The two awards recognize a middle school or high school journalist and a media adviser or school administrator who have stood in support of the First Amendment. The student journalist and adviser or school administrator need not be from the same school.

More information is available at this SPLC web page.

Contest deadline for all individual awards, Broadcast Pacemaker and Newspaper Pacemaker is June 15. Forms are available at the Web site http://nspa.studentpress.org/ — just look for Form Central. Membership must be current as of June 15.

2. SUBMIT YOUR CRITIQUES

Make sure you send your critique in as soon as possible. We have judges ready now. Having the full summer allows NSPA more options in returning your completed evaluation by the time you need it. You can get your website critiqued, too. The fee is $80, added to any membership. To submit your website for a critique, download the form at http://nspa.studentpress.org/pdf/nspawebcrit.pdf and send it to NSPA by mail, e-mail or fax.

3. SUBMIT PDF FILES FOR BEST OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRESS

The next edition of Best of the High School Press, Volume 16, will be published in early 2011. The only way to have your publication content included is to submit PDF files for 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 or by mail. More info at http://contests.studentpress.org/bestof

Over the course of 15 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.

Only publication content submitted as PDF files is considered for Best of the High School Press. (This does not apply to sections of the book honoring winners of NSPA’s contests, such as the Pacemaker, Of-The-Year and Best of Show awards.) PDF files can be sent to NSPA either online or by mail?—?see details below.

Using PDF submissions results 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 2009-10 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 “2010 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.

2009-10 publication PDFs should be received by July 15, 2010, to be considered for publication in Best Of.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the next Best of the High School Press be published?
The next edition of Best of the High School Press, Volume 16, will be published in early 2011, continuing the winter publication schedule begun with Volume 15. Volume 16 will contain student publication content drawn mostly from the 2009-2010 school year.

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)
• Please DON’T send PDFs of entire newspaper or magazine issues. If you 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, since 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.

View the award list/gallery

Video of judges’ comments (posted in February)

2009 NSPA DIGITAL YEARBOOK PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments: Winners

The Legend, Flower Mound High School, Flower Mound, TX
A crisp, clean design that coordinates nicely with the print book. Rich in original content and features.

The Lion, McKinney High School, McKinney, TX
With a wealth of student-produced material and a creative design that pairs nicely with the print book, this was a most impressive entry. The menu is rich with well-produced video features, supplementing the print book with a textured portrait of the school year.

Heritage Yearbook, Shawnee Mission South High School, Overland Park, KS
With 100% student-produced work and well-produced video content, this was a very impressive entry.

The Bronco, McKinney Boyd High School, McKinney, TX
An impressive graphic design with lots of well-produced student content. It’s nice to see “Academics” as the first item on the menu, and the category shows a range of ways the school engages students to make learning fun.

Judges’ Comments: Finalists

Wingspan, James Enochs High School, Modesto, CA
Lots of original production, produced with a design concept that ties-in very clearly with the print book.

Log, Columbus North High School, Columbus, IN
This DVD tells the story of a major flood and how it affected students and their families. A gripping piece of visual journalism told through student voices and dramatic pictures.

Excalibur, Francis Howell North, Saint Charles, MO
An impressive 100% student-produced work in every category. A bold, colorful graphic design that pairs nicely with the print book.

The Confederate, Lee-Davis High School, Mechanicsville, VA
A clean, bold graphic look with lots of original video content.

2010 ONLINE PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments:

It was exciting to see so many high school publications working with video. There were some really innovative video programs that included not only great action and sound but great voice-overs delivered by reporters and anchors. Many of the videos included superb editing and post-production.

We were also very pleased to see that schools are utilizing social media – Twitter and Facebook in particular – and integrating them into their news websites. We encourage all high school students to continue experimenting with new forms of interactive storytelling. Never let technology prevent you from telling the story the way you want to tell it. For the larger schools, it was great to see such diversity in news coverage and the unique stories they were telling. It was also encouraging to see current news published to their websites.

All of the sites offered something different and depending upon their location and size showed varying degrees of skill, design and content.
The most important factors considered in judging were site ease of navigation, up to date content, solid design, strong writing and editing, use of multimedia and complete, thorough coverage of student life. The best sites exhibited excellence in all of these areas.
Overall, it was a pleasure to see how students are utilizing the opportunity of online publishing. Keep up the good work.

2009 MAGAZINE PACEMAKERS

View the award list/gallery

Judges’ Comments:

Chasms, Cooper Hills High School, West Jordan, UT
Chasms is centered on the concept of duality, quite an ambitious undertaking. Graphic design elements and artwork supporting each section of the magazine are generally effective and sometimes very striking. The literary work conveys a wide range of emotions developing each section admirably. Overall, Chasms is an energetic and substantial effort. It wins this competition because we feel its ambition is realized.

Artistic License, American International School Guangzhou
Artistic License employs a graphic design that conveys a visual sense of unity. The literary and artwork are presented well and compliment each other. We are impressed by the range of subjects addressed. This is an impressive issue.

Seeds, Dreyfoos School of the Arts, West Palm Beach, FL
Seeds has a wonderful idea at its core: using an abandoned building as context for the issue. This is especially evident on the covers, front matter, and the text superimposed over spackled walls. Some fine photography and literary work fill the magazine. This is a strong issue.

Pulp, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, Midland, PA
Pulp impressed us. There is a successful interplay between graphic elements, visual art, and literary work. Overall, this is an admirable effort.

Tesserae, Rowland Hall-St Mark’s School, Salt Lake City, UT
Tesserae presents high quality literary content throughout the magazine. The artwork is engaging and complements the literary work. Overall, Tesserae is a fine effort.

Rapier, Marist School, Atlanta, GA
Inside of plain covers is a tasteful, thoughtful literary magazine. Visually clean and straightforward, Rapier features some stunning artwork and solid content. Our overall impression of the magazine was very good indeed.

EDDA, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Flossmoor, IL
EDDA’s theme “What Lies Beneath” was conveyed by the organization and by repetition of key visual elements. An appealing balance of literary and visual art is presented.

Spectator, Walter Johnson High School, Bethesda, MD
Spectator conveys a good deal of creative energy. The literary work and the art and graphics often support and complement each other. Overall, Spectator is a worthy effort.

Creations, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL
The concept for the organization is quite appealing but the content included in each thematic section is not always consonant with theme. Overall, there is much to like in Creations.

Dark as Day, Crossroads School, Santa Monica, CA
Dark as Day features some striking artwork that is juxtaposed with the literary text in interesting ways. Overall, Dark as Day makes a strong impression.

Shadows, Cactus Shadows High School, Cave Creek, AZ
Shadows presents its content in an uncluttered and unpretentious manner. We like the consistency of format; it enhances both the literary and the visual art.

Mirage, Seminole Ridge High School, Loxahatchee, FL
Mirage presents itself as an “album” of work that is collected, and pasted here—yellow pages tucked into corner frames. The layout is consistent from page to page. The literary and art work are well integrated with each other.

NSPA inducted three member publications into the Hall of Fame at the 2010 Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Portland on Saturday, April 17. Log yearbook from Columbus North High School, Aftermath yearbook from Palm Harbor University High School and The Lion yearbook from McKinney High School were all inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Log yearbook earned its 10th All American award through the NSPA critique service in November of 2009. Log is advised by Kim Green and it won a 2009 Yearbook Pacemaker award, along with placing as a finalist in the 2009 Digital Yearbook Pacemaker contest.

Aftermath yearbook earned its 10th All American rating in a row in June of 2009 and is advised by Judy Cannaday. The 2000 and 2001 editions were finalists in the Yearbook Pacemaker contest.

The Lion yearbook is advised by Lori Oglesbee and received its 10th All American rating in a row in April of 2010. The 2009 edition of The Lion won Pacemakers in both the Yearbook Pacemaker and Digital Yearbook Pacemaker competitions.

