The National Scholastic Press Association announced the 2011 NSPA Newspaper Pacemaker finalists today and three Kansas high schools are finalists. NSPA received 325 entries in the Pacemaker contest. Newspapers were judged on the following criteria: coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of…...
Kansas students win NSPA awards
The National Scholastic Press Association announced the winners of its 2011 Individual Awards today, which include stories from ?? Kansas high school students. 6 Kansas journalists are finalists or won honorable mentions in the Story of the Year competition. Andrew Goble, a graduate of Shawnee Mission East, is one of…...
You can lead a student to journalism class, but can you make him like it?
By Travis Feil, KSPA President-Elect A Common Problem My basic journalism course is offered opposite band and choir – both very popular courses in my district. My J1 desks, consequently, have traditionally been populated by students more interested in avoiding music than embracing journalism. They confess it, and I’m fine…...
Yet another reason every student should enroll in journalism
By Travis Feil KSPA President-Elect Last week I was sitting at my desk working on American Literature lesson plans. Exhausted and overwhelmed from moving into a new classroom, I sat staring at my computer, knowing students would be arriving for the first time the next day. My yearbook editors were…...
KSPA President: Membership pays dividends
Dear Kansas journalism advisers, Welcome back for yet another year of scholastic journalism excellence! At this time of year, most of us are just getting our teaching “sea legs” under us again after what I hope was a relaxing and restful summer vacation. That re-acclimation process takes time (which we…...
Seven Kansas students win national journalism awards from NFPW
Seven Kansas high school journalism students have placed in the National Federation of Press Women High School Communications Competition. Three of those students — Maggie Simmons and Andrew Goble from Shawnee Mission East, and Andy Wickoren from Shawnee Mission Northwest — won first place in their respective categories. The students…...
All-Kansas winners announced
The results for All-Kansas winners for news publications, websites and videos are in. The entries were judged by top journalism advisers from around the country and went through an extensive critique process. The winners for each paper, video program and website are considered the best of that category in the…...
Shawnee Mission West adviser wins Jackie Engel Award
Amy Morgan, the journalism adviser for Shawnee Mission West High School, has won a prestigious journalism teaching award for 2011. Morgan is this year’s recipient of Jackie Engel Award, sponsored by the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press and named in honor of Jackie Engel, a former journalism teacher at McPherson High…...