NSPA News & Notes

Download the Best of the High School Press Call for Submissions Flyer

Over the course of 14 volumes, Best of the High School Press has been the premier showcase for award-winning student work by and for members of the National Scholastic Press Association. In 2009, we’re making some changes to make Best Of even better.

What’s new this year?

• The next edition of Best of the High School Press, Volume 15, will be published in early 2010 and remain on a winter publication schedule for subsequent years. Previous editions were mailed to NSPA members in the fall.
• Starting with the next edition, NSPA will include only publication content submitted as PDF files in the selection process for Best of the High School Press. (This does not apply to sections of the book honoring winners of NSPA’s contests.) PDF files can be sent to NSPA either online (go to the online submission form) or by mail.

Changing the publication schedule and using PDF submissions will result in a Best of the High School Press publication with better reproduction quality, more up-to-date content and a more comprehensive selection process.

How to enter your publication’s work for Best Of selections

• Choose the content you wish to submit from your 2008-09 publication (see our recommendations, below)
• Create PDF files of each page, spread or graphic at the highest possible quality (go to http://contests.studentpress.org/BestOf for instructions for creating PDFs)

Send your PDFs to NSPA in one of two ways:

• Upload your PDF files to NSPA using our online submission form, or
• Create a CD of the PDF files (the face of the CD should have your publication name and type, school name, contact e-mail address and “2009 Best of the High School Press Submissions” written on it), and mail it to

  NSPA Best of the High School Press
  2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 121
  Minneapolis, MN 55414

  Feel free to include the CD with your critique or Newspaper Pacemaker entry if you’re sending one this spring/summer.

2008-09 publication PDFs should be received by July 15, 2009, to be considered for publication in Best Of.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will be done with 2007-08 contest winners which would have been published this fall, and with PDFs I’ve submitted from our 2007-08 publications?
NSPA appreciates the more than 150 publications’ worth of PDF content received in response to our requests over the past year. To make sure nothing gets left out in the transition from fall to winter publication, the next edition of Best of the High School Press, to be published in early 2010, will be expanded to include contest winners and other selections from both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years.

Does submitting PDFs for Best Of enter the work in any other contest or judging?
Complete, printed newspaper issues/yearbooks/magazines will still need to be submitted for critiques or Pacemaker contests. However, any digital files entered in individual contests, such as Design of the Year, Picture of the Year or Cartooning Awards, will automatically be included in the Best Of selection process, so any content entered in those contests can be excluded from Best Of submissions.

What can I do to improve my chances of getting something from our publication selected for Best Of?

• DO send as many PDFs as you can (at least 8-10)
• If you are sending entire newspaper issues or your entire yearbook/magazine, DO be sure to suggest some of the best material from it as a starting point for judges.
• If you have strong content in more obscure areas of your publication, such as yearbook academics/clubs pages or newspaper opinion pages, DO include them in your submissions. As always, there will only be room for so many Page Ones, newspaper centerspreads or yearbook divider spreads in Best Of, so the competition in those areas will be tougher.
• DON’T include digital files submitted as entries in individual contests such as Design of the Year, Picture of the Year or Cartooning Awards (all digitally submitted contest entries will automatically be included in the Best Of selection pool).
• DO check your publication’s NSPA membership status to make sure it’s current, and renew if necessary. A current membership in NSPA is necessary both to have work included in Best Of and to receive a copy of the book when it is published.

How can I get technical support for making PDFs or uploading them to NSPA online?
You can find full instructions for making PDFs from either InDesign or Quark by downloading these instructions. If you have other questions or concerns, e-mail us at info at studentpress.org. The two most important instructions, in brief: generate PDF files at the highest possible quality (Press Quality or PDF/X-4), and export all two-page publication spreads as single-page PDF files.

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To meet the increasing needs of student media staffs and advisers, NSPA invested in the development of a set of standards for multimedia.

Similar to Guidebooks for print publications, the new Guidebook follows the same basic format but provides this new tool in a format that is both useful for students and teachers but also “walks the talk” of multimedia. It’s an interactive digital document using Adobe PDF and designed for display on a computer screen (or printed for student texts).

