Stories show how students, parents across New Jersey without consistent access to Internet or tech are faring
15 New Jersey news organizations received awards to write about the impact of, and solutions to, the digital divide in education
Students without consistent Internet access or proper computer equipment at home have struggled across the country over the last year, as the coronavirus pandemic forced many schools into remote instruction. New Jersey is no different.
To enable additional reporting on how the digital divide is affecting New Jersey’s K-12 students and what solutions could help, earlier this year the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University announced reporting awards to 15 news organizations. The awardees were each given $1,500 to support pursuit of at least two written stories with images, or one video or audio package.
These awards from the Center were supported by funding from the New Jersey Children’s Foundation.
The stories produced by the awardees include:
Atlantic City
Stories of Atlantic City, Atlantic City, N.J.:
- Kierra Walker connects with students, parents, despite digital divide
- Microsoft partnership helps Atlantic City center give kids codes for success
Raymond Tyler for Shore Local Newsmagazine, Atlantic County Magazine, FM 106. 5 WPPM and 91.7 WLFR FM, Atlantic County, N.J.:
- Raymond Tyler and guest Kaleem Shabazz, president of the Atlantic City chapter of the NAACP, talk about digital divide and the struggle to make sure students have computers and wifi, and the process of children getting lunch since school has been out.
- Raymond Tyler speaks with Loreal Chrisp of The Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City about the digital divide.
Front Runner New Jersey, Atlantic City, N.J.:
- Atlantic City science fair hopes to shrink ‘digital divide’ among youth of color
- Camden schools take on digital divide test during pandemic
Shore Local Newsmagazine, Atlantic City, N.J.:
- Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City pivotal in bridging digital divide
- Atlantic County PAL strives to empower and equip kids for the future
Camden
Sarah Baldwin for NJ Pen, Camden, N.J.:
- Closing Camden’s digital divide: Immediate aid helps, but long-term changes needed
- No child left offline: A nonprofit fills in digital access gaps for low-income kids
TAPinto Camden, Camden, N.J.:
- A year later, Camden school leaders on becoming resourceful in a global pandemic
- When classrooms go virtual: Persevering in Camden’s year of remote learning
Newark
The Newark Times, Newark, N.J.:
Other New Jersey cities
The Hammonton Gazette in Hammonton, N.J.:
Trenton Journal in Trenton, N.J.:
- Bridging the digital divide in Trenton’s school system amid Covid-19
- United we stand, divided we fall
TAPinto Paterson, Paterson, N.J.:
- COVID Learning: How Paterson students overcame the digital divide
- How some Paterson schools ‘chartered’ a course to overcome digital divide
TAPinto Hackensack, Hackensack, N.J.:
- COVID learning: How Hackensack public schools overcame the digital divide during the pandemic
- COVID learning: Hackensack High School tackled the digital hardships of AP prep and testing
TAPinto New Brunswick, News Brunswick, N.J.:
Applications were judged using a scoring rubric with weighted objective and subjective criteria. The objective scoring prioritized New Jersey-based organizations and freelancers, stories from a preferred city, applicants who identified as part of an underrepresented or marginalized group, and applicants who identified as having a high financial need. The subjective scoring was done by an outside panel of judges and assessed how well the story pitches addressed issues and solutions relating to the digital divide, its potential impact and the overall strength of the application.
The external judges included John Mooney, co-founder of NJ Spotlight News and longtime education reporter; Rann Miller, a freelance writer, a Ph.D. candidate and a director for a school district after-school and summer program; and Tara George, associate professor at the School of Communication and head of the journalism and television/digital media program at Montclair State University.
Stefanie Murray is director of the Center for Cooperative Media. Contact her at murrayst@montclair.edu.
About the Center for Cooperative Media: The Center is a grant-funded program of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. Its mission is to grow and strengthen local journalism, and in doing so serve New Jersey residents. The Center is supported with funding from Montclair State University, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Democracy Fund, the New Jersey Local News Lab (a partnership of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Democracy Fund, and Community Foundation of New Jersey), and the Abrams Foundation. For more information, visit CenterforCooperativeMedia.org.
