Your IHSPA

Some First Amendment Cheer

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:05:00 +0000

As everyone struggles to tie loose ends before the holiday break, I hope this blog reminds you to start planning for this year’s First Amendment Symposium at the Indiana Statehouse, March 3, in addition to giving you some information that might make a good final exam or second semester project.

As a way to expand First Amendment activities, this year’s symposium competition will involve some new categories. In addition to the traditional essay contest and David Adams project competition, are a couple of specific categories for graphic artists.

The first is a poster design contest. The poster can be vertical or horizontal but should be 11x17 and illustrate the spirit of the First Amendment through text and/or artistic expression. This is a good way to include your art department or other students at your school in the IHSPA First Amendment initiative.

The second new category is a postage stamp design based on the irony of the Simpson family stamps that were issued last summer. One of the First Amendment studies discovered that more people were able to name the five members of the Simpson family than the five freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. When I heard about the Simpson postage stamps, I checked to see when postage stamps had been issued to celebrate the First Amendment. The only thing my research uncovered was a Bill of Rights stamp issued in 1992.

Therefore, it’s time for Indiana students to design stamps that celebrate the First Amendment. The challenge is a set of five stamp designs representing each of the guaranteed freedoms. We will submit the winning entries as an idea for a book of stamps—like the Simpson family.

Anyone who promotes these ideas as assignments or First Amendment activities is encouraged choose the one or two best designs and essays and send them to dhadley@franklincollege.edu as a jpeg or PDF by Friday, Feb. 5

Feel welcome to use the sample "Final Exam" assignment from this IHSPA Web page. You'll find the link under "Miscellaneous Resources" on the right-hand side of the "Forms" page.

Don't Be Fooled

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:08:00 +0000

Advisers need to be aware that recent advertising for “free music downloads”also leads readers to a Web site that also promotes racially charged information.

According to an article in the Monday, November 23, Indianapolis Star, a spokesperson for the group that purchases the ad says the group is trying to recruit “white youth all across America to fight for the white race.”

The group is choosing respected and widely read high school newspapers to spread its message. As you can imagine, the fallout from such an ad in a high school publication gains attention from the professional media and increases the coverage.

Anyone who has been contacted by this group is encouraged to contact me, so that we can study the campaign.

Scholastic Journalism's Future

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:00 +0000

The Grand Forks Herald won a Pulitzer Prize a few years ago for its coverage of a flood in North Dakota that also destroyed the newspaper’s facilities and many of the reporters’ homes. In retrospect, the editor said the multi-faceted disaster tested what the staff was made of—and they discovered they were made of pretty good stuff.

Most people know the state’s teacher license proposal on top of other issues including the continuing challenge to journalism due to Core 40 have culminated into the perfect storm that has had Hoosier journalism educators in “disaster mode” most of the week.

Monday through Wednesday included a troubling public hearing and one bad E-mail after another as people from throughout the state shared concerns.

I’m not going to say that everything is fine now. Everyone is still worried about the future of scholastic journalism in Indiana, but we have moved from panic to action. We have joined forces to review the content of our teacher training and study the dynamics of the political process that may affect journalism programs.

IHSPA and our J-partners at the university level have contacted other organizations that are equally affected by this initiative, and we have shared information.

At this point we encourage people to check the link to the D.O.E. Web site and contact any members of the REPA Advisory Panel in your area before their November 18 meeting to share our concerns.

A major worry is that including journalism in the vocational/workplace/ occupational specialist license will end our effort to move journalism into a stronger academic position on the Core 40 Academic Honors Diploma grid to stop the drain
from many of the existing programs.

A second concern is that the goal to emphasize content might sacrifice the education classes that are also important. The result could be negative as new teachers go into classrooms and adviser positions without the combination of content and teaching skills they need to be most effective.

We hope to delay the November 18 action to provide more discussion and collaboration between all the parties involved, but we are already planning a coalition with media professionals, other organizations, former students and parents as we try to elevate the status of existing journalism programs and promote curricula in media literacy for all students.