In 1987, the NSPA Hall of Fame was established for member student publications which have earned 10 All American ratings from the 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. The complete list of Hall of Fame members is available on our website.

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 fall convention or Feb. 15 to be inducted at the spring convention.

Jennifer Bailey has been selected as the winner of the $1,000 NSPA Journalism Honor Roll scholarship out of 74 applicants. Bailey is the Editor in Chief of The Prowler newspaper and Senior Editor for The Panther yearbook at O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Ill.

The Journalism Honor Roll recognizes high school journalists who have at least a 3.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and have worked for student media for two or more years. Scholarship applicants are required to submit an essay on why they are choosing a career in journalism. View Bailey’s scholarship essay here.

Two runners-up have also been selected in the contest. Amanda Wolkin and Connor Radnovich will each receive $500 to the college or university of their choice. Wolkin is the Editor in Chief for The Oracle at North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs, Ga. View her scholarship essay here.

Radnovich is Editor in Chief for The Patriot Ledger at Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho. View his scholarship essay here.

Anirudh Ajith has been selected as the winner of the $1,000 Wikoff Scholarship for Editorial Leadership out of 73 applicants. Ajith serves as Executive Editor for County Line newspaper at Cinco Ranch High School in Katy, Texas.

The Wikoff scholarship was established in recognition of Wally Wikoff, NSPA’s former executive director in the 1970s. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and must submit three published editorials, along with an adviser recommendation letter. View Ajith’s editorials here.

See the finalists list with links and screenshot images

Contact Kathy Huting, NSPA contest and critique coordinator, at kathy@studentpress.org

The 2010 NSPA Online Pacemaker contest saw a dramatic increase of 70 percent in entry totals from the 2009 contest. 132 high school websites entered the 2010 contest. The judging team included professionals and educators with extensive online media experience, and they made their selections based on excellence in the following areas: content and coverage, site design, ease of navigation, interactivity/multimedia and writing and editing. For the first time, entries were divided into two categories based on school enrollment.

The winners will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism convention in Portland on Saturday, April 17. Comments from the judges will be published shortly after the convention.

View the Digital Yearbook Pacemaker Finalists

View the Magazine Pacemaker Finalists

Finalists in two more categories of the NSPA spring 2010 Pacemaker contests have been announced: the 2009 Digital Yearbook Pacemakers and the 2009 Magazine Pacemakers.

The staff of the Alaska Quarterly Review judged the Magazine Pacemaker contest. 61 total NSPA magazines entered the contest, which represents a slight increase from the 2008 contest. Entries were selected based on excellence in content, writing, editing, photography, art, graphics, design and concept or theme.

The 2009 Digital Yearbook Pacemaker contest was judged by Dana Benson, a 30-year veteran of Twin Cities television news and current instructor at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 28 total digital yearbooks entered the contest. Benson commented that the finalists displayed creative design, complete coverage, strong editing, effective graphics and interactivity. A stand-alone DVD category was offered this year, however, no entries were selected as finalists.

The winners will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism convention in Portland on Saturday, April 17. Comments from the judges will be published shortly after the convention.

Contact Kathy Huting, contest and critique coordinator, kathy@studentpress.org

2009 NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker Finalists Announced

View the finalists list

The 2009 NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker yielded a total of 425 entries, which represents an increase from the 2008 contest and a record total in recent years. A team of four judges with extensive yearbook and professional journalism experience traveled to Minneapolis in late January to make the selections.

All high school entries were divided into four proportionate categories based on total page count, and junior high books were judged separately in one category. Judges completed an initial elimination round and considered a number of factors as disqualifiers. These included illegal photo usage, along with a lack of the following: index, captions, body copy, book identification, colophon or identification of school.

After the elimination round, judges spent a day and a half selecting 52 high school yearbook finalists and six junior high finalists. An additional four junior high yearbooks were selected for special recognition.

The primary factors considered by the judging team included: concept/theme, complete coverage, excellent photography (with an emphasis on student work), effective design and strong writing and editing. Judges also considered books that pushed the envelope and experimented with design or concept, for example.

The Pacemaker winners will be announced for the first time at the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Portland, April 15-18. Registration is now open online at studentpress.org/nspa.

A video with comments from the judging team is embedded above.

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A quick quiz: You are the editor of your public school’s student newspaper and receive the following three unsolicited ads, along with the proper payment for publication in your paper’s next issue. Which, if any, can you legally refuse to publish?

1. “It is time for every white man and white woman to regain our position and take back the Earth from Jews, homosexuals and other inferior races. For more information, check out our website.”

2. “Pepe’s Pizza. Special: 99-cent Slices. This Week Only!”

3. “Vote Jane Doe for School Board.” (You published her opponent John Doe’s political ad in your last issue).

Answer: You can reject any or all of them — provided only you and other students are involved in making the decision.

Recently, student media across the country have received an advertisement — similar to the first example — for a white supremacist website, reportedly paid for by a group promoting a “campaign to inform, awaken and radicalize our White American youth.” In recent years, student media have also been targeted by groups wanting to run ads denying the Holocaust, attacking Muslims or pushing some other controversial idea or message. Such ads are often submitted not so much for the sake of publication, but to stir up controversy and capitalize off of the public outrage inevitably directed against the student media organization that published the ad (or in some cases, the school official(s) who censored the ad). From student demonstrations, to newspaper thefts to demands that editors and advisers be fired, advertisers know such controversies will keep their agendas in the public spotlight. It is a strategy that has worked all too well, with student media frequently caught off guard, usually without a plan or advertising policy in place and sometimes for no other reason than staffers assumed they had to play along and publish the ad.

What many people don’t know, however, is that the First Amendment protects not only one’s right to speak, but also their right not to speak, to refuse to be associated with ideas or opinions with which they disagree or simply don’t like. As the student editor of a school newspaper, yearbook or other student publication, this generally gives you the right to reject material submitted by third parties — such as ads (classified or regular), letters to editor, guest columns, reader feedback for online stories, etc. — for any reason or for no reason. That remains true even if your reasoning might seem unfair or tick off a potential advertiser.

There is, though, a potentially big “if.”

If you are the editor of a student publication at a public school and if school administrators (including faculty advisers) are involved in rejecting the ad, things can become more complicated. (Student media at a private school retain the right to reject virtually all outside submissions — no matter who makes the decision.)

That’s because the First Amendment limits censorship by government officials — which includes a public high school principal or a public college president, for example — and an advertiser may try to claim that by refusing to publish his or her ad, the government has censored their speech and violated the First Amendment. It may not be an argument that will win very often, but it has worked before and it has certainly led to a number of messy and costly court battles to sort things out.

On the other hand, courts have found that student journalists working on student-edited media are not government officials (the fact that a school provides financial support, operating space or an adviser to student media will typically not be enough to alter that finding.) As private individuals, they are not bound by the First Amendment, which means that a court will categorize a student editor’s rejection of an ad as simply an editorial decision, not an act of potentially unlawful censorship. While a student editor might be criticized for being inconsistent or unfair for refusing to run an ad, neither they nor their school can successfully be sued as long as only students were involved in making the decision. (Note, though, that while student editors or ad managers, acting alone, generally have the right to reject any ad they choose, this right probably only exists until a contract is formed. Once a student media organization agrees to run an ad, it generally must do so or risk paying contractual damages.)

This is not to say that public school officials can never step in to reject an advertisement submitted to student media, but they must do so with the understanding that there is some — and sometimes considerable — legal risk involved. Unlike student staffers, they are not simply making editorial decisions; a public school official’s rejection of an advertisement will always legally be classified as censorship regardless of his or her motives and regardless of whether, in the end, a court upholds the censorship as legally justified. (In fact, the risk of a First Amendment lawsuit may be two-fold if school officials censor an ad that a student editor actually wants to run.)