The Multimedia Guidebook includes tips on news gathering and Web site management, and it sets standards in five categories:

• Coverage and Content
• Interactivity/Community Tools
• Breaking News
• Design and Navigation
• Rich Media

NSPA Executive Director Logan Aimone debuted the guidebook in a session at the recent JEA/NSPA convention in Phoenix: “The Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard.” The screen presenation from that session is available for download as a PDF to provide more information.

The guidebook will set the standards for NSPA’s first-ever Web site critiques, now available using this entry form. Whether your publication Web site is well-established or you are just starting up, NSPA’s critique services can provide valuable ideas, tips and suggestions for improvement to help you plan for your Web site’s growth.

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Journalism is changing, and successful students and advisers know the value of attending a summer workshop designed to train, motivate and inspire for the challenges of what comes next. Producing quality publications means staying ahead of the curve and on top of new skills. Join us in Minneapolis July 16-18, 2009, for some intense journalism and learn to produce content under pressure!

Download the NSPA Summer Workshop brochure

INTENSE & IN FOCUS
With five workshop selections for students and advisers, NSPA will expose students to what’s hot in journalism. Whether you need the basic skills or have been around a while, our talented instructors — accomplished, high-energy veterans from Minnesota and around the country — will help you get better.

LEARN BY OBSERVING, DOING, INTERACTING
To supplement the time in your chosen workshop, we’ve assembled a lineup of some of the Twin Cities’ top names in media to offer their knowledge during general and breakout sessions. Gather your fellow staffers for a thorough and personal on-site critique. Get the most from the workshop by bringing the whole crew — we have discounts for groups over five and over 10.

LAND of 10,000 IDEAS
We’ll work you hard but not without opportunities for fun. Get out and explore the Twin Cities through workshop and evening activities designed to bring your staff together and to meet peers from across the country. Enjoy your stay on a large college campus in the heart of the Twin Cities.

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Entry forms are now available for the 2009 NSPA Newspaper Pacemaker and Individual Awards competitions. NSPA members should receive their forms in the mail within the next week. Or you can download the forms right here:

• Newspaper Pacemaker Entry Form
• Individual Awards Entry Form

We’ve expanded the number of contests and categories where entries are submitted online as digital files, after a successful online-only Picture of the Year contest last year. To enter Picture of the Year, Design of the Year, Cartooning Awards and the Multimedia Package category of Story of the Year, go to this link:

http://nspacontests.studentpress.org/

The deadline to enter all of the contests is June 15 (entries must be recieved by that date). There is no entry fee for any of the contests, but publications must have a current NSPA membership as of the contest deadline to enter. You can check your membership status here. Enter soon!

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Teaching ethics in the high school journalism classroom can be a challenge. Most teachers start with the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, and while it gives a great overview, it lacks flexibility for the unique situations faced by high school journalists. Other educators cobble together a workable model and plenty of hypothetical and example situations to prepare students for the eventual challenges they would face.

NSPA is announcing a new tool for student media advisers and young journalists. The NSPA Code of Ethics establishes seven ethical principles for high school journalists. No more modifying other codes of ethics. This one is specific to the situations facing high school students and advisers. And, it’s been created with all media in mind.

Excerpts from the introduction:

Scholastic journalism best serves learners and the school community when students produce free and responsible news media by balancing rights and responsibilities, applying ethical prudence and advancing the best interests of young citizens and the school mission.

The focus of student journalists must always be aimed beyond their self-interests toward doing what is best for society. Their motivation should be driven by service rather than ego gratification.

The NSPA Code of Ethics for High School Journalists was created to help guide students in the direction of responsible journalism. This model code may be adopted without change or modified to meet the particular needs of a news staff.

A code of ethics should be a primary reference source for student journalists. It should be part of the curriculum and readily available not only to media staffs but also to those served by news media and those who oversee production.

Reputable conduct by student journalists helps secure the public trust and news media credibility. A code of ethics serves as the foundation for free and responsible student media.

The seven principles of the NSPA Code of Ethics are:

• Be Responsible.
• Be Fair.
• Be Honest.
• Be Accurate.
• Be Independent.
• Minimize Harm.
• Be Accountable.

These new guideposts are exciting. Download the full version of the NSPA Code of Ethics, and you’ll want to include some or all in your curriculum and staff manual. NSPA’s Board of Directors encouraged this creation. Also deserving of much public praise is Randy Swikle, retired from Johnsburg, Ill., High School after many years living these principles. He crafted a beautiful document, and NSPA is very thankful for his many hours of research, drafting and rewriting.