This won’t be easy, but anyone who teachers journalism and advises publications didn’t choose the easy route in the first place. As an organization that has been around since 1922, we have survived other tough challenges.

Like the Grand Forks Herald staff—our people are made of pretty good stuff.

Professional Standards Board Members:

http://www.doe.in.gov/dps/visitors/boardmembers.html

D.O.E. Web site REPA information:
http://www.doe.in.gov/news/2009/07-July/REPA.html

Other relevant resources:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/11/04/11teachered.h29.html?tkn=VSZFWp9JniAvzNjpi4rqcK943GK9dL87%2Bc0C&intc=es

Remembering Ms. Grubb

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:00 +0000

Robert Hansen and Miss Jeannette Grubb, left, his newspaper adviser at Shortridge High School, attended the 2005 IHSPA convention where she was honored with a lifetime membership.
The days before the fall convention have given me the opportunity to talk to many advisers about a variety of topics, not the least of which is the stress of being a teacher of any subject let alone advising high school publications. As they reach mid-semester they feel overworked and under-appreciated.

Among the many E-mails that arrived on Tuesday was one from Bob Hansen, a former student who nominated Miss Jeannette Grubb for an IHSPA lifetime membership in 2002 when she was 102 years old. Although IHSPA started awarding the lifetime honor long after Miss Grubb’s career, her students remembered her and wanted to pay tribute.

Bob volunteered to be Miss Grubb’s escort for the day, and Senator Richard Lugar sent a letter that praised her leadership. She insisted that she had nothing to say publicly, but she allowed everyone to fuss over her a bit, and she said she enjoyed returning to Franklin for the fall conference she had attended with her students decades ago.

This week’s E-mail was news of Miss Grubb’s death at age 106. Senator Lugar has written a tribute which includes a new story for many of us about his trip to the principal’s office because of a column he wrote criticizing the “unhealthy habits of the basketball team.” He says the Echo’s headquarters were shut down temporarily, and he was told that unbridled journalism could have consequences for him, the school and Miss Grubb.

He adds that freedom of the press prevailed, and Miss Grubb was his “heroine.” Senator’s Lugar’s tribute to his adviser decades after his newspaper staff days have passed is a reminder that those who teach and advise make a positive difference in people’s lives.

We look forward to recognizing the efforts of other advisers next week at this year’s IHSPA fall convention.

Convention A Great Learning Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:51:00 +0000

I think everyone will be excited with all of the opportunities available for the 2009 IHSPA convention at Franklin College October 22 and 23.

There are many ways to experience the convention thanks to a creative effort to meet a variety of requests and circumstances.

Those who choose to come on Thursday evening can choose between On-Site competition or social activities for students and advisers. Click here for a link to the On-Site categories and registration form (See Quick Downloads). Click here to see the full convention schedule which is available in a PDF format.

Friday’s schedule includes keynote speaker Thomas French, a new approach to the awards presentation, and two different kinds of learning experiences.

For those who want an in-depth experience there are intensive workshops that last 2-3 hours.

Preregistration (dhadley@franklincollege.edu) is needed for the following intensive workshops:

Intro to InDesign and Photoshop

Advanced Publications Design

Website Development

Broadcast

Preregistration is not required but encouraged for additional intensive workshops:

Story Development with Thomas French

Student Media Leadership

Photojournalism Skills (Students should bring a digital camera for hands-on experience)

In addition to the intensive workshops, there are 19 quick sessions in a wide range of topics available at the following link.

Registration at the $25 fee (which includes lunch) has been extended through Oct. 5. Anyone with questions is encouraged to send an E-mail or call 317.738.8199 or 317.341.4360.

Yearbooks Key To Positive Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Matthew Tully has been writing a series of articles about Manual High School for the Indianapolis Star as a way to shine a light on the state of the Indianapolis Public School system. His story told through the eyes of Manual’s teachers, administrators, students and parents is available on his blog here, or type in “Manual Project at IndyStar.com/MatthewTully.

