Atlanta-Area High School Student Receives National Journalism Award for Reporting on Local Drought Conditions
July 30 2008 - 3:31PM
Business Wire
Katy Wood, 17, of Acworth, Ga. is the recipient of the third annual
ITT Award for Excellence in Student Water Journalism, in
recognition of her exploration of the Southeastern water shortage
in an article titled, �A Lack of Lakes: Georgia Water Crisis.� ITT
Corporation, a global leader in water technology, created this
award to recognize aspiring journalists and encourage them to
explore and report on water-related, environmental issues. Over the
past two years, Georgia has struggled to adapt to the receding Lake
Lanier, Atlanta�s primary water source. In response to its worst
drought in recent history, the state mandated massive water
restrictions and debated water rights with neighboring Florida and
Alabama until the federal government mediated an interstate
agreement in October of last year. Wood, a 2008 graduate of Wheeler
High School�s Center for Advanced Studies, a science magnet school
in Marietta, Ga., tackled this controversial issue and discussed
the overall impact of the drought on local communities in her
article. �Water consumption is growing twice as fast as the world
population. We have a collective responsibility to protect and
prepare our communities, as well as anticipating appropriate
actions to deal with events such as the Southeast droughts,� said
Gretchen McClain, president of ITT�s fluid technology business.
�Each year this award encourages young people to play an active
role in educating the public on the severity of these water issues
and contributing to the dialogue that leads to solutions.� A panel
of industry leaders and top environmental, science and water
journalists assessed the contest entries and selected Wood�s
article from a pool of articles submitted nationwide. The panel,
including judges representing National Geographic, MSNBC,
Scientific American and Water Environment & Technology, chose
Wood�s article, which appeared in the Wheeler High School news
magazine, The Catalyst, for its timeliness and national
significance. "Katy Wood's story speaks to an emerging water crisis
that was almost a surprise when it arrived,� said Dennis Dimick,
judge and executive editor of National Geographic magazine. �As
populations in the Southeast keep growing, her story, and the
challenges it presents, will only become more relevant." As part of
the award, Wood and her journalism faculty advisor, Sarah Wheatley,
will receive a trip to Stockholm, Sweden to attend and report from
the 2008 Stockholm Water Symposium, which takes place during World
Water Week from August 17 through August 23. Wood will also receive
a $1,000 scholarship from ITT, which she will use to attend Duke
University starting this fall. Wood�s winning article is available
online at http://itt.com/news/global-activities/water-journalism/.
In addition to the journalism award, ITT is the global sponsor of
the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP), which is awarded during
the Stockholm Water Symposium. The SJWP is the most prestigious
international competition recognizing students for excellence in
water science research. In 2008, national winners from nearly 30
countries will compete for the international prize, including first
time participants from Singapore and Slovakia. About ITT
Corporation ITT Corporation (www.itt.com) is a diversified
high-technology engineering and manufacturing company dedicated to
creating more livable environments, enabling communications and
providing protection and safety. The company plays an important
role in vital markets including water and fluids management, global
defense and security, and motion and flow control. ITT employs
approximately 40,000 people serving customers in more than 50
countries. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company
generated $9 billion in 2007 sales.
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