There is little doubt student media will continue to be targeted by those seeking exposure for their controversial messages. It is a strategy that costs advertisers little, but has and continues to generate publicity far exceeding the reach of a typical 3-inch ad. Fortunately, student media staffs can reduce the risk of being unwitting pawns in such promotional stunts by understanding their options and giving some thought to how they want to handle controversial ads before being unwillingly thrust into the hot seat.

Mike Hiestand is an attorney, based in the far, upper left corner of the “Lower 48,” and works as a legal consultant to the Student Press Law Center.

Thomas E. Rolnicki, former executive director of the National Scholastic Press Association, died Dec. 20. He was 60.

Rolnicki was NSPA’s executive director from 1980 until 2006. In his capacity as director, he wrote and edited several publications for NSPA and its college branch, the Associated Collegiate Press. He was a co-author of the journalism textbook “Scholastic Journalism.” During his career, he spoke at journalism conventions and workshops throughout the United States and internationally. He received the Carl Towley Award and Medal of Merit awards from the Journalism Education Association, the Gold Key from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and a Newspaper Fund Merit Award.

Immediately prior to joining NSPA, Rolnicki was editor of publications for the Office of Admissions at the University of Minnesota. He also was director of JEA’s Summer Seminar for teachers and other professionals. Rolnicki had taught journalism courses and directed summer journalism workshops at Iowa State University, where he also served as technical, editorial and business adviser for publications.

He had also taught journalism, English and photography and was adviser to student publications at two high schools, one in Iowa and one in Wisconsin. Rolnicki had served JEA as vice president and as Midwest regional director, and he had been treasurer of the Iowa School Press Association.

Rolnicki received his master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University. He received a B.S. degree in journalism and secondary education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

He was a native of Wausau, Wis., where funeral services are pending.

UPDATE: Visitation will be 9:30-11:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 700 W. Bridge Street in Wausau, Wis., 54401. A funeral mass will follow at 11:30 a.m. at the church.

The family is requesting memorial gifts be made in Rolnicki’s name to the Student Press Law Center. Condolences can be mailed to the family at the church or to his mother, Polly Rolnicki, 817 N. First Ave., Wausau, Wis., 54401.

Click here to view Rolnicki’s obituary in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Contact: Logan Aimone, executive director, (612) 625-7359

National Scholastic Press Association Board of Directors adds two members

MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 28, 2009) — The Board of Directors of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) has appointed two new members to its Board of Directors. The two new directors join nine directors. The new members have two-year terms.

Chris Ison is an award-winning journalist and a former reporter and editor for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. He was the paper’s assistant managing editor for investigative projects for three years and won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting in 1990. He has won numerous national, regional and state awards. Ison was editor-in-chief at The Minnesota Daily at the University of Minnesota. Now, as an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Ison teaches public affairs reporting, news reporting and writing, advanced reporting methods and media ethics. Ison is one of three representatives from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication outlined in NSPA’s charter.

David Therkelsen is currently the executive director of Crisis Connection, a nonprofit agency that provides crisis counseling by telephone. From 1978-2006, he served in a variety of senior management roles with the American Red Cross, including CEO of the St. Paul Area chapter. He holds a B.A. in journalism and political science form Metropolitan State University and the University of Minnesota and a M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. He also writes, teaches and lectures in journalism and public relations. Therkelsen has participated on NSPA’s Finance and Investment Committee for the past year and joins the Board of Directors as treasurer.

About NSPA
NSPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization headquartered and incorporated in Minnesota. Memberships for middle school, junior high school and high school student media are organized under the Minnesota High School Press Association division of NSPA. Memberships for college, university and professional and technical school student media are organized under the Associated Collegiate Press division of NSPA. Memberships are open to all student media at public and private schools at an annual membership fee.
Each division of NSPA provides journalism education training programs, publishes journalism education materials, provides media critique and recognition programs for members, provides information on developments in journalism and student media and provides a forum for members to communicate with others and share their work. NSPA and its divisions cooperate with other student media associations and other non-student groups and businesses that share its mission to educate and recognize the work of student journalists, to improve the quality of student media and to foster careers in media.

# # #

The Newspaper Pacemaker contest is co-sponsored by the Newspaper Association of America Foundation and this year’s contest was judged by a group of Seattle area professional journalists. The contest yielded a total of 339 entries and categories included: Newspapers 1-16 pages, Newspapers 17 or more pages, Newsmagazines and Jr. High/Middle School Newspapers.

Winners will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14.

Entries were judged based on the following criteria:

• Coverage and content
  Were all aspects of student life covered (academics/sports/clubs/local news, etc.)? Was the use of wire/syndicated copy limited (especially on pg. 1)? Was there evidence of sound news judgment?
• Quality of writing and reporting
  Was the writing concise and the reporting thorough? Was writing free of opinion (with the exception of editorials or columns)? Was the copy edited for consistent style?
• Leadership on the opinion page
  Did staff editorials, cartoons and letters supplement personal columns? Did the staff demonstrate sensitivity to controversial topics? Was the content of the editorial page consequential?
• Evidence of in-depth reporting
  Did major stories show evidence of multiple sources?
  Are series or depth pieces prominent in entered issues?
• Layout and design
  Was the look of the paper clean and contemporary? Was a consistent modular page makeup used throughout the publication? Did designers establish a clear visual hierarchy for readers?
• Photography, art and graphics
  Did visuals enhance the verbal content and draw the reader in? Did visuals improve the reader’s understanding of the accompanying story? Were photos properly credited? Was the quality of photos and art technically excellent?

View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/npm09.html

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The Broadcast Pacemaker contest is co-sponsored by SchoolTube.com and the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation. This is the second year that NSPA has accepted entries online through SchoolTube.com. Entries consisted of an entire broadcast news program no longer than 20 minutes.

Entries were judged based on the following criteria:

• Content/Coverage
• Relevancy to audience, significance of subjects covered
• Writing and editing of the script
• Language appropriate to audience, smooth transitions
• Recording and editing of the show
• Good connections between segments
• Interviewing skills
• Interviews were conversational
• Technical quality
• Lighting framing, audio

View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/bpm09.html

Comments from all judging teams will be published on the NSPA website after winners have been announced in Washington, D.C.

Please contact Kathy Huting, NPSA Contest and Critique Coordinator, with questions at kathy@studentpress.org.

The Story of the Year contest is co-sponsored by the American Society of News Editors. Multimedia Package was offered as a new category this year, and other categories included: News, Feature, Editorial, Sports and Diversity.

Judges selected finalists based on the following criteria:

• Value, importance or worth of story
• Quality of reporting and quotes
• Quality of writing and editing
• Credibility and leadership

Multimedia Packages were judged on the criteria listed above, along with innovation in use of multimedia (audio, video, slide shows, graphics, etc.), technical quality of multimedia elements and adherence to copyright laws.
?View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/story09.html

The first place winners in each category will compete for the $1,000 Brasler Prize, judged by Wayne Brasler of University High School in Chicago.

Places will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14.

—–

The Broadcast Story of the Year contest is co-sponsored by SchoolTube.com and the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation. This is the second year that NSPA has accepted entries online through SchoolTube.com. The categories offered were News, Sports and Feature and the contest yielded a total of 99 entries, an increase of about 23 percent from 2008.

Entries were judged based on the following criteria:

• Content/Coverage
• Writing and editing of the script
• Recording and editing of the show
• Interviewing skills
• Technical quality

View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/bcstory09.html

Comments from all judging teams will be published on the NSPA website after winners have been announced in Washington, D.C.