The third article of the series printed in the Star’s September 13 issue discusses the inspiration and school spirit that have diminished at Manual as traditions have been eliminated.

Tully says, “I have seen many mind-boggling things during my first month at Manual High—including students arrested and teachers threatened—but I was still caught by surprise when informed about a tidbit of life at the school."

That “tidbit” is the fact that the school hasn’t had a yearbook in years. There is no student newspaper or student council, and the school hasn’t produced a musical in a decade. He doesn’t blame these things for Manual’s low test scores, graduation rate or attendance, but he describes them as additional signs that the school is not thriving.

Co-curricular or extracurricular activities may seem like expendables when budgets are tight, but they are valuable components for a positive learning environment. Those who have had the opportunity to meet students from across the country through workshops, conventions and high school visitations often conclude that students who attend schools that have strong publications programs and student government benefit in a variety of ways.

The opportunity for students to express interests and concerns about school activities and issues provides ownership. Not every student suggestion or complaint has to lead to change for the student body to feel that individual and collective voice matters. Communication between students with other students, teachers and administrators through publications and student government creates a dynamic that contributes to a positive school atmosphere.

An administrator at one of our member schools read last Sunday’s article and took the time to thank the publications adviser at his school for leading groups that play such an important role.

The Indiana High School Press Association tries to help schools promote programs that become the “tidbits” that make such a difference. Keep us informed of your successes and challenges as we try to share best practices with others.

A Friendly Reminder About Those Deadlines

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:14:00 +0000

One of my friends in the preschool business used to joke about the way their lives revolved around holidays. As soon as they gathered all the materials and activities to celebrate Halloween, they began to collect ideas for Thanksgiving. In a similar way many IHSPA activities revolve around deadlines that occur throughout the year. Even though we try to provide mini calendars and E-mail updates, it’s challenging to keep track of all of them.

The next big deadline is a September 15 postmark for yearbook Harvey entries. Information and entry forms can be downloaded from the IHSPA Website. The yearbook Harvey competition is a great contest for everyone, but it is also a good first competition for new programs and special individual efforts. I meet adults who tell me they still cherish Harvey awards they received many years ago. It is often the first award a journalism student wins.

I hope you and your students will have the opportunity over the next few days to gather some of the best work from the 2009 yearbook to submit for this year’s contest.

Then start looking ahead to the next deadline: registration for this year’s convention October 22-23 at Franklin College.

As always, keep us informed of your success and challenges, and enjoy the Labor Day weekend.

Welcome Back

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:03:00 +0000

I have talked to many IHSPA members throughout the summer, but it’s always fun to reconnect with everyone as we all start a new school year.

The first half of August still seems early for school to begin, but it’s a good time to make plans for the IHSPA fall convention at Franklin College October 22 & 23. A mailing is leaving Franklin tomorrow that will include membership information and a flyer that promotes this year’s convention with keynote speaker Tom French, a Hoosier and Pulitzer Prize winner who enjoys working with high school students. In addition to the keynote address, he will also lead an intensive writing session.

Traditional on-site contests, short sessions and intensives will provide a variety of opportunities for your students.

We are also planning to continue regional workshops throughout the year, and we encourage advisers to suggest locations and topics. The next workshop is a Scholastic Partnership workshop August 28 at I.U. Southeast. These workshops are designed to help advisers, administrators, and editors develop positive working relationships and promote the First Amendment in their schools. Anyone who would still like to attend the I.U. Southeast workshop should contact me as soon as possible at 317.738.8199 or 317.341.4360 or send an E-mail to dhadley@franklincollege.edu.

Good luck with the school year, and continue to share your successes and challenges.

Reflections On A Successful School Year

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:33:00 +0000

As we sprint or claw our way to the finish line, it’s a good time to share some information from the IHSPA epicenter.

Although business is down on a global scale, IHSPA has had a good year with a boost in attendance at the fall convention and the best crowd ever at for First Amendment Symposium. Those of you who can mark dates on your school’s master calendar for the 2009-10 school year can list Oct. 22-23, 2009, for the annual convention at Franklin College and March 3, 2010, for the First Amendment Symposium at the Indiana Statehouse.

