A sweeping look at a high school student's life as he helps raise his two sisters while his mother works two jobs; White shows that a child's grace and determination can help assure a family's survival. She brings some clarity to the collision between housing policies and homelessness in a way that only good writers can.

Grumman's thoughtful, deeply reported editorials on education, children and families stand out for their originality, strong voice and intelligence. Her entries show consistently cogent writing. The issues that she tackled -- from the demise of a program for teen mothers to an analysis of how "lax parenting" has indirectly resulted in property tax increases -- show that Grumman has investigative skills as well as a sharp point of view.

Labi gained extraordinary access to the secretive, often seamy, and entirely chilling world of "transporters" who forcibly abduct troublesome children to "tough-love" schools for behavior modification. By accompanying one transporter from start to finish, then weaving the results of her excellent reporting into a narrative on the larger phenomenon, Labi earns first-place honors for originality and captivating storytelling.

This story -- a detailed account of the travails of a 172-pound 10-year-old girl struggling with adult-onset diabetes -- personalizes the pressing issue of childhood obesity. One doctor quoted calls the epidemic of adult-onset diabetes in children "one of the big stories of the millennium," and Gard found a way, by delving deeply and with understanding into a child's life, family situation, diet and daily routine, to capture that sense of importance.

These photographs humanize an Iraqi family victimized by war. They carry you through pain, courage, fear, compassion, redemption and love -- all without uttering a word. That's what art is all about. At a time when journalists are under attack, in part because of our perceived cool detachment, we need more stories that dare to grab the reader by the collar and demand attention. That's what these pictures do.

This story covers all aspects of an immensely complicated and important issue in a very short time. We hear from foster children and foster parents, and about their valiant efforts to overcome bureaucratic inertia. Yet the story doesn't demonize well-intentioned but over-burdened caseworkers, instead placing the responsibility on state decision-makers. What sets this story apart is the way in which it clearly articulates a problem, traces the causes and offers potential solutions.

While the topic of this investigation is not new -- the evidence of incompetence in a state's child protection services agency -- the level of reporting, storytelling, professionalism and determination in pursuing the story single it out. It did what great public service journalism is supposed to do -- shine a light on a failed system and force high-level officials to pay attention and make changes, including filing criminal charges. The reporting team took on the state agency and never let go.

The producers created a sensitive portrayal of a family in crisis because of a mother's drug addiction.