Alafair Hammett Media Award: Recognizing Excellence in Education Reporting

ATPE would like to congratulate Texas Monthly  Senior Editor Forrest Wilder for winning the 2024 Alafair Hammett Media Award. Named for the association’s first state president, the Alafair Hammett Media Award is presented annually to recognize an excellent example of education journalism.

This award recipient is selected by the members of the ATPE Public Information Committee, who evaluate journalistic works recommended by the ATPE staff. The works are evaluated for relevancy, clarity, approach to public education policy, and ability to capture audience interest.

The 2023-24 ATPE Public Information Committee reviewed six nominated journalistic works and selected Wilder as the recipient for his August 2023 feature “Rural School Districts Are Facing Financial Ruin; Some State Officials Prefer It That Way.” In a year where politics got in the way of school finance, this piece of longform journalism took a compelling look at the specific funding challenges facing Texas’ rural school districts.

Watch Wilder’s remarks at the 2024 ATPE Summit:

Wilder covers politics, the outdoors, the environment, and more for Texas Monthly. In a previous life, he served as editor of the Texas Observer. A native Texan who grew up in South Texas and the Hill Country, Wilder earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He enjoys rock climbing, fishing, gardening, and spending time with his family.

Again, congratulations to our 2024 Alafair Hammett Media Award recipient, Forrest Wilder!