As we continue to plan those programs over the next few weeks, advisers and students are welcome to suggest speakers or topics for sessions. Positive feedback from the double and triple session intensives at the 2008 convention encourage us to offer them again in addition to traditional choices.

Another plus for the past year was a partnership with J-Ideas to offer regional workshops at Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Crown Point. A regional workshop is already planned for the new school year at I.U. Southeast on August 28. Anyone who would be interested in attending that workshop or suggesting a site for 4-8 schools in another location is encouraged to contact me for program possibilities.

I have enjoyed visiting schools and attending awards banquets to meet the students who produce the publications that arrive in the mail. Indiana has much to celebrate.

As we continue to work together to share support and ideas, remember that I am eager to help disseminate news about honors, events, and job openings. (Several 2009 graduates are available to fill vacancies.)

Hoosier Star finalists for both yearbook and newspaper will be posted as a group as soon as I receive newspaper critiques from all the judges.

The Harvey Awards newspaper deadline is June 1, and the yearbook Harvey Awards deadline is September 15. Information about the Harvey competition can be downloaded from the IHSPA Web site:

http://ihspa.franklincollege.edu/

How Are You Handling This Tough Economy?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:50:00 +0000

The economy has led the news for several months. It’s the primary business item at most meetings regardless of the organization and the chief concern among many families.

I have been holding my breath when I check E-mails for the last couple of weeks as I worry that school corporations will start to announce that journalism positions or programs will be cut. Any school that could benefit from IHSPA support is encouraged to let me know. I will try to help any way I can by writing letters or speaking to people who influence budget items.

Although I have heard from people who are worried, I haven’t received specific bad news from Indiana advisers at this time. However, I wrote a letter last week to try to save the Executive Director’s position of another state’s scholastic press organization.

Most high school publications send reporters to school board meetings on a regular basis anyway, but this is an especially important time to do so as huge decisions are made about funding for facilities, programs and personnel. Budget details may be difficult to understand and boring to endure, but they teach student reporters a great deal, and they often affect more students and staff than any other area. (We can even hope that budget stories will improve math scores.)

As the news reports economic challenges for different regions of Indiana, I always associate the areas with the names of member schools. We are interested in posting in-depth stories we receive about the economy on the IHSPA Web site. Everyone could benefit from the variety of angles. In fact, your editors might begin their planning by reading this column written a few years ago by the public editor of the Detroit Free Press.

In addition, if your publications have discovered ways to save money in a time of decreased advertising revenue and/or subscriptions, send the ideas to me, or write an article to share with others. Remember that everyone benefits when we share solutions with each other.

Good luck as you face the final deadlines of the year. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mary Beth Tinker: An 'Ordinary' Woman With Extraordinary Courage

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:21:00 +0000

Student officers for the Indiana High School Press Association listed Mary Beth Tinker at the top of a list of speakers for this year’s First Amendment Symposium.

Journalism teachers may have been more excited than the students when this “celebrity of a First Amendment landmark case” accepted the invitation to speak.

In 38 years of special events and keynote speakers I have never seen so many people gather before and after an event for an extra word, to shake hands, take a photo or express appreciation for her contribution to freedom of expression.

The irony is that the extraordinary part of Mary Beth Tinker is that she was and remains ordinary.

In 1965, Tinker was a shy eighth grader, and a good student who didn’t want to be in trouble at school. Yet she felt that she should be able to wear a black armband to support peace and protest war. She was suspended from school, and her family received hate mail and threats on their lives when they supported their children’s right of expression.

The Tinkers were as surprised as anyone when the case went all the way to the Supreme Court where a 7-2 decision ruled that Mary Beth should be able to wear an armband to school and that all students and teachers who enter a public school should “not shed their rights at the schoolhouse gate.”

