 2013. Awards totaling $180,000 were being presented Thursday during a dinner in Cincinnati.

The winners:

— Investigative reporting: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, for “Deadly Delays,” a series that uncovered mismanagement of infant blood tests at hospitals nationwide. Judges praised work that could “save the lives of children around the country.”

— Public service reporting: The Guardian US, for “The NSA Files” — coverage led by Glenn Greenwald, Ewen MacAskill and Laura Poitras, with assistance from James Ball and Spencer Ackerman, which involved reporting on the National Security Agency, vetting vast amounts of information and conducting the first exclusive video interview with Edward Snowden.

— Distinguished Service to the First Amendment: The Better Government Association, a Chicago-based nonpartisan, nonprofit news-gathering organization, for work that has fostered open communication for 90 years and, in 2013, produced more than 80 news investigations and follow-up reports.

— Human interest storytelling: Andrea Elliott of The New York Times, for “Invisible Child,” a chronicle of a year in the life of one of the city’s 22,000 homeless children.

— Breaking news: The Arizona Republic in Phoenix, for “Yarnell Hill Fire,” simultaneous coverage of three breaking news stories about a fire that killed 19 firefighters, the destruction of 127 homes and a forced mass evacuation.

— Digital innovation: NPR’s Planet Money, for “Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt,” a documentary and Kickstarter project that explored the hidden world behind clothing sold in the United States.

— Television/cable in-depth local coverage: KARE-TV in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, for “Unhitched & Out of Control,” in which Boyd Huppert and Jonathan Malat led the staff in a public service report that demonstrated the risks, responsibilities — and sometimes deadly consequences — of simply towing a trailer.

— Television/cable in-depth national and international coverage: Associated Producers Ltd. and HBO Documentary Films, for their investigative documentary, “Tales from the Organ Trade.” Associated Producers’ Ric Esther Bienstock, Felix Golubev and Simcha Jacobovici and HBO’s Sheila Nevins and Nancy Abraham documented black-market organ trafficking.

— Radio in-depth coverage: This American Life, for “Harper High School.” The series by Julie Snyder, Ben Calhoun, Ira Glass, Alex Kotlowitz, Linda Lutton and Robyn Semien documented daily life in a Chicago school that’s struggling to thrive in a neighborhood beset by gun violence.

— Community journalism: The Portland (Maine) Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram, for “The Challenge of Our Age,” a series that examined the public and private sectors’ inability to meet the needs of Maine’s aging population and rallied public support for reform.

— Environmental reporting: Craig Welch and Steve Ringman of The Seattle Times, for “Sea Change: The Pacific’s Perilous Turn,” a five-part series that introduced readers to the dangers of ocean acidification.

— Business/economics reporting: The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a division of The Center for Public Integrity, for “Secrecy for Sale: Inside the Global Offshore Money Maze.” The series of 50 articles involved 112 journalists and 58 media partners worldwide.

— Editorial writing: Tony Messenger and Kevin Horrigan of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for deeply researched editorials that exposed political hypocrisy.

— Commentary: Danny Westneat of The Seattle Times, for columns on the beating death of a day laborer and other stories from Seattle that showed how economic realities are undermining the American dream.

— Photojournalism: John Tlumacki of The Boston Globe, for his Boston Marathon portfolio, from bombing images to coverage of survivors as they reclaimed their lives.

— Journalism and mass communication administrator of the year: Lori Bergen from the Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University.

— Journalism and mass communication teacher of the year: Cindy Royal of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Texas State University.

___

Online:

http://www.scripps.com/foundation/

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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