NSPA members should watch for a digital copy by e-mail soon, and printed copies will be available by the end of the summer. Others who want copies for summer workshops and presentations should contact Logan Aimone directly at logan@studentpress.org.

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2008 NSPA YEARBOOK PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments (posted in February): http://studentpressblogs.org/nspa/?p=48

2009 NSPA ONLINE PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments:

Gargoyle: This is a beautiful piece of web journalism. The design and color palette are clean and simple. The rotating Flash module at the top of the page gives a lot of information in little space. The images throughout the site were good and well used. Other good elements of the site include: Upcoming events, sports updates, comments, staff blog, polls and video. The live blog from the Oscars also really stood out in my mind as going above and beyond for a high school newspaper. The Mixtape was another great use of technology. What a great idea for using audio - and also something a high school audience has a great level of interest in.

FHNtoday.com: Beautiful division of content. I love the video spot right up at the top right. The podcasts are great. They are both entertaining and informative. The Flash module is a great way of getting several stories “above the fold.” You were one of few publications using Soundslides. Super props for that. This kind of multimedia storytelling is really the future. Having those skills in high school is a great accomplishment. Continue to build on those skills. The slideshows are also beautifully displayed and managed. Wow. I would like to see the photos in the slideshows more integrated in the story pages and throughout the site.

Knight Errant: Mostly clean and simple. I like the modularity of the site. It makes it easy for me to get through. I like seeing the print edition cover on the homepage. I like the sports calendar with results. I like the polls and blog. The crossword puzzle is awesome.

El Estoque: I love the most popular tab at the upper right. This gives a sampling of stuff on the site. Slideshows, multimedia, stories — These are ways of getting everything up top. The dodge ball piece is a fun way to display photos. The sounds add to it. I would love to see the great photos from the slideshows and multimedia pieces integrated throughout the pages on the site.

SMES Express: Nice division of content. Good integration of polls, vimeo and photos. Excellent job of using photos throughout the site - not just on the homepage. You have them on the subchannel pages as well as the story pages. That’s no easy feat. The photography is also quite good. I also like the fact that you can comment on stories. This provides excellent interactivity.

HiLite: It’s not flashy and overdone like some high school Web sites. It’s really quite simple, and that makes the viewer’s experience enjoyable. The videos contained great reporting. Other items on the site worth noting: Twitter feed, photo of the day, photo galleries, blogs, nice story ideas. I was glad to see hard news being covered when a student died. That’s tough stuff to cover at the high school age, but it’s important to the study body to be informed about such an event. The “Peek in the Bag” feature was also fun and different.

Wayland Student Press: Nice online video presence. I really enjoyed the About Us video. It has some neat editing and personality. This website is deep and filled with great content. Nice galleries. Nice story topics.

The Feather: The site has lots of great elements. I like the dominant visual. It’s a nice big picture that tells you right where to go. Don’t be afraid to let the photo speak for itself. I like the poll on the homepage and the feature photo element.

Trident Online: I like the rotating top module. I think the photo editing on this module was great. The stories were interesting. Nice photo galleries. I like the fact that you can make comments on the stories. Keep up the video efforts.

Harbinger: Great, clean design. I wish the top module changed as you clicked through the main navigation bar. It stays the same, but the content underneath it changes. If you aren’t paying close attention, it’s hard to tell you’ve navigated to a new page since that top module stays the same. Nice story ideas. Good photographs. Nice photos and slideshows.

The Mustang Express: The front page could benefit from a dominant visual, but there is a lot of good things going on here. Good stories. I like the poll. I like the belt with several different interesting links on it.

King’s Courier: I like the simplicity of this site. It’s clean and easy to navigate. The content is strong. It’s amazing the amount of multimedia some high school papers are pulling off, and this year the bar is set really high when it comes to interactive elements.

Redwood Bark: Great division of content. Nice stories. Good work on the videos. I also like the “current issue cover” photograph on the homepage.

Edsman: Incredible design. I expect this site to be a top contender next year if you continue to feed it with great content. It’s off to an incredible start. Love the dominant visual, the navigation, the weather and world news widgets. Keep it up. You’re on the right track.

