Nominations for the 2026 honors should be submitted by March 13, 2026. Apply here.

This award recognizes a professional partner’s efforts to support KSPA and scholastic journalism on a state or local level. The award is open to professional journalists, university and college educators, and any other professional who has contributed to the organization and its members and students. The recipient will receive a plaque and be honored at the State Celebration in May. Submit nominations to this link.

The nominee will be judged on the following four criteria: 

1. Contribution of personal time and effort on behalf of scholastic journalism in Kansas
2. Support of KSPA advisers in the community and/or state
3. Support of student journalists’ First Amendment rights
4. Involvement in local, state, regional or national scholastic journalism organizations