Inquirer wins journalism awards

The Inquirer won three awards from the Journalism Center on Children and Families at the University of Maryland, the center announced Thursday.

The team that produced the seven-part "Assault on Learning" series published last year was awarded a Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. The series, an investigation of violence in Philadelphia schools, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for public service in April.

Casey Medal judges "praised the series for its depth of analysis, the successful coordination and editing of so many reporters working on a complicated topic. They wrote, 'When mainstream media puts its resources behind an issue, this can be the result,' " the center stated on its website.

Photographer April Saul won a Casey Medal for "A Stray Bullet, a Shattered Life," a photo narrative about a 9-year-old boy shot in the head and blinded by a stray gunshot.

"Judges praised April Saul's ability to capture youthful innocence, tender childhood moments, and the real uphill battle facing a boy forced to grow up too soon," the center said.

Staff writer Carolyn Davis was awarded honorable mention for her article headlined "Mennonites as Foster Mothers."

The Journalism Center on Children and Families is part of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and is funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

On Saturday, the National Association of Black Journalists gave Inquirer journalists three 2012 Salute to Excellence Awards.

"Assault on Learning" won in the News-Special Project category for newspapers with circulations larger than 150,000. Keith Pompey won in the News-Sports category for "A Real Player," a profile of Marcellus "Boo" Williams Jr., a former St. Joseph's University star who runs a youth basketball league. And Don Sapatkin won in the News-Specialty category for "AIDS Activists Here Flourish by Adapting."

For newspapers with circulations of 150,000 and under, Sarah J. Glover of the Philadelphia Daily News won in the News-Photography: Single Image category for a photograph of the poet Sonia Sanchez titled "Sister Sonia." Glover also won NABJ's President's Award.