Region 4/South Central Report

Wayna C. Polk, MJE

South Central Region 4 Director

 

With regional membership of over 543 in the South Central Region of JEA, the role of scholastic journalism in our region remains strong.

 

Our region continues to produce some of the best publications in the country. These programs garner individual recognition on the state, regional and national levels and the publications and broadcasts are ranked among the top in the country. Check out how these schools, their journalists and their publications did in recent contests:

Quill and Scroll                                                                      quillandscroll.org.

Southern Interscholastic Press Association                        sipa.sc.edu

Columbia Scholastic Press Association                                cspa.columbia.edu

National Scholastic Press Association                                  studentpress.org

Journalism Education Association                                        jea.org

 

At the spring convention in Seattle, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, MO,  and Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, MO, were honored with First Amendment Press Freedom awards during opening ceremonies. Aaron Manful, MJE,  serves as media adviser at Francis Howell North and Mitch Eden, MJE, advises student media at Kirkwood High.

 

Another Francis Howell North student, Kelsey Bell, was named as the 2012 Journalist-of-the-Year by JEA. Kelsey received a $5,000 scholarship for her work as a high school journalist. She will be a speaker in San Francisco at the spring convention.

 

Congratulations to Bobby Malish of Canon USA in Dallas on his recognition as a Friend of Scholastic Journalism. His award will be presented in San Antonio.

 

The Texas ‘Local’ Committee had the final planning meeting for the 2012 fall convention with Kelly Furnas and Logan Aimone Sept. 22 in San Antonio. Those attending and speaking about their roles for the fall convention were: Monique Sandoval – issues seminar, Ben Rosales – Outreach Academy, Lauri Negri – on-site critiques, Sue Jett – write-offs, Allison Boerger – media tours, Lisa Schweers – Break with a Pro, Mario Garcia – broadcast, Margie Raper – Swap Shops,  Pat Gathright and Rhonda Moore – convention co-chairs, Brenda Slatton, Bradley Wilson and myself. All aspects of the committee’s responsibilities were discussed prior to the group touring the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center.

 

Since last spring I have visited with some of our region’s advisers at workshops in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas promoting our organization and the fall JEA/NSPA convention. In addition to those regional events I have also worked with advisers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee at various summer and fall publications workshops.

 

Join the JEA Region 4 South Central facebook group and share your news, ideas and thoughts with our members.

 

See you in San Antonio Nov. 15-17 for ‘Some Like it Hot!’  The guidebook app for San Antonio is available online at sanantonio.journalismconvention.org

 

Arkansas State Report 

Stephanie Emerson, MJE

Arkansas State Director

 

Membership

ASPA continues to work to increase membership. We continue to encourage our members to enroll in JEA when they join the state organization. Several of our JEA members continue to be active at the national level.  There are approximately 73 members in our state AJAA organization; 37 of those are in JEA. We have 116 different publication members in ASPA.

The Arkansas Scholastic Press Association is housed on the campus of Pulaski Tech in North Little Rock under the direction of Allen Loibner-Waitkus, MJE, of Pulaski Tech.  Our e-mail address: arkansasscholasticpress@gmail.com

Happenings

The 2012 annual state convention was held in Rogers on April 12 & 13, at the John Q. Hammons Center adjacent to the Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas that served as the convention hotel.

In attendance were approximately 800 students. On-site contests were held with 478 entries: 10 in newspaper; 9 in yearbook; 5 in literary magazine; 2 in photography; 8 in broadcast. We averaged about 30 entries in each category. Twenty workshops were held in different areas for students and advisers to attend. Approximately 1300 awards were presented.

This past June, our organization’s annual Camp ASPA was held on the campus of Pulaski Tech in North Little Rock.

The State Convention will be held again in Rogers on April 18 & 19, 2013, at the John Q. Hammons Center.

 

Awards & Honors

Congratulations to the 2011 Bryant yearbook staff for winning 10 Quill and Scroll National Awards. From over 1500 entries, 214 were named winners in the nation and seven were from Bryant.

