Wounds of Whiteclay project recognized at two local events

Monday, October 30, 2017 - 12:15pm

by Molly Chapple

The College of Journalism and Mass Communications depth reporting class will be recognized for its Wounds of Whiteclay project at two upcoming events. The class will be honored for its exemplary journalism that came out of the project, culminating in the 2017 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Journalism grand prize.

The class will be recognized at the Nebraska Press Association Hall of Fame banquet, which is co-hosted every fall by the Nebraska Press Association and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. The NPA banquet will be held on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Nebraska Club in downtown Lincoln at 6 p.m.

The class will also be awarded the “Media Award” during the Project Extra Mile banquet on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Champions Run Golf Course. Project Extra Mile is a network of community partnerships in Nebraska working to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harms.

The Wounds of Whiteclay project examined the issues surrounding four beer stores in Whiteclay, Nebraska, adjacent to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol is illegal and where alcoholism, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and poverty are widespread.

“We are all very proud of the journalistic excellence our students have achieved and that the outside world has recognized,” Joe Starita, depth reporting professor, said. “It’s rare that student work gets this kind of recognition. And when it does happen it’s an exemplary confirmation of just how hard these students worked and how much they believed in fighting hard to right a wrong.”

Learn more about the Wounds of Whiteclay project at http://www.woundsofwhiteclay.com/.

depth reporting students receive RFK award
Depth Reporting students, along with professors Joe Starita and Rebekka Herrera, receive the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Journalism grand prize from Kerry Kennedy.