MIDWAY, Texas — The Midway ISD Board of Trustees held a special ceremony on Tuesday night to honor local journalists for their service to the school district. One of those honored was KCEN-TV reporter Baylee Bates.
School districts across Texas are given an opportunity each year to honor representatives from local media. Led by the Texas Association of School Boards, districts are able to thank media representatives for their exceptional reporting of news regarding public schools.
This year, Bates was named by Midway ISD to the 2022 statewide Media Honor Roll. Bates was recognized at Tuesday night's MISD Board of Trustees meeting in recognition of her fair, accurate, and valuable reporting on school news and the accomplishments of Midway students and staff. Also honored were Julie Hays and Josh Young of KWTX.
The Media Honor Roll, a program sponsored by TASB, is meant to highlight responsible and exemplary reporting on public education, especially as local reporters like Bates provide much of the community's information about public schools.
“Districts across Texas appreciate these reporters for their balanced and accurate approach to sharing both the challenges facing our schools and the successes achieved by local teachers, students and school boards,” says TASB president Ted Beard. “Their work aids local communities in focusing on the goal of providing the best public schools we can for every child.”
The district reportedly based their decision of who to name to the Honor Roll on the honoree's efforts to get to know the superintendent, board president and the district’s mission and goals; report school news in a manner that is fair, accurate and balanced; give a high profile to good news about schools; visit the schools; and maintain a policy of no surprises by sharing information with school representatives.
Midway ISD states that they greatly appreciate the hard work of these dedicated journalists and their contributions to local public education.