The Paly Voice: This is one of very few high school newspapers using Soundslides on their website. The productions are informative and well done. I liked the Voicecasts, Voice videos and other multimedia elements on the site. Love the tabs of Most Read and Most Discussed stories at the top. It’s one other way of navigating the site and getting to the “good stuff.”

2008 NSPA MAGAZINE PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments:

Dark as Day: This magazine exhibited stunning and innovative color photographs whose artists displayed a wide range of talent. The broad range of art along with the appealing layout of the magazine showed the students put a consistent level of dedication into their work.

Chasms: This entry is consistent with a clean design throughout. The wide variety of prose, poetry, and photographs show an impressive range of talent. After turning each page we were surprised not only by the level of skill shown in this magazine, but the clear commitment with which the staff showcased their fellow students’ work

Maret Literary and Visual Arts: The elegant layout of this magazine didn’t remind us of a high school literary magazine. If anything, we felt we were judging a professional work. The photographs within this magazine were exquisite, offering both simplicity and elegance to the reader. The black-and-white images provided a level of sophistication that few other magazines achieved.

Rapier: The design in this magazine is simple but inventive—the die-cut hole in the center provided an interesting concept: that one could peek into the magazine and explore it at one’s whim (supplying a playful tone without being overly cute). The illustrations were well done and it was evident that the editors thought carefully how each prose/poetry piece was matched in turn with its adjoining photograph/painting.

Vibrato: The box, along with the layout of the magazine itself, is a clever design. It gives a multi-faceted feel to the magazine, pushing the boundaries of a “typical” literary magazine by mixing various media. We also appreciated the nonfiction articles throughout the magazine (such as the Edie Sedgwick article) showing that a literary magazine can be expansive and cover nonfiction as well.

Bio-Med Times: This magazine impressed us with the professionalism of its approach to the serious subject of science. The quality of the writing in the essays was very strong and, given that so many of the magazines submitted focused exclusively on the personal, we welcomed this outward turn. This magazine worked to expand our notion of what a high school magazine could be, and we felt it was more unified in theme than many of the others.

2008 NSPA DIGITAL YEARBOOK PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments:

Characteristics of the top four:

• Good storytelling through reporting; more than just music under photos, video and interviews; wrote to the video
• Steady video through the use of a tripod for interviews and stand-ups; shaky video generally only when appropriate or for a purpose
• Audio levels that are lowered under interviews so as not to compete with what I’m hearing; interviews ‘planned to center’ so as to hear out of both speakers
• High quality video and use of sound editing techniques; effects generally used for a purpose other than just because they’d be ‘cool’
• Enhances the total package use of difference media; tells us more than just what’s in the yearbook

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Ryan Firle of Francis Howell North High School has been chosen as the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy High School Journalism Award winner in the print category. Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer Press judged the entries. Comments from the judge are below:

“Well-written profile of a doctor facing the death of two young patients from cancer in two days. Very effective weaving of pieces of a poem into the text of the story. Gives insight into the struggles of seriously ill children through the eyes of one who works closely with them.”

The RFK High School Journalism Awards, co-sponsored by NSPA with the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, honor outstanding coverage of the problems of the disadvantaged.

Entries may have included accounts of the lifestyles, challenges and potentials of the disadvantaged in the United States and around the world, including insights into the causes, conditions and remedies of their plight and critical analyses of public policies, programs, attitudes and private endeavors relevant to their lives.

Firle will be flown to Washington, D.C. in the spring to attend an awards ceremony honoring student and professional work. A prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the winning student’s school to be used for student journalism programs. Firle will also be recognized at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Phoenix in April.

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Four NSPA-member publication staffers are scholarship recipients courtesy of the annual NSPA Journalism Honor Roll Scholarship and the Wikoff Scholarship for Editorial Leadership contests.

The 2009 Wikoff Scholarship for Editorial Leadership is awarded to Laney Scarlett of Wynne High School in Wynne, Ark. Scarlett’s entry was chosen from 65 total applications for the scholarship. Scarlett will receive a $1,000 award and will be recognized at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Phoenix in April.

Judge Michael Koretzky of Florida Atlantic University provides the following comments on the scholarship contest:

“About a dozen entries took strong stances on issues within the applicants’ own schools. This was crucial for me — leadership is easy when you take easy popular stances or chastise people far away. It’s much tougher for a high-schooler to call out adults they may see in the hall or in their hometown.