Bryant High School yearbook and newspaper staff members won 17 individual national awards at the NSPA/JEA convention in Minneapolis Nov. 17-20. Additionally, Parker Pamplin won third place in sports action Photo of the Year.

2011 graduate Cody Elmore won honorable mention in newsmagazine cover design of the year, newspaper spread design of the year and infographic design of the year. The Hornet yearbook placed 4th in Best of Show. The Prospective newspaper placed 6th in Best of Show.

Fort Smith Southside’s newsmagazine received: Southworld International First Place from Quill & Scroll. Alexis Beas: Gold Key for Cartooning and NSPA Cartooning finalist.

 

Kansas State Report

Susan Massy

Kansas State Director

 

Membership

JEA and KSPA membership in Kansas remains relatively stable to down slightly.

The KSPA board discussed membership opportunities for retired or past advisers who would like to become honorary members. Although membership fees would be waived, the membership form might give the option of donated the membership fee to the endowment fund. It was also suggested that the form give the honorary member a chance to volunteer to present at conferences, judge contests or perform other KSPA duties.

I prepared a session on the benefits of being a member of JEA for our fall conference and would be willing to share it with anyone who needs it.

 

Happenings

The Kansas Scholastic Press Association (KSPA) experienced quite a shake up in leadership since the last report with the resignations of president Jill Chittum (Blue Valley H.S.) in May and president-elect Travis Feil (Sterling H.S.) during the summer. KSPA has lost two strong, young leaders in Chittum and Feil. Both have left the classroom to pursue careers related to but outside of scholastic journalism.  The resignations revealed constitutional issues for KSPA regarding succession which have prompted the organization to scrutinize every aspect of its constitution. Former secretary Linda Drake (Cottonwood Falls H.S.) has become the president and will complete her term in that position. Jessica Bowman (Canton-Galva H.S.) has been appointed secretary. Jim McCrossen (Blue Valley Northwest) will serve as both past president and president-elect (once and future president?).

KSPA held its state contest last May. The contest allows the best student journalists from across the state of Kansas to compete in carry-in and on-site contests. More than 1,300 entries from 98 schools were judged. We were thrilled when the regional contests, held in March, showed a significant increase in entries — up by 225.

The annual fall conferences were held in three sites across the state in late-September. Yearbook Adviser of the Year Kim Green delivered the keynote address at the Manhattan and Lawrence sites as well as spoke during the day. Students chose from approximately 12 sessions during each of four time slots, allowing them to tailor the day to their interests.

Friends of Kansas scholastic journalism had something to be teed off about when KSPA sponsored the second annual Jackie Engel Golf Tournament. The tournament, which was held on September 30 in Lawrence, raked in $2,845 for the endowment fund from eight teams and seven corporate sponsors. Thirty-two golfers participated. Gift certificates to a local golf shop were given to the golfer with the longest drive, longest putt made and closest ball to the pin on a par 3. The event ended with a dinner in the clubhouse where prizes and trophies were given to the winning team which was sponsored by Walsworth Publishing Company. The Herff Jones team finished second and the KSPA team finished third. The tournament honors the legacy of Jackie Engle who is often referred to as the grandmother of Kansas student journalism.

 

Honors and Awards

We are so proud of the following Kansas journalism teachers and students:

Jennifer Hanson, business teacher and publications adviser at Satanta High School in Satanta, Kan., was named the 2012 recipient of the Jackie Engel Award, which honors the best of high school journalism advising in Kansas. Hanson has been the journalism adviser at Satanta for 12 years. Her selection as this year’s top Kansas high-school adviser was based on letters from her colleagues, fellow Kansas advisers and her students, who vividly describe her dedication to her students, her passion for teaching and her strong sense of ethics. Despite Satanta’s location in the sparsely populated southwestern region of the state, Jennifer has worked tirelessly to ensure that her students participate in both state and national journalism conferences.

