Every year, the Illinois Press Association solicits entries from local newspapers to participate in a statewide journalism competition. Entries are judged in three dozen subject categories. One of the categories – Best School Board Coverage – is sponsored and presented by the Illinois Association of School Boards.
The Robert M. Cole Award for best school board coverage, named for the first full-time executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards, recognizes outstanding coverage of education issues that emphasize the community’s connection with its local public school district.
Judges evaluate entries for contribution to public understanding of local school governance and support for effective dialogue that helps the community and school board define major public policy issues. Judging criteria also includes enterprise, depth of reporting, and clarity of writing.
This contest is not directed at school public relations campaigns or school district newsletters; rather, it is intended for general circulation newspapers that cover local school districts.
Winners are announced at the annual IPA “Best of the Press” event in June.
Questions about the Robert M. Cole Awards can be directed to the IASB communications staff.
First place in the Non-Daily Division was awarded to Robby Tucker of The Paris Press for comprehensive coverage of a board of education experiencing a financial crisis, excellence in reporting and explaining, and enterprise in staying with the story.
Other entries receiving honors were David Petesch of the Kendall County Record in second place; David Porter of The County Chronicle (Tuscola) in third place; and Will Brumleve of the Ford County Chronicle in fourth place in the non-daily category.
In the Daily Division, the winner of the Robert M. Cole Award was Billy Woods of the Edwardsville Intelligencer for coverage that included policy and procedure, not just on board action, with well-detailed explanations.
Second place in the Daily Division went to Jeff D’Alessio of the News-Gazette, Champaign; third place to Erik Hall and Jill Moon of the Alton Telegraph; and fourth place to Russell Lissau and Christopher Placek of the Daily Herald Media Group.
In the competition for weekly newspapers, the Cole Award went to the Hillsboro Journal-News and journalists Kyle Herschelman and Mary (Galer) Herschelman for excellent writing and depth of reporting. They explained the work of the school board for Panhandle CUSD 2 in Raymond on a wide range of education issues of local importance.
In the daily newspaper category, the Cole Award went to the Kankakee Daily Journal and journalist Stephanie Markham for excellent coverage of education issues with complete reporting and plenty of school news. The entry exemplified the newspaper’s role in connecting the public to an understanding of school board work.
Runners-up were the Champaign News-Gazette from the daily newspaper entries and the Oakland Independent for the weeklies.
Taking top honors in the weekly newspaper category was Janice Hunt and the Oakland Independent for coverage of Oakland CUSD 5 and the Coles County Health Department and issues with coronavirus quarantine and mitigations. The review stated the submission, “Does a great job of showing how the board operates with the community and ensures each story has proper context available to the reader.”
Also in the running in the weekly category were the Tuscola Review and The Hinsdalean.
First prize for daily newspapers in Illinois went to Megan Valley and the Belleville News-Democrat, for coverage of a variety of topics, including school closures and coronavirus pandemic response in several school districts in the Metro East. The review noted the “Great explanations of school board elections and coverage of local issues.”
Competing for the top spot in the daily newspaper category were the Quincy Herald-Whig and the Kankakee Daily Journal.
The Robert M. Cole Award for Best School Board Coverage, named for the first full-time executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards, recognizes outstanding coverage of education issues that emphasize the community’s connection with its local public school district. Judges evaluate entries for contribution to public understanding of local school governance and support for effective dialogue that helps the community and school board define major public policy issues. Judging criteria also includes enterprise, depth of reporting, and clarity of writing.
Sponsored by IASB, the Cole Award is part of the Illinois Press Association’s annual “Best of the Press” competition.