Please contact Kathy Huting, NPSA Contest and Critique Coordinator, with questions at kathy@studentpress.org.

The Design of the Year awards are co-sponsored by Adobe Systems and were accepted through online submission for the first time this year. Categories included Illustration, Infographic, Newspaper Page One, Newspaper Page/Spread, Yearbook Page/Spread and Magazine Page/Spread. The contest yielded a total of 427 entries. First place winners in each categories receive software complimentary of Adobe Systems. Places will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14.

Judges selected finalists based on the following criteria:

• Effective use of photos, color, art, graphics and typography
• Established visual hierarchy
• News judgment for Newspaper Page One
• Contemporary appeal
• Suitability for respective audience

View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/design09.html

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The Cartooning Awards are co-sponsored by the Universal Press Syndicate and yielded a total of 158 entries in two categories: Editorial Cartoon and Comic Panel/Strip. Winners receive cash prizes courtesy of UPS.

Cartoon entries were judged based on:

• Reader impact
• Community importance
• Artistic quality
• Originality, clarity of message

View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/cartoon09.html

Comments from all judging teams will be published on the NSPA website after winners have been announced in Washington, D.C.

Please contact Kathy Huting, NPSA Contest and Critique Coordinator, with questions at kathy@studentpress.org.

Mike Hiestand, legal consultant for the Student Press Law Center, has been assisting students, advisers and administrators with questions about scholastic press law since 1991. In that time, he has helped an estimated 14,000 people. He is a regular speaker for NSPA at conventions, and he writes the “It’s the Law” column for the NSPA website.

Monica Hill, executive director of the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, leads the fight for scholastic journalists in North Carolina. Previously, she held a similar role for the Alabama Scholastic Press Association. Hill is also a member of the NSPA Board of Directors and has been a frequent convention speaker and contest judge.

Mark Newton advises the Eagle Eye newspaper and Aerie yearbook at Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., and advised the Orange and Black newsmagazine at Grand Junction (Colo.) High School. A popular speaker at summer workshops and state and national conventions, Newton also serves the Journalism Education Association as the chair of its Certification Commission.

Tracy Anne Sena advises the Broadview newspaper at Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco. She is a member of JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission and an officer in the Columbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association and JEA of Northern California. She is a leader in student media technology issues and instruction in California and nationwide.

Linda Shockley is the deputy director of the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, which promotes careers in print and online journalism. In addition to her work with DJNF’s teacher recognition programs, workshops and scholarships, Shockley is a regular presenter at national conventions as part of the Outreach Academy steering committee.

These five individuals will be honored at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C., at the adviser luncheon Nov. 14.

NSPA maintains a composite plaque of Pioneers and displays it at the JEA/NSPA national conventions. Candidates are nominated and selected by previous Pioneer Award winners.

In the past, NSPA has published the places of the winners in the initial contest announcements but this year, the places will not be announced until the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14.

The Picture of the Year contest is co-sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association and honors student photographers in six categories: News, Feature, Sports Action, Sports Reaction, Environmental Portrait and Jr. High/Middle School. This is the second year that NSPA has accepted Picture of the Year entries online, and the contest yielded a total of 886 entries, which represents an increase of about two percent from last year. Entries were judged based on technical quality, artistic value and journalistic content.

View the list of finalists here:
http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/photo09.html

Comments from all judging teams will be published on the NSPA website after winners have been announced in Washington, D.C.

Please contact Kathy Huting, NSPA Contest and Critique Coordinator, with questions at kathy@studentpress.org.

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.

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 website 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 website critiques, now available using this entry form. Whether your publication website 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 website’s growth.

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.

• 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!

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.

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 websites. 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

“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.

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.

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

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 website.

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.

Winners from these contests will be announced for the first time at the Spring JEA/NSPA Spring National Convention in Phoenix in April.

Judges’ comments for all three categories will be posted following the convention.

The NSPA Online Pacemaker contest saw an increase from 50 entries in 2008 to 70 this year. The entries were judged by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 15 publications were selected as the 2009 Online Pacemaker finalists. websites were judged based on excellence in content, site design, ease of navigation, writing/editing and multimedia content. The judges commented that the top sites displayed clean, contemporary design and effective use of multimedia elements, along with other factors mentioned above.

The 2008 Literary Magazine Pacemaker contest was judged by the staff of The Virginia Quarterly Review. 12 finalists were selected out of the 58 total entries. Judging was based on: Content; quality of writing and editing; photography, art and graphics; layout and design; overall concept or theme. Judges noted that the top entries were particularly innovative with design, exhibited stunning photographs and artwork and produced particularly sophisticated content.

The 2008 Digital Yearbook Pacemaker was judged by Jerry Broeckert, a University of Minnesota instructor practiced in multimedia. Out of 28 total entries, eight finalists were selected. Broeckert commented that the top publications displayed solid storytelling efforts through reporting and used more than just music under photos, video and interviews. Those that placed also enhanced the total package by use of different media and by showing the audience much more than just what was inside the yearbook. A stand-alone DVD category was introduced this year, however, no finalists were selected.

View video of judges discussing selected entries:

Kathy Huting, NSPA contest and critique coordinator, provides the following report on judging, with comments from the judges:

The 2008 NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker contest saw a dramatic increase in high school and Junior High entries, suggesting the continued acclaim for the contest. Four judges with extensive publication experience traveled to Minneapolis in late January to participate in the judging process.

Categories were arranged proportionately according to page number, and middle school/junior high entries were judged as a whole. After an intensive initial cut lasting several hours, judges methodically narrowed down the entries.

Judges looked for a number of factors, including excellent photography, complete coverage, innovative design and exemplary copy. Out of the 422 total entries, 57 high school and middle school yearbooks were chosen as Pacemaker finalists.

The judges often noted that the process was a difficult one because of the considerable amount of top-notch books, and also mentioned wanting to spend much more time looking through the outstanding entries.

The Pacemaker winners will be announced at the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Phoenix, April 16-19. Register online for the convention on the NSPA website.

Judges were asked to provide written comments about what they looked for, which are posted below.

I look for complete coverage, both in depth and breadth. There are some must-haves, like accurate scoreboards with scores, not just a list of wins and losses or an overall record, for all sports. Another must is a complete index where the reader can find not only names but also listings for specific sports, clubs, classes, events and advertisers.

Beyond the must-haves, I look for coverage that tells a complete story on more than one level. That includes storytelling and candid photos with complete captions. It means copy is filled with meaningful quotes that give the reader a sense of the event or the class or the season. It means there’s secondary coverage that provides additional layers to the coverage.

I also look for books that have experimented with different forms of coverage, whether it be through incorporating a variety of moods or through rethinking the presentation with topical or umbrella coverage.

The bottom line is that the staff captured the entire year in coverage that extends beyond the obvious and presented it in ways that appeal to readers.

I believe that a Pacemaker recognizes a publication that showcases strong student work in all areas of publishing — writing, design, photography and concept. The finalists took 2007-08 and created a unique publication that gave us, the judges, a sense of what the year was like for this specific group of students.

Staffs and advisers need to continue to educate themselves on the copyright laws and make sure that any work included in the yearbook follows the law in terms of appropriate permissions or fair use, and proper credit.

The best books showed the reader the story through interesting and multi-layered coverage, good photography, stunning copy, meticulous editing and creative design. In some instances, I had to force myself to stop looking and reading the book.

The multi-layered approach was a key element. Not only did the top publications have all the essentials (scoreboards, an index, identifications, etc.) they also had complete captions, infographics and well written copy.  Often, the best stories captured what it was like to be at the event covered. Attention to story telling details, such as editing and use of quality quotes, helped the story progress.

Publication staffs should recognize work in the publication through proper credits — all photos and writing should include credits.