Kansas City Washington adviser Brandi Stout was been named the winner of the 2012 Sunflower Award, given annually by KSPA to a relatively new adviser (first four years) who has already made a significant contribution to scholastic journalism in Kansas. Stout received a scholarship of up to $500 to cover tuition for continuing journalism education, a plaque and a free 2012-2013 KSPA membership. Stout was nominated by her high school adviser, Jill Holder from Bonner Springs.

Susan Gray, the publications adviser at Wichita Southeast High School, has earned KSPA’s 2012 Ad Astra Award, which honors teachers who continually improve their journalism programs and make significant contributions to the advising profession. Gray received nominations from two peer advisers, three students at Southeast and a former student who now majors in journalism at the University of Kansas. Gray has been teaching journalism for 17 years.

Kansas’ Journalist of the Year proved to be one of the nation’s top scholastic journalists. Sarah Darby, a senior at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, earned $2,000 by being named a runner-up in the Journalism Education Association’s Journalist of the Year competition. Kansas named Darby its 2012 High School Journalist of the Year, for which she received $1,250.

 

Louisiana State Report 

Regina Parker

Louisiana State Director

 

Membership 

Membership has remained constant with eight JEA members in the state.

 

Events & Awards

LSPA – Louisiana Scholastic Press Association held its annual conference on October 4 at LSU.  Numerous individual awards were given out.

The following were the winners of the 5-A high school newspaper and yearbook competitions:

 

3rd Place Newspaper – Baton Rouge Magnet High School

2nd Place Newspaper – Captain Shreve High School

1st Place Newspaper – Grace Kelly

 

3rd Place Yearbook – Grace Kelly

2nd Place Yearbook – C.E. Byrd High

1st Place Yearbook – Baton Rouge Magnet High

 

Catholic High was the overall sweepstakes’ winner carrying home the most individual awards.

 

Southeast Journalism Conference Winners

Louisiana Tech’s Newspaper, Tech Talk, won the following awards at the 2012 Southeast Journalism Conference:

Best of the South winners included:

Dacia Idom — 2nd place, Best Multimedia Journalism

Kelly Belton — 3rd place, Best Newspaper Layout Designer

Amie Rolland, 3rd place, Best College Audio News

Jessica Wethington, 5th place, Best Press Photographer

The Tech Talk — 6th place, Best Student Newspaper

On-site competition

Mary Timmons — 3rd place, Public Relations

Rebecca Spence — 3rd place, Layout and Design

 

Hearst Journalism Award

LSU senior Anna Brown won the Hearst Journalism Award from the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.  She received 10th place in the television news category of the Journalism Awards Program.

 

Missouri State Report

Robin Stover

Missouri State Director

 

Membership

Missouri journalism is alive and robust with 99 advisers as JEA members. Teachers across the state reach out to one another in support. Missouri Interscholastic Press Association serves all advisers and their students in the Show-Me State. MIPA is looking for an adviser to fill the role of South of Highway 50 representative.

 

Additionally, the Missouri advisers and schools on either side of the state can join local organizations. Sponsors of School Publications of Greater St. Louis (SSP) is an association of high school journalism advisers who meet for mutual support and to help improve scholastic journalism. Across the state is the other regional group, Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City (JEMKC).

 

MIPA Executive Board

Director Anna Romero, University of Missouri-Columbia

Administrative Assistant & Treasurer Doris Barnhart, University of Missouri-Columbia

President Stephanie (Carey) Green, Boonville High School

Vice President Ben Merithew, Truman High School

Secretary Jennifer Higgins, Liberty High School

Stefani Russ, South Hwy 50 Rep., Raymore-Peculiar High School

St. Louis Rep. Brian Heyman, Pattonville High School;

