For Immediate Release

Edutopia Magazine Named as Finalist for Seven Maggie Awards from Western Publications Association

San Rafael, CA (March 14, 2007) -- Edutopia magazine was nominated for seven prestigious Maggie awards by trade association the Western Publications Association. This marks a record number of nominations for the magazine, published by The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF) as part of a mission to reinvent schools for the twenty-first century. Finalists were announced on March 5, 2007, via www.wpa-online.org.

"We are excited to be named as a finalist in so many categories -- it wonderfully acknowledges our efforts to address growing interest and societal demand for education reform," said publisher Kate Rodler. "Our world-class editorial and design teams should be proud of what they've accomplished in three short years."

Edutopia was named as a finalist for the 56th annual Maggie Awards in the following categories:

  • Best Black-and-White or Two-Color Editorial Layout
  • Best Color Editorial Layout
  • Best Cover
  • Best Series of Editorial Illustrations
  • Best Signed Essay
  • Best Single Editorial Illustration
  • Best Special-Interest/Consumer Magazine

Since its 2004 launch, Edutopia has won five Maggies -- two awards in 2004 (Best New Consumer Magazine and Best Consumer Media Kit) and three awards in 2005 (Best Cover/Consumer, Best Special-Interest/Consumer, and Best Single Editorial Illustration/Consumer).

This year's Maggie competition was flooded with entries from magazines published or distributed solely west of the Mississippi River. The Western Publications Association is a nonprofit trade association working to advance the business of print and online magazines in the western United States. For more than a century, it has represented magazine publishers and businesses within the publishing industry.

Designed for educators, policy makers, parents, and others determined to transform education, Edutopia profiles the heroes and villains of education reform, features cutting-edge schools, and regularly reports on innovations in science, art, and technology. Now in its third year of publication, Edutopia will publish eight issues this year and reach a readership of 110,000 decision makers in education, ranging from teachers and principals to superintendents, policy makers, and business leaders.

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About The George Lucas Educational Foundation:

The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), founded in 1991, is a nonprofit operating foundation that documents and disseminates information about exemplary programs in K-12 schools to help these practices spread nationwide. It serves this mission through the creation of media, from films, books, and e-newsletters to CD-ROMs and DVDs. Its magazine Edutopia, Web site Edutopia.org, and documentaries celebrate the unsung heroes across the nation who are making "Edutopia" a reality.