Charlottesville Tomorrow reporter Tamica Jean-Charles wins national fellowship for education reporting
I am happy to announce that I have won a place in the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship’s 16th class! I am one of nine journalists from around the country who are taking on ambitious projects to deepen our reporting. My project over the next six months will focus on the academic success of students in Charlottesville City Schools.
Other fellows are reporting on topics like improving the success of students who faced pandemic-related disruptions, improving students’ transitions to life after high school, filling in the gaps of the teacher workforce — and so much more. You can read more about the this year’s EWA fellows here.
I’ve been covering education and families at Charlottesville Tomorrow for over a year. I’ve covered the changing of school names, bus driver shortages and school redistricting — all of these topics have given me the chance to learn more about children and their families in Charlottesville City Schools and Albemarle County. I’ve been wanting to find ways to cover standardized test scores and student mastery following the COVID-19 lockdown. With this fellowship from EWA, a 75-year-old organization with 2,000 members who report on education at all levels, I’m excited to deepen this work. The fellowship helps Charlottesville Tomorrow support this coverage and provides me with resources to tighten my own reporting skills.
One area I will focus on? The expanded gifted program. If you are a parent or know of a student who is considered gifted in Charlottesville City Schools, or are an educator involved in the process, I would love to hear from you! You can email me at tjeancharles [at] cvilletomorrow [dot] org.