St. Louis Rep. Christine Stricker, Clayton High School

K.C. Rep. Lisa Randolph, Van Horn High School

K.C. Rep. Christina Geabhart, Oak Park High School

North Hwy. 50 Rep. Julie Lewis, Warrensburg High School

North Hwy. 50 Rep. Ronna Sparks-Woodward, Liberty North High School

South Hwy. 50 Rep. Leslie Orman, Kickapoo High School

South Hwy. 50 Rep. VACANT

Outgoing President, Matt Schott, Francis Howell Central High School

Webmaster Aaron Manfull, Francis Howell North High School

Newsgram Editor Christina Geabhart, Oak Park High School

JEA State Director Robin Stover, Rock Bridge High School

Student officers Amber Vandegrift, Raymore-Peculiar High School, and John Barr, Lee’s Summit High School

 

SSP Officers

President Erin Moeckel , Mehlville High School

Vice President Mitch Eden, Kirkwood High School

Public Relations Brian Heyman, Pattonville High School

Webmaster Aaron Manfull, Francis Howell North High School

Treasurer Otto Schultejans, Maplewood-Richmond Heights High School

Secretary Tara Stepanek, Parkway Central High School

 

JEMKC Officers

President Eric Thomas, St. Theresa’s Academy

Vice President Brad Lewis, Harrisonville High School

Secretary/Treasurer Megan Hughes, Park Hill South High School

Members at Large: Christina Geabhart, Oak Park High School; Kathy Habiger, Mill Valley High School; Cindy Horchem, Piper High School; Jim McCrossen, Blue Valley Northwest High School; Susan Massy, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

 

Events & Happenings

Upcoming

April 10, 2013, MIPA is sponsoring Scholastic Journalism Day, a state-wide contest and convention. During the summer the University of Missouri—Columbia has two events planned for scholastic journalists. July 10-12, 2013, is MIPA’s Summer Media Workshop on the University of Missouri—Columbia campus; students will learn all aspects of scholastic journalism. July 13-22, 2013, is the Missouri Urban Journalism Workshop.

SSP will hold meetings Dec. 10, 2012, Jan. 14, 2013, Feb. 4, 2013, and April 8, 2013.

All contest materials are due Jan. 14, 2013, for the SSP conference, which is March 11 at Webster University. May 13, 2013, is SSP’s end-of-year celebration.

JEMKC will sponsor Advisers Night and PLC Meet-up Dec. 6, 2012, Feb. 19, 2013, and March 27, 2013. At its annual brunch Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, members will discuss JEMKC business and the upcoming contest season. The spring contest postmark entry deadline is March 1; carry-in entries are due Monday, March 4.

 

Past

MIPA sponsored Summer Media Workshop on the University of Missouri—Columbia campus. There were 67 registrants, of which 33 were in-state and 34 were out-of-state. Also, the organization sponsored the Missouri Urban Journalism Workshop in July 2012. Twenty students attended. There were 17 incomplete applications, and two applicants were rejected. MIPA’s 2012 Journalism Day was in April on the UMC campus. Of its member schools, 36 brought 945 students. MIPA either presented or mailed 1,077 certificates.

SSP’s March 2012 conference featured guest speakers and awards for student contests. This school year SSP has held meetings Sept. 10 and Oct. 29.

JEMKC had an Advisers Night and PLC Meet-up Oct. 16.

 

Awards & Honors

MIPA named Michele Dunaway the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association Teacher of the Year at J-Day 2012.

 

JEA/NSPA announced the recipients of the 2012 First Amendment Press Freedom Award at the April 12 opening ceremony for the National Convention in Seattle. Of the five schools that won two were Missouri schools. Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles and Kirkwood High School received this honor.

 

Oklahoma State Report

Margie Watters, CJE

Oklahoma State Director

 

Membership

Both the FMM and SMM (Fall and Spring Media Mondays) continue to be times when the state organization OSM/OIPA (Oklahoma Scholastic Media / Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association) works to increase membership from both middle and high school publications. At these state events, held at the University of Oklahoma (Norman, Oklahoma) membership enrollment in JEA is encouraged as well as maintaining membership in the state organization. Currently we have 29 advisers who are JEA members.

