Jason Jaacks (’14) wins Online Journalism Award

Jaacks completed the innovative project in May 2014 for his master’s project in the School’s New Media program. Using a combination of video, photographs and text presented on a custom website, the project focuses on the largest dam removal in American history, highlighting efforts to restore salmon populations.

The project began in 2010, and in 2012, Jaacks led a source-to-sea expedition down the Elwha River as a National Geographic Explorer. In 2013, he attended the Tribeca Film Institute Racontr Hackathon in New York, looking for ways to make the story more interactive. The documentary tied for best student project in the small category.

Paul Grabowicz, director of the J-School’s New Media program, accepted the award at the OJA banquet in Chicago. “If you’re worried about the future of journalism, relax man, these kids are amazing,” Grabowicz told the crowd.

Another J-School alum, Avni Nijhawan (’14), was a finalist in the same category for Fearless, an interactive documentary about sexual violence and harassment in India. J-School students have won student awards at the Online Journalism Awards in five of the past six years.