Today, Mary Beth Tinker is a registered nurse—still an ordinary citizen, but one who realizes that her name gives her the opportunity to encourage other ordinary citizens to “speak up, shake things up and create change that makes the world a better place.”

She emphasizes the fact that everyone makes history. She says that some people make history because they decide to make a stand, and others make history because they do not.

When she told one of her young patients that her name was Mary Beth Tinker, he sized her up as just another nurse and told her that he had seen the real Mary Beth Tinker one time.

Mary Beth Tinker could play the hero, but she has a new role as a cheerleader for activism. She realizes that when people see that she is more like them they are more likely to realize their own power to rise above the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Tinker Story One Of Courage, Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:30:00 +0000

My recent voice mail message begins, “Hello. This is Mary Beth Tinker.”

I’m not generally a name-dropper, but I have taught the Tinker v. Des Moines case throughout my career, so it is exciting to have a Tinker kid return a call.

The Tinker family couldn’t have imagined that their symbolic protest against the Vietnam War would still be a landmark case for student expression 40 years after it went to the Supreme Court, but from the beginning their desire to protest required the kind of courage that it often takes to protect the First Amendment.

Tinker said that when administrators heard about the protest they called an emergency meeting and decided that any student wearing a black armband to school would be suspended.

“After that, we weren’t sure what to do. We had learned about the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment in school, and we felt free speech should apply to us too,” Tinker said.

She added that the young activists used the examples of civil rights protesters as their models for the courage needed to proceed.

Four decades later students think of the Tinkers as models of courage too. IHSPA student officers instantly named Tinker as their top choice for a speaker at this year’s First Amendment Symposium.

Although she is a full-time registered nurse in Washington D.C., Tinker still works for peace and rights for young people.

And that leads to the best part of the voice message—that she will speak at this year’s symposium. For more information about this event contact Diana Hadley. There is no registration or fee, but knowing the number of people who plan to attend helps us plan.

What Makes A 'Complete' Yearbook?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:30:00 +0000

It’s that time of year when the IHSPA tide is going out and coming in at the same time. The mail service delivers yearbook critiques from the judges, and I send newspapers to be judged.

As I tabulate the results I like to see that Indiana publications score well with national judges; and I scan critique comments to get an idea of trends and priorities.

It’s a good time of year to emphasize a judge’s note on a critique I received this week. He reminded the staff that a yearbook has three vital functions. It should be a memory book, a history book, and a record book. A yearbook that isn’t all of these things may not receive the highest rating, but even more important—it may not meet the “test of time” and thus fail to provide its audience and the school with a valuable resource.

At many schools the yearbook may be the only place to locate information about athletic team records, school traditions, and curricular and facility changes.

I attended a meeting where people thought their local high school’s first football team was in the 1940s until I showed them a 1908 yearbook with a football team picture.

Looking through old yearbooks also provides historical links to the present…and new story ideas. For example, many schools are challenged to sell ads during a recession, and some are struggling to keep programs as the corporation tries to find ways to cut costs. Students from older schools may look through the yearbook archives and find that yearbooks weren’t published some years during the 1930s and 40s due to the economic challenges of the depression and World War II.

Despite the positive feedback from judges about last year’s publications, it’s also that time of year when advisers tell me their staffs have the “doldrums.” The fun of creating the theme and covering the first events of the school year evolves into a task that seems too big to finish in the days that remain. That’s because it’s a big job. It’s not easy to provide the primary memory, history, and record of the school year, but it’s still important and appreciated, and Indiana staffs have a tradition of dong it well.

Let us know how IHSPA can help as you continue the second half of this effort.

Note: Click Here to see the latest yearbook and newspaper Hoosier Stars. Scroll down on the IHSPA Home page to see these winning publications.

Mary Beth Tinker In Our House

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:07:00 +0000

It’s a big news day. Mary Beth Tinker is coming to “our house”—the Indiana Statehouse when we celebrate the First Amendment at the third annual symposium March 3!