• During the SMM, OSM/OIPA Executive Director Kathryn Jensen-White announced her retirement from the program and the university. A search for a replacement proved difficult when the original selection stepped away from the offer in June. By August, the position had been offered to Janette Wallis, PhD.
• While Janette does not have a journalism background, she brings to the university a host of skills and interests that made her a suitable fit for the position. Her background lists her as Primatologist, conservationist, educator, researcher, photographer and writer.
• Her teaching career includes Washington and Lee University, the Semester-at-Sea Program, the American University in Nigeria, Africa (where she advised the campus newspaper) and the University of Oklahoma where she serves as an Adjunct Professor in the school of Engineering and Sciences.
• During her career she has also served at various positions within international associations  which provided her the opportunity to learn the organizing skills and techniques needed for producing large state, national and international events.
• Janette is assisted in her new position as OSM/OIPA Executive Director by OU students Tammy Boyd and Claire Mathison.
• The organization’s website is:  jmc.ou.edu/osm-oipa/

 

 Happenings:

•  The Spring Media Monday (State Convention) was held at the University of Oklahoma, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at the Oklahoma Memorial Union and the Gaylord Journalism School. Originally scheduled for Monday, April 9, booking conflicts force FMM (Fall Media Monday) to be moved to Tuesday.
• The day was dedicated to sessions covering various journalism aspects as well as a morning of write-off competition entries for journalism students. The afternoon was highlighted with an awards assembly where winners from the morning write-offs were announced along with ratings and awards for publications including newspapers, newsmagazines and online publications that were submitted in March.
• The SMM was the last day of duties for the 2011-2012 OSM officers. Election results for the day named new 2012-2013 Officers:  Meghan Rice, Edmond Memorial High School- President; Brittany Embree, Westmoore High School- First Vice President; Evan O’Brien, Putnam City North High School- Second Vice President; and Nicole Biddinger, Bartlesville High School- Secretary.

• Proposed dates for: Fall Media Monday 2012 (FMM12) – November 5, 2012. Spring Media Monday 2013 (SMM13) – April 8, 2013 was also announced.

-Summer Report:

• A total of 23 students were able to participate in the Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism Annual Summer Journalism Workshop which was offered in June.
• The OIDJ offers an annual workshop for promising high school students and is funded by several organizations including the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the Daily Oklahoman, and the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at OU. Its goal is to expose youth to careers in the world of daily journalism. OIDJ’s mission is to provide opportunities for students who would otherwise lack access to journalism training or who face other barriers to pursuing careers in journalism.
• Students are selected by application and participate on scholarship. During their time on campus, they have the opportunity to work one-on-one with professional journalists. The culmination of their work is presented in their edition of the Red Dirt Journal, the OIDJ newspaper, and its companion website and newscast.

 

Texas State Report 

Alyssa Boehringer

Texas State Director

 

Membership

Texas JEA membership is at 256 and continues to rise. TAJE director Rhonda Moore contacts members annually to renew in the state organization and with JEA.

 

Happenings

We’re excited for the rest of y’all to come to Texas for the fall convention in November.

At the convention our Friday night auction will benefit the Student Press Law Center and annual TAJE scholarships. We’d love to have a basket from every state in attendance so other state directors can contact Alyssa Boehringer, Rhonda Moore or Pat Gathright to make a donation.

Regional reps for TAJE have hosted numerous summer workshops to great success in Texas. TAJE operates its own website and listserv at www.taje.org. In addition, the state director operates and regularly updates a members-only Facebook page and a Twitter account to keep the membership informed.

The state’s educational budget is the biggest concern for Texas journalism teachers, with many programs in the state having to combine classes and generally having to do more with less.

 

Awards

The following schools from Texas have been recognized as Newspaper Pacemaker finalists:

 

The Liberator, LBJ/LASA HS, Austin, Texas

Miles Kruppa, Megan Mattson, David Freed, editors

Janet Elbom, adviser

 

Stampede, Burges HS, El Paso, Texas

Elijah Natividad, Nicholas Provenghi, editors

Patricia Monroe, adviser