States win innovation awards.

• Position: On First Reading

New York discovered a key to preventing drug offender recidivism. Ohio lured rural students into college. And Vermont managed to squeeze the most out of its energy programs.

These three projects reaped awards and recognition this spring for unique model programs during the Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

New York's community-based Bodega de la Familia works with the state parole division to help families deal with parolees and their supervising officers. The project encourages community supervision of drug offenders.

With more than 600,000 men and women to be released from America's jails and prisons this year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 80 percent will be put on parole. And an estimated 60 percent will be re-arrested. The New York program shows how government and communities can work together to improve the supervision of parolees and enhance family life, as well. Families provide the bridge between parole officers and parolees.

Ohio has developed a consortium of 10 higher education institutions in its 29 Appalachian counties. Before the project, it was estimated only 30 percent of rural residents...