It is impossible to bury the lead when a Tinker kid can share her experience with us on the 40th Anniversary of the Tinker vs. Des Moines Supreme Court Decision. Although Mary Beth has a full-time job as a nurse, she is arranging her schedule to speak to us because she knows how important it is to educate people about the First Amendment and inspire them to protect it.

A mailing went out today with information about deadlines for the symposium, newspaper Hoosier Star and Student Journalist of the Year. Some advisers already know the thrill of seeing their students recognized in the beautiful North Atrium of the Indiana Statehouse. We hope everyone will encourage their students to participate in the contests for that kind of experience.

Check out the information about this year’s symposium essay contest and the First Amendment Project competition in the mailing or on the IHSPA Web site. Although the event is free and requires no registration it is helpful to know how many people to expect.

I hope you will call or e-mail me with the number attending and any questions you have about the contests or parking at the Statehouse at:

dhadley@franklincollege.edu office phone: 317.738.8199 or cell phone: 317.341.4360

A Time To Think About You, Our Members

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Each year after the fall convention the new IHSPA board meets for a weekend retreat to evaluate the organization specifically and the state of scholastic journalism in general as we list priorities for the next year.

It’s a daunting task due to the variety of our schools. IHSPA represents some schools with fewer than 100 students in four grades and others with more than 4,000. We include public and private institutions, rural and urban. Some of Indiana’s journalism programs were established 100 years ago while others are building or rebuilding.

The board tries to consider the variety of needs as we plan programs and services. We always appreciate feedback for current programs and suggestions. Our next big event is the First Amendment Symposium at the Statehouse March 3, 2009. The finalists for Indiana High School Journalist of the Year will be introduced and the recipient of this honor will at announced in addition to essay and First Amendment Project winners. We hope many schools will plan to attend and participate in this year’s symposium.

Regional workshops and seminars are smaller events planned to help publication staffs benefit from programs within their geographical area. J-Ideas and IHSPA co-sponsored a Scholastic Partnership Seminar for Fort Wayne schools on December 5. We have others planned for second semester. Anyone interested in an opportunity for a regional workshop should contact me for information.

One of the most important things we can do is communicate with each other to share concerns and ideas. The better we connect the more IHSPA can help everyone. I look forward to hearing from you.

National Election '08 With A Hoosier Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:29:00 +0000

Hoosier journalism students should be listed among the winners when the 2008 election process comes to an end today

As Indiana became a battleground state during the primary for the first time in 40 years, high school reporters made it their story too; and they have continued to cover it for their publications and Web sites as candidates have made dozens of campaign stops throughout Indiana.

The effort to share photos with each other has been fun, and it has created a service among our members that we may want to expand for other areas of coverage.

I am still collecting PDFs of campaign coverage for an overall story about theN coverage. We will try to post as many as we can on the IHSPA Web site.

Jim Streisel says Carmel High School’s HiLite staff will be doing live coverage through election evening on the HiLite Web site: http://www.hilite.org

Congratulations to everyone who has worked to inform students about the issues and encourage them to take part in the democratic process.

Catch Convention Highlights Online

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:54:00 +0000

We plan for so long, and it passes so quickly.

I’m sure the IHSPA board agrees that there just wasn’t enough quality time to visit with several hundered students and colleagues at the annual convention at Franklin College last week.

Those who were unable to attend are invited to see photos from the event and learn more about a variety of activities including a First Amendment license plate initiative by the Lake Central High School Publication Department. Slide shows, Hoosier Star winners, judge's commentary, Harvey winners and On-Site winners are all featured on the IHSPA Web site so don't miss the opportunity to review these highlights.

Advisers will want to access information about the new Journalism Career Pathway from either the Department of Education or IHSPA Web sites.

We have appreciated e-mail feedback from several people already, but we hope you also will complete an on-line survey. Many of the changes that people liked about this convention were suggestions from last year’s survey.