It was fun to see how staffs chose to cover the presidential campaign. The best publications localized the coverage so that it spoke to the experiences of their student body.

Strong photography is essential to a Pacemaker publication (and all others as well). This means images that tell stories to the reader, that show action or reaction, that are technically competent (this means avoiding pixelation!), and that demonstrate good composition. The best publications showed us amazing photographs that we wanted to look at, not the same images we see every year.

I was most attracted to books with creative design. The books I loved had a unique theme or personality that was carried out visually in the design.

Books that had strong photography also caught my eye. So many of the books captured awesome action shots.

Basic design principals also rated high for me. Books that were well done had nice typography, great photography, clear concept and hierarchy of elements.

Overall, the best books were the ones that were beautiful to look at AND interesting to read. Many of them I didn’t want to put down!

I was most concerned about the lack of photo credits in some books. Some very nice books didn’t make the cut for me because of illegal use of copyright images. It’s just not acceptable to download images from the Web without permission for publication.

In general, I was very impressed at the quality of the top books.

2008 NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker Entry Form

2008 NSPA Literary Magazine Pacemaker Entry Form

2008 NSPA Digital Yearbook Pacemaker Entry Form

2008 NSPA Online Pacemaker Entry Form (Web form)

In addition to the Pacemaker awards, there are some scholarships and other individual awards you can apply for using the following forms:

2009 NSPA Journalism Honor Roll

2009 NSPA Wikoff Scholarship for Editorial Leadership

2009 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards

Deadline is Feb. 2 for the RFK awards and Feb. 17 for the Honor Roll and Wikoff awards. Don’t let the deadlines sneak up on you after holiday or semester break: enter today!

The $1,000 award is given to the best of the First Place winners in the five Story of the Year categories. Wayne Brasler judges the contest himself, and these were his comments on the winning story:

In a cinematic sights-and-sounds, you are there, depth sports feature of great sweep, keen-eyed detail, and capturing of quotes which consistently shine as authentic and in the moment, Chelsea Long offers a miniature film-in-print on every game played bythe lacrosse team at Rock Canyon High.  Long achieves a notable writer’s voice–a sense of presence, style and a bird’s-eye view–without ever once intruding into the story or editorializing. Nothing seems to have escaped the reporter’s eye and the decisions about what to include seem unerring. Though lengthy, the feature achieves a fast pace and rich texture start to finish.  The story was presented in a sterling four-page package with ample sidebars including “Meet the characters,” which pictures and profiles major figures in the story. Outstanding photography enhances the package. This is ambitious work carried off with both excellence and flair.

Click here to download a PDF of Chelsea’s winning article, and here to see the other Story of the Year winners, with links to PDFs of the additional First Place winners.

Given that there likely isn’t a professional newspaper in the United States with a name like Knightly News or Bear Facts, we couldn’t resist trying to find out what such a list would look like for the 3,594 high school newspapers in NSPA’s database. Here, courtesy of TagCrowd and Wordle, the same two sites used by 10,000 Words to create their list, are the results:

1. times (129)
2. news (81)
3. press (79)
4. eagle (79)
5. paw (64)
6. voice (63)
7. eye (56)
8. tiger (56)
9. chronicle (53)
10. panther (45)
11. print (43)
12. talon (43)
13. journal (37)
14. tales (36)
15. roar (34)
16. blue (34)
17. viking (32)
18. bulldog (33)
19. echo (32)
20. trojan (32)
21. cougar (30)
22. review (30)
23. lion (29)
24. express (29)
25. cardinal (28)
26. rampage (28)
27. tribune (28)
28. herald (26)
29. star (26)
30. pride (25)
31. advocate (23)
32. bear (23)
33. gazette (23)
34. pirate (23)
35. post (23)
36. raider (23)
37. shield (23)
38. patriot (22)
39. scroll (22)
40. white (22)
41. falcon (21)
42. gold (21)
43. oracle (21)
44. student (21)
45. red (20)
46. smoke (20)
47. spectrum (20)
48. talk (20)
49. tracks (20)
50. warrior (20)

If you ran the names of all of the students at your school through one of these two sites, it would make an easy, fun feature graphic for your school yearbook or newspaper. That’s just one of the potential applications of tools like these.

UPDATE: Here, by request, is the list and tag cloud for the 3,872 yearbooks in NSPA’s database:

1 tiger (51)
2 legend (44)
3 panther (43)
4 talon (42)
5 eagle (40)
6 pride (37)
7 shield (33)
8 reflections (31)
9 tales (29)
10 log (27)
11 legacy (24)
12 cardinal (23)
13 echo (23)
14 aerie (22)
15 falcon (22)
16 odyssey (22)
17 excalibur (21)
18 trojan (21)
19 wildcat (21)
20 bulldog (20)
21 lion (20)
22 cougar (19)
23 saga (19)
24 mustang (18)
25 viking (18)
26 warrior (17)
27 golden (16)
28 paw (16)
29 spirit (16)
30 aquila (15)
31 heritage (15)
32 hornet (15)
33 crusader (15)
34 gold (14)
35 patriot (14)
36 trail (14)
37 valhalla (14)
38 polaris (13)
39 prowler (13)
40 tracks (13)
41 blue (12)
42 chieftain (12)
43 lance (12)
44 memories (12)
45 rebel (12)
46 reflector (12)
47 accolade (11)
48 bruin (11)
49 pioneer (11)
50 summit (11)

Contact: Logan Aimone, executive director, (612) 625-7359

National Scholastic Press Association appoints members to Board of Directors, Finance Committee

MINNEAPOLIS (October 1, 2008) — The Board of Directors of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) has appointed two new members to its Board of Directors and an outside adviser to its finance/investment committee. The two new directors will join seven directors. All new members have two-year terms.

Tim Dorway has been principal of Mayo High School in Rochester, Minn., since 2006. He is a former journalism educator, advising the newspaper and yearbook staffs at Park High School in Cottage Grove, Minn., from 1996-2002. He was an assistant principal at Owatonna (Minn.) High School for four years. He earned a B.S. in English language arts from Winona State University and a M.A. and administrative credential from St. Mary’s University. While Dorway was publications adviser, Park High School was nationally recognized twice for its support of the First Amendment. Dorway will serve NSPA’s board in the role of treasurer.

Monica Hill is the director of the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association, based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also working to establish the North Carolina College Media Association. She previously directed the Alabama Scholastic Press Association. She earned a B.A. in journalism from Auburn University, a M.A. in journalism from the University of Alabama and a M.Ed. from the University of Montevallo. Hill served as vice head and head of the Scholastic Journalism Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

David Therkelsen is currently the executive director of Crisis Connection. From 1978-2006, he served in a variety of senior management roles with the American Red Cross, including CEO of the St. Paul Area chapter. He holds a B.A. in journalism and political science form Metropolitan State University and the University of Minnesota and a M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. He also writes, teaches and lectures in journalism and public relations. Therkelsen will participate on NSPA’s Finance and Investment Committee with three members of the Board of Directors.

About NSPA
NSPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization headquartered and incorporated in Minnesota. Memberships for middle school, junior high school and high school student media are organized under the Minnesota High School Press Association division of NSPA. Memberships for college, university and professional and technical school student media are organized under the Associated Collegiate Press division of NSPA. Memberships are open to all student media at public and private schools at an annual membership fee.
Each division of NSPA provides journalism education training programs, publishes journalism education materials, provides media critique and recognition programs for members, provides information on developments in journalism and student media and provides a forum for members to communicate with others and share their work. NSPA and its divisions cooperate with other student media associations and other non-student groups and businesses that share its mission to educate and recognize the work of student journalists, to improve the quality of student media and to foster careers in media.

# # #

It is editorial endorsement season in America. Over the next several weeks, as the November election approaches, the editorial staffs of newspapers across the country will gather to decide whose name they will put forward on their editorial pages as the best candidate and which issues they believe are worthy of reader support.

