David DesRoches
David covers education and related topics for WNPR, and also mentors high school seniors who attend the Journalism and Media Academy magnet school in Hartford as part of Connecticut Public Broadcasting’s Learning Lab initiative.
David comes to public media after a career in newspapers, where he received a dozen state, regional and national awards for his work, including New England’s Reporter of the Year in 2013.
A native of central Virginia, David’s special education reporting in Darien, Connecticut, has been cited as one of the most comprehensive explorations of disability rights among children in the Unites States.
Before journalism, David ran a flyer distribution company, started a non-profit media organization in Ethiopia, and taught songwriting to people with physical and mental disabilities. He frequently contributes to various journalism seminars focused on education, investigations and First Amendment issues. When not pestering public officials, David enjoys pestering his friends at craft beer pubs, traveling to unpopular locations, exploring nature and playing music.
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After the age of 21, adults with intellectual disabilities are aged out of programs designed to help them. A cafe in Connecticut was recently opened to provide employment and a gathering place. -
After decades, a Connecticut man found his grandfather's grave in the Netherlands, and the Dutch family members that were the grave's volunteer caretakers. -
Connecticut voters received a campaign mailer depicting a Democratic state Senate candidate, who is Jewish, greedily holding fists of cash. Many are calling the Republican ad anti-Semitic.
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About half of all black male students leave the University of Connecticut before graduation. School officials have created a living space to help these students, but the move has sparked controversy.
