Reporting

April’s award-winning reporting has taken her all over the United States as well as overseas to Europe and Asia.


 
Only about half of all youth in foster care in the U.S. graduate from high school, and just one in 10 enroll in college. But 19-year-old James Turner, raised in foster care since he was 18 months old and now a second-semester college student, is not only defying the odds -- he wants to use his education to help other foster youth overcome the same hurdles he did.

Former foster youth defies odds, determined to change the system

Only about half of all youth in foster care in the U.S. graduate from high school, and just one in 10 enroll in college. April profiled 19-year-old James Turner who had been in foster care since he was 18 months old, earned his high school diploma and was accepted to Florida State University. He is defying the odds and determined to use his education to help other foster youth overcome the same hurdles he did.


To make the history of World War II more vivid and meaningful, teams of students and teachers are tracing the footsteps of those who served and died during the invasion of Normandy. Participants in the National History Day's Normandy Institute spend months doing intensive research on a single "silent hero," before offering a personalized graveside eulogy.

Teachers and students retrace the lives of those who died at Normandy

To make the history of World War II more vivid and meaningful, teams of students and teachers are tracing the footsteps of those who served and died during the invasion of Normandy. Participants in the National History Day's Normandy Institute spend months doing intensive research on a single "silent hero," before offering a personalized graveside eulogy. April followed the group from Washington, D.C. to France to hear the stories.


Melting glaciers mean more water to explore and profit from in the Arctic, but it can also mean danger for mariners. NewsHour producer April Brown reports that scientists from the NOAA who inform sailors how close they can get to the ice have not been able to keep up with the dramatic speed of climate change and new vessels.

Unmapped routes may pose dangers for shipping boom in Arctic waters

Melting glaciers mean more water to explore and potential profit from in the Arctic, but it can also be dangerous for mariners. April reported on the way scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are conducting research and informing sailors about how close they can get to the ice.


The fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. is African-American women. But minority-owned businesses often face greater challenges getting funding. The NewsHour's April Brown profiles two women who have bucked the stereotypes and gotten resourceful to launch their ventures.

For African-American female entrepreneurs, funding challenges call for creative bootstrapping

The fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. is African-American women, but minority-owned businesses often face greater challenges getting funding. April profiled two women who have bucked the stereotypes and been resourceful to launch their ventures.


Can artificial intelligence be emotionally intelligent? In Boston, researchers have programed BB-8, the little droid from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," to detect expressions and determine how people are feeling. And that technology is being adapted for marketing, video games, even therapy for children diagnosed with autism. The NewsHour's April Brown reports.

How machines are learning to read your mood

Can artificial intelligence be emotionally intelligent? In Boston, researchers have programed BB-8, the little droid from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” to detect expressions and determine how people are feeling. April’s report shows how technology is being adapted for marketing, video games, and even therapy for children diagnosed with autism.


Physical education is required in most American high schools, but for teenagers with physical and developmental disabilities, there can be greater restrictions on how they can get active. The NewsHour's April Brown reports on how schools in Florida's Miami-Dade County are adapting activities like kayaking, sailing and golfing for more children.

Empowering kids with disabilities to find exercise they love

Physical education is required in most American high schools, but for teenagers with physical and developmental disabilities, there can be greater restrictions on how they can become active. April reported on the way schools in Florida’s Miami-Dade County are adapting activities like kayaking, sailing and golfing so more children can participate.


On Saturday, college hopefuls took a brand new SAT, marking the first time in over a decade the test curriculum has undergone major changes. While scores will still be submitted with many an application, there is growing skepticism of their value as predictors of college success. April Brown of the American Graduate program reports.

As the SAT evolves, so do opinions on its value

In 2016, college hopefuls took a brand new SAT, marking the first time in over a decade the test curriculum has undergone major changes. While scores will still be submitted with many an application, April found there is growing skepticism of their value as predictors of college success.