LOS ANGELES – Media stories last year ranging from coverage of the triumphs, challenges and perseverance of educators advocating for the best resources for their students were among the works honored by the California Teachers Association’s (CTA’s) 64th annual John Swett Awards for Media Excellence.

An independent panel of working journalists and media professionals chose seventeen award-winning entries in the prestigious CTA awards contest. The awards honor individuals, publications, websites and broadcast media for their outstanding achievements in reporting and interpreting public education issues during 2022.

“These talented journalists tell the stories of educators fighting for what their students deserve,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd. “Their outstanding work is based on truth, integrity and justice. We are proud to honor them for their dedication to quality journalism.”

There were 45 entries this year. CTA hosted a reception during the State Council of Education in Los Angeles in their honor. The award is named in honor of the founder of CTA, who was California’s fourth superintendent of public instruction and a crusader for public education. Here are the 17 John Swett Award-winning entries, with links to many of these outstanding works:

Newspapers

• Hillary Ojeda, Lookout Santa Cruz, for continuous coverage of educational news highlighting the pay inequities for educators in Santa Cruz. Winning entries can be found here.
• Jonathan Horwitz, The Desert Sun, for a feature highlighting the importance of biliteracy in “Dual Language Immersion Programs Aim to Foster Bilingualism, Multiculturally Competent Leaders.”
• Lasherica Thornton, The Fresno Bee, for a news story covering the fight to unionize in California in “Clovis Teachers Trying to Unionize Blame Anti-Union Sentiment for Missed Deadline.”
• San Gabriel Valley Tribune for its continuous coverage of educational news covering the Covina Unified Education Association negotiations. Winning entries can be found here.

Metropolitan Daily 

• Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, for a column on the Sacramento City Teachers Association strike in “This Teachers’ Strike Is Not Just About Money. It’s About Respect for Public Education.”
• Ariane Lange, The Sacramento Bee, for continuous coverage of educational news covering a school board race in Sacramento. Winning entries can be found here.
• Hannah Holzer, The Sacramento Bee, for an editorial covering the Sacramento City Teachers Association strike in “A Neutral Analyst Sided With Striking Teachers Over Sacramento Schools. He Was Right.”
• Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, for a feature story covering the need for mental health support in “Students Wait Months for Mental Health Help. ‘We’re Bombarded,’ Counselor Says.”
• Howard Blume and Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, for a news story covering teaching about gender identity in public schools in “Glendale Third-Grade Teacher Showed Gay Pride Videos. A Year Later, Furious Debate Erupts.”

Weekly or Semi-Weekly

• Megan Michelson, Moonshine Ink, for a news story covering the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District school board election in “How the Current School Board Election Became a Battleground.”

Journals, Magazines, Special Publications and Websites

• Diana Lambert, EdSource, as a column or blog covering challenges that came out of the pandemic in “Covid Challenges, Bad Student Behavior Push Teachers to Limit, Out the Door.”
• Cara Nixon, Richmond Confidential, for continuous coverage of educational news covering the educator shortage in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Winning pieces included this piece and this piece.
• Gail Cornwall, The Hechinger Report/The Guardian, for a feature story covering a public school in San Francisco turning a gym into a homeless shelter for families in “A School Created a Homeless Shelter in the Gym and It Paid off in the Classroom.”
• Jakob McWhinney, Voice of San Diego, for a feature story covering union negotiations in “High Tech High’s Union Negotiations Have Reached an Impasse.”
• Robin Urevich, Capital & Main, for a feature story showing the impact of private charter schools on public schools in “South Los Angeles Parents Say Charter Schools Usurp Campus Resources.”
• Kyle Stokes, LAist, for a news story covering the educators at the Alliance College-Ready Public Schools attempting to form a union in “A Years-Long Struggle to Unionize a Charter Network Takes to The Streets.”

Television

• Velena Jones, NBC Bay Area, for a feature story on an Oakland Tech alum giving back to the community in “Teaching Science: Oakland Tech Grad Gives Back to His Community.”

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The 310,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education Association.