And while most of the editorial staff and readers of high school student media may not be able to cast a vote (some can, of course), the candidates elected and the issues being debated have as much — and in some cases, much more — direct impact on students than they do on more senior voters. High school-aged students will be living on this planet longer than their parents and grandparents and their stake, for example, in how a candidate has voted on environmental issues is arguably greater. The same holds true for issues such as government deficits, which our youngest citizens will likely be responsible for paying down, or government-supported social programs, which they may be called upon to prop up. Who knows better whether a school levy is truly needed than those who partake of a public school’s services and use its facilities every day? And, of course, 18-year-old’s far outnumber the 50 year-old’s who find themselves in a military combat zone. For many soon-to-be 18-year-old’s, a candidate’s war stance is more than just something to debate over dinner, it’s their future.

Whether or not to publish a political endorsement is, however, an editorial decision and it makes sense for students to spend some time addressing the pros and cons of endorsements. In fact, some newspapers frown on the practice, feeling that the press should stick to providing neutral information and not be in the business of choosing sides. But that is probably the minority view, and publishing endorsements remains a common practice. As one editor put it, “The only purpose of an editorial column is to render opinions on public issues, and no public issue is as important as an election.”

Unfortunately, for high school student newspapers that choose to do so, deciding who or what to endorse is sometimes the easy part. In some cases, overcoming administrative censorship of their endorsements can be a bigger problem.

For student journalists in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts and Oregon — the seven states that currently have student free expression laws on their books — censorship is not a legal option for school officials. Assuming the endorsements are not otherwise unlawful (for example, they are not libelous, obscene, seriously disruptive, etc.), state law protects the right of students in those states to have their views read or heard. (State regulations and/or state constitutional provisions in Pennsylvania and Washington may provide similar protection.) Likewise, students whose publications operate as “public forums” should also be legally protected from censorship and allowed to publish any lawful editorial endorsement. (While it can get complicated, a public forum exists where student editors — either by district or school policy or by longstanding practice — have been allowed to decide what to publish. Much more information is available on the Student Press Law Center website.)

For all other public high school students, however, the censorship question is less certain. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled in its Hazelwood decision that school officials could censor school-sponsored student media where they could show they had a reasonable educational justification for doing so. The Court gave several examples of student speech that would meet such a standard. Among them, the Court said that it was reasonable for school officials to censor student speech that would “associate the school with any position other than neutrality on matters of political controversy.” While there has yet to be a case specifically addressing the issue, that probably would include an editorial endorsement in a school-sponsored student newspaper where readers might reasonably be confused into thinking the school or school officials were taking sides.

Still, nothing in Hazelwood requires administrative censorship. And by keeping in mind the following suggestions, students should be able to avoid the censorship trap.

1. Publish a disclaimer such as the following:

“The Student Times is edited and produced by students attending Central High School. The views expressed are solely those of the identified authors or the student editorial staff and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Central School District, Central High School or its administrators, faculty, newspaper adviser or other staff. All comments regarding the news or viewpoints expressed in the Student Times should be directed to its student editor-in-chief, who is responsible for all of the student newspaper’s content. The editor-in-chief can be reached by e-mail at: eic@studenttimes.org or by calling the Student Times newsroom at: (555) 555-5555.”

The notice should be prominently displayed on the editorial page. Making clear that students, not the school officials, are responsible for the newspaper’s contents should eliminate the school’s claim that readers would think the school itself is playing favorites. Indeed, adding such a disclaimer for the benefit of readers is a good practice for all student media to follow, regardless of whether or not censorship is a threat.

2. Keep the adviser (and all other school officials) out of the editorial decision-making process. He or she is, in the eyes of the law, a government employee just like the principal or superintendent. Laws do restrict public employees from engaging in political speech while on the job. These laws, however, do not apply to students, who are neither employees nor agents of the school. By keeping the final decision regarding who or what to endorse student-only, a student staff can avoid unnecessary complications. (Note that once an endorsement has been written, an adviser can assist in checking it over for spelling/grammar issues, just as they might normally do for other material.)

3. Write well. Recent court decisions indicate school officials will have a more difficult time getting away with censorship of an endorsement that is well-reasoned, relies on accurate facts, is free of grammar and spelling errors and is otherwise journalistically sound. Remember, school officials have to demonstrate a reasonable educational justification for their censorship. Don’t make it easy for them.

4. Where censorship is threatened, remind school officials that their suppression of a well-reasoned, well-written, fairly debated editorial endorsement — censorship that the student staff will not simply take lying down — is likely going to attract more attention and be more controversial than the endorsement, if left alone, ever would. As happens in almost every case like this, news media, community leaders, civil rights organizations and politicians will be quick to jump on a news story about a school that silences students peacefully attempting to have their voice heard on important issues of the day.

While our youngest citizens might not be able to actually pull the lever in a voting booth, they should certainly be permitted — even encouraged — to think and talk to others about what they would do if they could. The stakes are high for all Americans.

2008 NSPA Broadcast Pacemaker Finalists

2008 NSPA Broadcast Story of the Year Winners

NSPA is partnering with SchoolTube.com this year to publish the winning contest entries. Watch the pages above for embedded video players coming soon that will show the winning broadcasts. More information about the partnership is available here.

2008 NSPA Story of the Year Winners

2008 NSPA Picture of the Year Winners

2008 NSPA Design of the Year Winners

2008 NSPA Cartooning Award Winners

Later in the fall, at the above pages, there will be links to publication images and comments from the judges. These winners will be honored at the JEA/NSPA convention Nov. 13-16, 2008 in St. Louis. Here is a press release for the Individual Awards:

The National Scholastic Press Association is pleased to announce the winners in the 2008 Story of the Year, Photo Excellence, Design of the Year and Cartooning contests. Broadcast awards will be announced at a later date.

The Story of the Year contest recognizes initiative and original reporting of a situation, problem or issue affecting students. Students entered stories in the categories of news, feature, sports, editorial and diversity. Judges selected finalists based on the following criteria: Impact of story on the audience, quality of reporting and quotes, writing and editing, credibility and sensitivity. Out of the 868 total entries, judges from the American Society of Newspaper Editors chose 25 winners. The five First Place-winning stories will be entered into competition for the Brasler Prize, which includes a $1,000 cash award. The Brasler Prize winner will be announced at the convention in St. Louis.

The Photo Excellence contest honors student photographers in the categories of general news, spot news, feature, sports, environmental portrait and picture story. Judges selected finalists based on technical quality, artistic value and journalistic content. Out of the 866 entries, judges from the following organizations selected 36 winners: Panorama Productions & Digital Services, National Press Photographers Association and Discovery Communications.

The Design of the Year contest honors visual excellence in the scholastic press and is co-sponsored by Adobe Systems. Judges from Adobe selected the finalists based on the following criteria: contemporary appeal, trends, effective use of photos, color, art, graphics, typography and suitability for the respective audiences. Out of the 578 entries, 33 winners were selected. Due to the number of entries, only honorable mentions were awarded in the Literary Magazine Page/Spread category.

The Cartooning awards are co-sponsored by Universal Press Syndicate and the contest is divided in the categories of editorial cartoon and comic strip or panel. Entries were judged based on reader impact, community importance, artistic quality, originality and clarity of message. Out of the 194 entries, judges from Universal Press Syndicate chose six winners.

The winners will be honored at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in St. Louis on Nov. 15. Registration for the convention is now available online at www.studentpress.org/nspa.

NSPA encourages properly cited use of this information for individual press releases. Please contact Kathy Huting, contest and critique coordinator, at kathy@studentpress.org for further information.

