Membership Information
KSPA began 40 years ago as an offshoot of the Kansas Organization of Publications Advisers as a means to provide more support and growth opportunities for students. Over those four decades, leaders such as Dana Leibengood, Jackie Engel and John Hudnall have built one of the nation’s most active state scholastic journalism organizations. The 2011-2012 calendar is as busy as ever.
KSPA is a non-profit organization composed of Kansas scholastic journalism students and their teachers. The organization is committed to excellence in journalism at all levels and views its focus as one of providing journalism education leadership for Kansas teachers and students. The KSPA provides a support system through its contests, conferences and scheduled activities. Last year, we expanded our All-Kansas service to include websites and video programs, and we also revised the Fort Hays State Fall Conference to include hands-on workshops for students.
By joining for 2011-2012, you can assure that your students have access to the programs and contests that make KSPA one of the nation’s model state educational organizations. Again this year, KSPA will offer this year a simple one-time payment option for all services (fall conferences and contests excluded), reducing the number of trips you have to make the school bookkeeper’s office. Also included is a $10 membership discount for members who pay before Sept. 15, 2011.
2011-2012 KSPA Membership Benefits
Conferences
The KSPA Fall Conferences, scheduled for Sept. 21, 26, and 27, 2011, kick off the year for most KSPA schools. All conferences feature useful sessions that will help students prepare for monthly contests as well and regional and state competitions in the spring. This year’s Fall Conferences:
- Sept. 21 – University of Kansas, Lawrence
- Sept. 26 – Fort Hays State University, Hays (Combined conference and hands-on workshop)
- Sept. 27 – Kansas State University, Manhattan
JEA President Mark Newton will serve as the keynote speaker at the conferences at FHSU and K-State. In addition to those high school conferences, KSPA plans to host three middle school design workshops for students and advisers.
Monthly Contests
Students may enter seven monthly photo, story, design, and video news contests, which will simulate the regional and state competition expectations. In addition to a Best in Show in every monthly competition:
- Photo competitions will award monthly winners in Sports, Student Life, Academics, Photo Illustration and Online Photo Story.
- Story competitions will award monthly winners in Yearbook Copy, News Writing, Opinion Writing, Sports Writing, Feature Writing and Video Story/Podcast.
- Design competitions will award monthly winners in Yearbook Spread, Newspaper or News Magazine Cover and Inside Newspaper/News Magazine Layout.
Regional Contests
Held in late February, regional contests are conducted throughout the state at partner universities. In 2011, KSPA judges sifted through nearly 2,000 student entries at sites in Hays, Manhattan, Emporia, Lawrence, Pittsburg and Wichita. Contests include both carry-in/mail-in entries as well as on-site write-offs. As journalism changes, regional contests will add more opportunities for students to display their talents and receive feedback on their progress. The regional competitions also serve to qualify students for the annual KSPA state contest.
State Contest and Awards
The State Contest is annually held the first Saturday in May at the Kansas Union on the campus of the University of Kansas. This year, that will be May 5, 2012. Students who qualify through regional contests compete at state in both carry-in/mail-in contests and on-site write-off contests. The State Contest also hosts the annual members’ meeting, at which KSPA honors its Adviser of the Year (the Jackie Engel Award) and the winners of its Ad Astra, Sunflower and Administrator of the Year Awards, and inducts new KSPA Hall of Fame members.
Student Awards
KSPA conducts the statewide High School Journalist of the Year contest for the Journalism Education Association. The Kansas HS JOY is named in March and his/her portfolio is forwarded to JEA for the national competition. KSPA recognizes winners in each classification (1A/2A, 3A/4A and 5A/6A) and awards $750 to each, with the overall winner earning another $500. The JEA national winner earns $5,000, and runners-up earn $2,000.
All-Kansas Ratings and Critique Services
Expert yearbook, news publications, video and online news advisers from around the country critique and rate Kansas’ publications. Schools submit yearbooks in September, and they receive their feedback and ranking by Dec. 1. The following publications enter in March, and those staffs receive feedback and ratings by May 5 at the State Contest in Lawrence:
- Newspapers/News magazines
- Web sites
- Video news programs.
Advisers use the critiques and the ratings to motivate and reward their staffs.
JEA Membership
Sign up for your JEA membership through KSPA and KSPA will receive from JEA a $5 donation to the KSPA Jackie Engel Endowment Fund.
Membership Benefits and Costs
Here’s the list:
- KSPA 2011-2012 Membership ($50 with an early payment discount of $10 by Sept. 15)
- JEA Membership ($50)
- All-Kansas Yearbook Critique Service ($60)
- All-Kansas News Publications Critique Service ($50)
- All-Kansas Web Site Critique Service ($40)
- All-Kansas Video News Program Critique Service ($40)
- Photo of the Month ($105 pays for three entries per month for seven months)
- Story of the Month ($105 pays for three entries per month for seven months)
- Design of the Month ($70 pays for two entries per month for seven months)
- Endowment Donation (Your Choice)
Please download this membership form, fill it out and either email it to staff@kspaonline.org (check sent through the U.S. mail) or mail the form with your check attached to KSPA:
Kansas Scholastic Press Association, 1435 Jayhawk Blvd., University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045.
If you pay your membership before Sept. 15, your KSPA membership is just $40.
