The Children of Central City
This comprehensive series offers a ground-level view of the effects of violence on children and their families, showing not only the psychological toll on young souls, but also the success stories, and scarce resources that are available to help. Judges described this package as a "brilliant body of work" comprised of a "thoughtful mix of beautifully executed stories." They recognized the "tremendous thought and planning" that went into the project, and the "incredible level of trust" the reporters built with the community after initially encountering much skepticism. Originally published by NOLA.com | The Times Picayune in June 2018.

“The Children of Central City” shows how repeated exposure to violence alters a child’s brain development and other systems in the body. It examines how the city’s fractured network of independent charter school operators tries to balance the need to address student trauma with the pressure to meet state benchmarks for test scores. It also shows how lawmakers’ decision to reduce — or in some cases eliminate — mental healthcare services for children gives their families limited options for care, and leaves a handful of qualified providers struggling to meet the demand. Finally, it gives voice to those affected most: the Panthers players, who share in their own words what they want for their city, and for their futures.
SERIES ELEMENTS:
Project: The Children of Central City
Documentary: The Children of Central City
The 28
The Science of Trauma
Treating Trauma
Malachi's Story
Stolen Focus
A Tested Leader
A Family Team
Meet the Players
One in a Million
Stories: Jonathan Bullington and Richard A. Webster
Photos: Brett Duke
Videos: Emma Scott
Graphics: Dusty Altena, Jen Cieslak, Frankie Prijatel
Design: Haley Correll, Valeya Miles, Ray Koenig
Editors: Manuel Torres, Carolyn Fox, Mark Lorando
Produced as a project for the Dennis A. Hunt Fund for Health Journalism, a program of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.