The National Scholastic Press Association is a non-profit education organization which strives to educate and recognize the work of student journalists, to improve the quality of student media and to foster careers in media.

# # #

Later in the fall, at the above page, there will be links to publication images and comments from the judges. Pacemaker winners will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA convention Nov. 13-16, 2008 in St. Louis. Here is a press release for the Newspaper Pacemakers:

The National Scholastic Press Association is pleased to announce the 2008 Newspaper Pacemaker finalists. Out of 373 newspaper entries in four categories, judges from The Virginian-Pilot selected 56 entries for recognition. The list of finalists is available at: http://nspa.studentpress.org/winners/npm08.html

Newspaper finalists were chosen based on excellence in the following areas: Coverage and content, quality of writing, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, layout and design, and photography, art and graphics.

The winners will be honored at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention awards ceremony in St. Louis on Nov. 15. Registration for the convention is now available online at www.studentpress.org/nspa. Since 1927, the Pacemaker has been the highest honor available to NSPA members and today is considered one of the most prestigious awards in scholastic journalism.

NSPA encourages properly cited use of this information for individual press releases. Please contact Kathy Huting, contest and critique coordinator, for further information at kathy -at- studentpress -dot- org.

The National Scholastic Press Association is a non-profit education organization which strives to educate and recognize the work of student journalists, to improve the quality of student media and to foster careers in media.

# # #

Update (Nov. 18, 2008): The Newspaper Pacemaker judges from the Virginian-Pilot have provided general comments on the contest judging:

“Overall, the high school newspapers were a revelation. I was impressed with the breadth of their coverage — everything from fights in school to teenage sex — and the overall organization and design. Students at many of the schools are served well by their papers’ watchdog roles. Some of the publications, including many of the magazines, were truly amazing — the kinds of publications that could stand up to those produced by professionals. The writing often was pedestrian, but at times, it sang and I couldn’t put the papers down. Though I appreciated the various views expressed on the opinion pages, these more often than not left me wanting more: stronger topics, stronger stands, a little risk, a little humor. Photography also was hit and miss — let’s see more photojournalism and better cropping. The success of the design often hinged on the success of the content, as it should. Well-designed packages were often broken into small bits or had multiple points of entry, and I think that success can be attributed to the planning and editing that went into some of the sections. I truly hope students are reading these publications because they often provide a window to their world and can help them navigate those difficult teenage years.”

. . .

“The quality of the high school newspapers was very good overall, remarkable in some instances. In fact, in terms of content and design, the winning publications were every bit as strong as many weekly public newspapers.
If I had one nit, it would be that overall, the quality of the photography was not strong.”

. . .

“Having never judged a Pacemaker competition before, I was blown away at the quality of newspaper around the country. I kept thinking: ‘I wish my high school newspaper had looked like this, and had given me such wonderful experience before I ventured to college.’ The breadth of subjects, the creativity of teens, it truly was amazing. Even with newspapers that didn’t win, just having the experience of writing, taking photos, editing, laying out copy and following the process from beginning to end is testimony to the importance of keeping these publications alive and well.”

. . .

“The best publications combined excellent journalism with a graphics-forward approach.”

. . .

“There was a lot of great work being done. There were many papers that I wanted to read cover to cover, even though there wasn’t time. The papers that really stood out were the ones that tried hard to localize the national news issues and stress how they affected their audience. Also, I definitely preferred thoughtful coverage of local news events rather than the common stories every high school seems to cover (i.e. eating disorders, dating violence, teen pregnancy, etc.). If I remember correctly, there was even a paper that broke a story about a school administrator giving preferential academic treatment to a student because the two were family. I imagine that caused quite an uproar; what a scoop!”

James Crook, Ph.D., a professor emeritus and former director of the University of Tennessee School of Journalism and Electronic Media, had a long career promoting scholastic journalism through workshops, texts and teaching. He has been active in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and was its 2008 Honors Lecturer.

Beth Fitts retired from Oxford (Miss.) High School in 2006 but has remained active as a speaker and presenter at conventions and workshops around the country and as a judge in NSPA’s critique service. She was named National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year in 2003 and continues to serve as director of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association.

Kathleen Hansen is director of the Minnesota Journalism Center at the University of Minnesota, which serves as the outreach arm of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Hansen is a former member of the NSPA Board of Directors and remains active in assisting with NSPA activities in Minnesota and across the country.

Sarah Nichols advises the Details yearbook and The Roar newspaper at Whitney High School in Rocklin, Calif. She is the president of the Journalism Education Association of Northern California and the author of the 2008 revision of the NSPA Yearbook Guidebook. She is an active judge for NSPA critiques and a frequent workshop and convention speaker.

Kathy Schrier is past president of the Washington Journalism Education Association based in Seattle. Although not a regular classroom teacher and adviser, she has guided WJEA programs, including Journalism Day at the University of Washington and efforts to pass free student press legislation. She now serves as WJEA executive director.

Alan Weintraut advises The A-Blast newspaper at Annandale (Va.) High School, where he also teaches media. A popular speaker at summer workshops and state and national conventions, Weintraut is a current member of the NSPA Board of Directors and was the 2006 National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year.

Sandy Woodcock is the director of the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, based in Arlington, Va. Her work for the NAA Foundation has led to additional funding for adviser outreach and an update to landmark research about journalism education. She is also a frequent speaker and presenter at state, regional and national conventions and workshops.

These seven individuals will be honored at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in St. Louis at the adviser luncheon Nov. 15.

NSPA maintains a composite plaque of Pioneers and displays it at the JEA/NSPA national conventions. Candidates are nominated and selected by previous Pioneer Award winners.

The 223,000-square foot building, which Cronkite shares with KAET, Arizona’s public television station, reflects the most important values of great journalism. Floor-to-ceiling versions of the First Amendment are displayed on each of the six floors, and inspirational quotes about journalism and the free press are visible throughout the building to inspire the next generation of journalists.

The building features digital media laboratories, the 140-seat fully digital, Cronkite Theater, classrooms equipped with the latest technologies, seven fully equipped newsrooms, four TV studios, and a two-story area for gatherings and receptions with a 16-by-9-foot HD television called the First Amendment Forum.

JEA and NSPA will be working with the Cronkite School and the Phoenix local planning committee to determine what sessions and topics will be held at the Cronkite School. A more thorough description of these activities and program opportunities will be included in the registration booklet, which will be available in January 2009.

More information about the Cronkite School is available here: http://cronkite.asu.edu/

It’s lucky for Americans that Revolutionary War patriot and general rabble-rouser Thomas Paine wasn’t a high school student today. Had he penned his incendiary pamphlet Common Sense and posted it online from his bedroom at home, he almost certainly would have been expelled – or worse.

It has been a staple lesson of American civics that we, as citizens of our self-described free and open society, have the right to speak our minds. That freedom, we are told, is particularly important when it comes to expressing our concerns and having our voices heard with respect to how we are governed. We are taught from early on that the right to question and criticize governmental policy and authority without fear of being hanged, drawn and quartered (as happened in Paine’s day in England) – or otherwise punished by those in power is a cornerstone of the American system. And certainly, over the years there have been plenty of opportunities to test our commitment to that principle as disgruntled citizens have expressed their displeasure using words, pictures and other forms of expression that many – and in some cases, most – people would find offensive and disturbing. But, we understand, tolerating speech by others that we don’t like is the price we have to pay to ensure that our speech, which others might deem equally offensive, is protected.

