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Educational Publishing Awards Set Industry Benchmarks
for Learning Materials
June 2002
WASHINGTON, DC—President Bush
has focused the nation's educational efforts on "no child left
behind." But for parents and teachers already struggling to
engage children in learning, finding ways to bolster education in
the home and classroom can be a difficult task. With so many videos,
publications, and products, educators need something to indicate
quality and value. The Distinguished Achievement Awards for Excellence
in Educational Publishing, sponsored by the Association of Educational
Publishers (AEP), help schools and families make that decision.
The winners of the 39th annual Distinguished Achievement
Awards (DAA), crowned this Wednesday, June 5 in Washington, D.C.,
at the National Press Club, exemplify the best in supplemental educational
publishing. From e-zines for teachers to how-to articles for children
and young adults, the award recipients have set the industry standards
to which other companies aspire. By winning a DAA, they have earned
the right to wear the "Lamp of Learning" logo.
"In this time of changing standards and curricula,
supplemental educational publishers give parents and teachers options,"
said Michael Ross, executive vice president and publisher of World
Book Inc., and AEP board president. "Displaying the winner's
seal from AEP's Distinguished Achievement Awards signals that this
product is an outstanding learning tool for the home or classroom."
All entries, received from companies and organizations
nationwide, first go through a rigorous screening process. From
these entries the final judging panel may pick up to four finalists
per category, but may choose less if warranted. Judging panels are
drawn from a national pool of writing, publishing, and design experts
in print and technology; education editors; educators; and curriculum
experts.
Featuring consistent overall editorial design and
quality with content that holds the audience's attention, the most
outstanding pieces receive the Golden Lamp Award. The four category
winners this year are: Books -- "How to Start and Operate a
Small Business" from The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship;
Instructional Materials -- "September 11, 2001: A Turning Point
in History - The First Thirty Days" from Turner Learning Inc.;
Periodicals -- "Science World" from Scholastic Inc.; and
Technology -- "The New York Times Learning Network" from
the New York Times Digital.
"Our judges ignore name brands and past successes
when evaluating entries," stressed Charlene Gaynor, executive
director of AEP. "They look at the mission of the product,
its content, usability, and educational value -- they also look
for that extra spark that says, 'yes, this makes kids and teachers
want to learn.'"
In addition to the prestigious Golden Lamps, awards are given in
several categories according to medium and audience.
About AEP
AEP, a national, nonprofit organization, represents, supports and
promotes the publishers of supplemental educational resources, key
tools for reading and learning at school and at home. Its membership
includes the giants of the supplemental education industry, and
spans the gamut from magazines to television channels, books to
interactive computer software and CDs. Please visit www.AEPweb.org
for more information.
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