The Citizen, available online at www.peraltacitizen.com, is the student-run publication of the Peralta Community College District. This article comes from Eleni Gastis, advisor to The Citizen and the Journalism Department Chair at Laney College. Thank you, Professor Gastis, and congratulations to you and the student journalists who earned this well-deserved recognition.
It is my honor to announce that The Citizen has been awarded the inaugural Freedom of Information Award from the Student Press Law Center and The University of Florida’s Brechner Institute for the Advancement of the First Amendment!
As you already know, The Citizen frequently uses public records to enhance their investigative reporting and has already drawn local and regional recognition from industry superstars, The Society of Professional Journalists, and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges.
The Citizen was up against every college and four-year university in the country that applied for this national award, including some very high-profile student media outlets.
This award is a testament to the students' persistence, tenacity, and dedication to covering all things Peralta, even when things aren’t so rosy — because they believe that our community deserves truth and transparency.
As you can imagine, our newsroom is over the moon. There will be a forthcoming press release, and students will go to Atlanta this weekend to pick up their award at the Associated Collegiate Press national convention.
Please join me in congratulating editors and reporters of the past and present on their tremendous accomplishment!
In partnership with our students,
Eleni Economides Gastis
Adviser for The Citizen
SPJ Beverly Kees Educator Award
California Local News Fellowship Advisory Board, UC Berkeley
Journalism Department Chair
Career Education Liaison, Laney College
CTE Faculty Senator
District CE Committee Co-chair
Guided Pathways Co-Coordinator
Laney College