That’s why it has certainly come as a shock to many, not the least of whom is Connecticut high school senior Avery Doninger, that a federal appeals court in May upheld the authority of school officials to punish her for a message she posted to an online, commercial blog from home one evening last year that criticized school officials for canceling (or merely postponing, depending on who you believe) a student concert she and her fellow student government members had scheduled. In what many would see as a deeply American tradition, she called upon her classmates to join her in contacting school administrators to voice their displeasure, which some did. She was frustrated and, as many who have experienced governmental inertia have done before, used a couple of coarse words (though certainly her words were much tamer than those heard in the hallways of her high school or in material found in the school library.) Because of her language and the “disruptive” response to her message, school officials concluded that she had failed to “display…civility and good citizenship” and Doninger, who the court acknowleged was an “accomplished and respected” student was denied her elected position on the student government and the right she had earned to speak at her graduation.

The thing is, Doninger’s blog posting was not libelous. Nor was it obscene (or even close), physically threatening to any individual or in any other way unlawful. It is, in fact, undisputed that the only reason public government officials were allowed to punish her for her off-campus blog posting was because she was, at the time, a student.

For much of this nation’s history, public schools have been charged with the mission of transmitting the principles and ideals of democracy and the First Amendment to each succeeding generation of Americans.

The 19th century educator Horace Mann, widely referred to as “The Father of American Education,” wrote way back in 1845 that: “The great moral attribute of self-government cannot be born and matured in a day; and if school children are not trained to it, we only prepare ourselves for disappointment if we expect it from grown men.”

It was a sentiment that was also once strongly held by the United States Supreme Court. In one of its first opportunities to consider whether and to what degree the First Amendment applied on public school campuses, the Court ruled in 1943 that a Jehovah’s Witness student could quietly refuse to salute the flag because it violated the teachings of his church.

In its written decision, The Court powerfully reminded school officials that the Constitution and the First Amendment were not simply sources for test questions. The Court wrote:

“That [schools] are educating the young for citizenship is reason for scrupulous protection of Constitutional freedoms of the individual, if we are not to strangle the free mind at its source…”

Those sentiments were again reflected in the Court’s 1969 Tinker v. Des Moines decision, where the Court upheld the First Amendment right of students to wear black armbands to school as their way of protesting America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

In an oft-quoted line from the opinion, the Tinker Court wrote that students and teachers do not “shed their constitutional right to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

But the Court also went on from there:

“In our system, state-operated schools may not be enclaves of totalitarianism,” Justice Fortas wrote for the Court majority.

“School officials,” he continued, “do not possess absolute authority over their students. Students in school as well as out of school are ‘persons’ under our Constitution. They are possessed of fundamental rights which the State must respect, just as they themselves must respect their obligations to the State. In our system, students may not be regarded as the closed-circuit recipients of only that which the State chooses to communicate. They may not be confined to the expression of sentiments that are officially approved.”

But, as the saying goes. that was then. This is now.

By the mid 1980’s, the makeup of the Supreme Court had changed and so, too, had a majority of the justices’ beliefs regarding the value of a “hands-on” civics education. In a series of decisions, the Court began to significantly cut back on the First Amendment protections previously thought available to high school students while they were in school. The Court, saying that it was now the job of school officials to ensure that students adhered to the “shared values of a civilized social order” (though making no real attempt to attempt to define what that might mean) said it would largely defer to administrators to determine what student speech would be permitted in school and what would not.

Not content with exerting more control over students on campus during the school day, however, school officials over the past several years have now set their sights on extending their authority to cover student speech and activity around the clock, both when students are on school grounds and in their bedrooms.

The Supreme Court has yet to directly say how much authority school officials are permitted to exercise over students when they are off school grounds and not involved in a school-sponsored activity. Although last year, in Morse v. Frederick (better known by many as the with the “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” case), the Court dodged the question when it upheld the authority of school officials to punish an 18-year-old Alaskan high school student for holding up a banner on a public sidewalk across the street from the high school while the Olympic torch passed through downtown Juneau. The Court conceded the event was not “school-sponsored,” but ruled the event, which students were permitted to leave class to watch – fell into a previously unknown category – “school-sanctioned” – over which it said school officials had the same broad authority.

Without clear guidance from the Supreme Court, however, there is a growing conflict among lower courts faced with the question of deciding where and when and how much authority school officials have over the off-campus lives of their students. Some courts continue to recognize what they believe is a reasonably hard line between in-school and out-of-school student speech and conduct. Other courts, as in the Doninger case, seem to be okay with the idea that the authority of school officials can extend far beyond the schoolhouse gate, allowing them virtually 24/7 authority to punish students for speech that would clearly be protected were the speaker a non-student.

Under this view, student speakers – for no other reason than they are students – are forever relegated to second-class citizen status. Where courts are unwilling to second-guess the actions of school officials, students learn quickly that this thing called “free speech” is anything but. In fact, it can be quite risky, they realize, when they can be punished, as Doninger was, when school officials determine a student has not displayed their version of “good citizenship.”

What a very different – and perilous – civics lesson we are teaching in 2008. It is hard to see how students that are not permitted to question the actions of their school officials will later be inclined to question their elected officials.

As Avery’s mother noted, “This was a 16-year-old girl trying to figure out how to find her political voice, and she did it clumsily. I think high school should be a training ground for citizenship, and if we squash students’ clumsy attempts at political activism, it is a very dangerous thing.”

I dare say, Thomas Paine – who it’s unlikely King George III of England would have described as a “good citizen” – could have said it any better.

For NSPA and ACP, she will oversee all contests, including Best of Show and Pacemakers, and will coordinate the evaluation service. She will also have a large role to play in coordinating events and programs for the Minnesota High School Press Association.

Huting will begin training in NSPA’s Minneapolis office immediately. She is a 2008 graduate of Iowa State University with a double major in journalism and mass communications. She worked for two years on the Iowa State Daily newspaper, where she was the public relations manager as well as worked on special sections and the editorial board.

For NSPA and ACP, Griesser will coordinate convention trade shows and hotel logistics as well as implement a plan to recruit and retain members for the organization.

Griesser will begin work in our Minneapolis office June 9. She is currently working at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in Milwaukee, Wis., and holds a B.S. in communications studies from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

There have been several changes to the contests this year, which are detailed below as well as on the entry forms:

• Newspaper Pacemaker: The number and type of issues of your paper to submit for the contest is now the same for all newspapers, regardless of how frequently they are published. Of the five papers now being submitted, there are now two issues of your choice, with the others coming from specific time periods in the fall and spring semesters (see entry form for details). This should help papers be able to submit their strongest work while still demonstrating consistent quality throughout the year. Update: Newspapers which publish fewer than five times per year may submit all issues published during the school year.
• Individual Awards (Story / Picture / Design / Cartooning): First of all, these contests now share a single entry form, with the form on the front and contest rules on the back (page 2 of the PDF), rather than four separate forms. Not only does this save paper, it will also make for fewer forms for contest entrants to keep straight. Remember to submit a separate form for each entry, and send all the entries together in one envelope if possible.

  Secondly, for the Picture of the Year contest, we are accepting only digital images, submitted online using the form at this Web page. Picture of the Year entries will no longer be accepted by mail. With digital photography in widespread use, we hope everyone will find this process more efficient than making prints and mailing them. Visit the link above for further details.

  We have also added new categories to the Picture of the Year contest: the Sports Picture category has been divided into Sports Action (on-field performances) and Sports Reaction (emotional displays by athletes or fans). Junior High/Middle School photographers can compete in their own category this year. Also new is an Environmental Portrait category, which is for posed images of one or more individuals, taken in their natural surroundings to provide insight into their work, interests or personality.

The deadline to enter all of the contests is June 16 (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 to enter. Enter soon!

Our first batch of items includes a yearbook distribution letter, a set of sample obituary policies and guidelines, and a contract from the Student Press Law Center that clarifies student copyright and the license to use the work in the newspaper, yearbook or magazine.

Convention Best of Show

Yearbook Pacemaker

Interactive Yearbook Pacemaker

Magazine Pacemaker

Online Pacemaker