Acting on a tip about the dangers faced by school crossing guards, AP journalists Dasia Garner, Haya Panjwani and Aaron Kessler filed dozens of public records requests to explore how the safety of these workers is addressed nationwide. What they found was alarming: a widespread, long-overlooked threat to some of the most vulnerable workers in America’s communities.
Through a collaboration with Cox Media Group, part of AP’s Local Investigative Reporting Initiative, the team found crossing guard injuries or deaths in at least 37 states and Washington, D.C. The partnership expanded the reach of the reporting, allowing it to reach audiences across dozens of markets.
This months-long project spanned every format, with an especially ambitious audio component. The story became the first multi-part investigative audio series at AP, weaving together rigorous research, data-driven reporting, and deeply human storytelling. The series captured firsthand stories of loss and fear from guards and families across the country, revealing how inconsistent regulations and oversight put lives at risk every school day.
The judges praised the ambitious cross-format execution, local-national collaboration and emotional resonance of the reporting.
Related articles