“What made Laney the winner was a combination of her clips that raised First Amendment issues, her strong GPA, and especially her adviser’s recommendation, which cited many facts and figures, instead of just high praise. It seems Laney has not only exhibited editorial leadership, she’s made it contagious in her newsroom.”

Bernadette Myers, Assistant Editor of The Harbinger newspaper at Shawnee Mission East High School, is the 2009 Journalism Honor Roll Scholarship winner. Myers was chosen from 55 applications for the $1000 prize to be applied to her collegiate journalism studies.

Chris Poore, adviser to The Kentucky Kernal newspaper at University of Kentucky, judged the entries and said the following of Myers’ application:

“During tough times in our industry, it’s altogether satisfying to read a student essay that captures the heart of what journalism means to so many of us who practice it or teach it. Bernadette Myers obviously knows and appreciates the value of storytelling. Students like Bernadette make me feel confident about the future of journalism.”

Two runners-up were chosen to receive $500 each: Rebecca Kelliher of Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco, Calif. and Paige Xu of Granite Bay High School in Granite Bay, Calif.

NSPA awards the Honor Roll Scholarships annually to graduating seniors pursuing a career in journalism. The NSPA Honor Roll of Student Journalists honors students who have worked on an NSPA member publication staff for a minimum of one year and have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.75 on a 4.0 scale. Publication advisers have nominated these students for the honor.

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Over the past 20 years, JEA/NSPA conventions have typically met or exceeded our expectations with just the usual mailings and Web site information. This year in Phoenix is significantly different. The hotel and registration numbers are behind the pace of previous spring conventions, and we realize we need to give an extra nudge to our members to get their registrations in and their hotel reservations made so they can get the biggest bang for your convention bucks. Next week registration and hotel costs go up.

We’re writing because we need your help. We know some people out there are planning to attend the convention but have not yet signed up. We know you’ve been busy with deadlines and teaching — and with spring break, too. But this message is a reminder about the fantastic convention we have planned in Phoenix.

First, we are asking you to register as soon as possible to help give us an accurate picture of how many people will be coming to the Phoenix convention. Go to http://register.studentpress.org/phx2009 to register by the early deadline of March 26.

Second, we have committed to filling a certain amount of rooms at the Hyatt and Wyndham hotels. While we have met our obligation at the Hyatt, we still have rooms at the Wyndham to fill by Tuesday, March 24. After that day, the hotel can assign us penalties and increase the room rate from the discount we negotiated.

We know times are tough, and you worked hard to earn every dollar. JEA and NSPA are committed to providing the best value, an amazing education and fun experience for you in Phoenix. Visit our convention blog at http://studentpressblogs.org/phx2009 to see what’s in store.

We’re excited to show you the new sessions planned for Phoenix as well as have you learn from the solid programming that has become part of these conventions. We want to see you there.

As always, if there is anything we can do to assist you, please let us know.

Linda Puntney, MJE, executive director, Journalism Education Association - 785.532.7822
Logan Aimone, MJE, executive director, National Scholastic Press Association - 612.625-7359

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NSPA will be inducting one member into the Hall of Fame at the 2009 Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Convention in Phoenix.

Windscript magazine from Ridley High School in Folsom, Pa. is advised by Sonja Kravchuk and the 2008 editor was Zachary Wolk. Windscript was a 2007 Magazine Pacemaker winner and received 10 All American ratings in the NSPA critique service from 1998-2008.

In 1987, the NSPA Hall of Fame was established for member student publications which have earned 10 All American ratings from our publication critique service within an 11-year span. Hall of Fame inductees receive a special honor plaque to mark the induction and are added to the NSPA Hall of Fame plaques, which are displayed at our JEA/NSPA high school journalism conventions.

New Hall of Fame inductions are made twice a year and are honored at our JEA/NSPA High School Journalism Conventions. The complete list of Hall of Fame members is available on our Web site.

Advisers who believe their publication has achieved Hall of Fame status may apply for the Hall of Fame by writing a letter indicating the name of the publication, the years the publication received All American ratings and publication/adviser contact information. Mail the letter to NSPA Hall of Fame, 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 121, Minneapolis, MN 55414. The letter must be received by Sept. 15 to be inducted at the 2009 fall convention or Feb. 15, 2010 to be inducted at next spring’s convention.

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