Mark calendars for the First Amendment Symposium on March 3 at the Indiana Statehouse. In the months between check out possibilities for regional workshops. J-Ideas and IHSPA have tentative plans for another Scholastic Partnership for advisers, administrators and editors in the Fort Wayne area at the end of November. Anyone interested in attending the Fort Wayne seminar or hosting one in another area of the state should contact Warren Watson, J-Ideas Director, (wwatson@bsu.edu) or Diana Hadley (dhadley@franklincollege.edu).

Preparing For Our "Chelsea" Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:24:00 +0000

Chelsea Schneider, 2004 Indiana Student Journalist of the Year, says she can’t wait to come home for her “favorite holiday,” the IHSPA State Convention.

First as a Warren Central High School student, then a Franklin College journalism major/IHSPA assistant, and now as a session leader representing the Arizona Republic, Chelsea represents many who look forward to an annual gathering at Franklin College. My office is a reflection of Chelsea’s holiday comparison. There are boxes of awards, bags and bag stuffers, table decorations, and lists of things yet to do before everyone converges next week for the 87th annual gathering at Franklin College.

Registrations went over the 500 mark early last week to prove that despite limitations on field trips and finances, advisers still think it’s important to bring students to an event where they can learn new things, share ideas, and celebrate successes. As I look at the session topics, I wish that I could attend them. I think students will enjoy the leaders and their approach to a variety of journalistic areas and issues, and I think advisers will be energized by several initiatives that will be presented at the adviser business meeting/luncheon.

Must go…things to do…see you soon!

McCain and Obama Photos Available

In addition to the Obama photos available through our IHSPA photo service, Sarah Bumbalough, a junior on the Richmond High School Pierian staff, has sent photos of John McCain and Sarah Palin (see photo above) that she took when McCain announced Palin as his running mate at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Anyone who wants to use them for the price of Sarah’s photo credit (including her staff and school) can contact me. I hope all staffs will send PDFs of their special election coverage for our Web site and articles about Indiana high school newspaper reporting.

Y'ike's, Convention Deadlines Extended

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:25:00 +0000

It was strange to be in a part of the state that Ike didn’t smack last week and still feel like a part of the disaster as advisers sent e-mails and frantic calls about IHSPA deadlines.

In an effort to make IHSPA a user-friendly service, we’ve extended deadlines. However, I’m hoping to send all Harvey entries to judges by Thursday, so anyone who has sent entries that might be stuck in snail mail should feel welcome to contact me to verify arrival.

Despite the weather and field trip challenges, the number of convention registrations is higher than the last couple of years at this point. We’re looking forward to good weather and a great couple of days with all of you as the convention features its usual variety of sessions, keynoter Gary Varvel and some new in-depth opportunities.

Advisers who want to take the CJE/MJE test at the convention should contact me so that we can plan for the correct number. We also need registrations of the Thursday night on-site contests as soon as possible.

The Poynter Web site has an article about our partnership with the Indiana Department of Education that has created a Career Pathway for English/Language Arts that emphasizes journalism as a driving force. Dr. Mary Andis will describe the particulars of this program at the convention’s adviser meeting.

First Amendment Seminar Successful

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:32:00 +0000

High school administrators, publications editors and advisers representing six Indiana high schools met last Friday at the Ball State Center in Indianapolis to participate in the Scholastic Partnership for the First Amendment seminar co-sponsored by J-Ideas and the Indiana High School Press Association.

Finding a time when such busy people could meet was a challenge, but those who attended provided focus, energy, and good humor that helped them work together through a day of information, discussion and planning sessions for their schools.

The goal was to form partnerships between high school student media and administration. Uninterrupted time to share ideas about school missions and the benefits of student voice gave participants the opportunity to compare concerns about high school issues and develop strategies to communicate effectively before controversies arise.

Those of us who been to school board meetings and courtrooms where similar issues were discussed after controversial coverage evolved agreed that this was better.

Election Coverage

Clark and I had the opportunity to attend one of the smaller Barack Obama visits to Indiana when he spoke in Terre Haute last Saturday, Sept. 6. (One example is at right, but there are crowd shots too.) Anyone who wants to use any photos is welcome to do so with a Clark Hadley, IHSPA photo credit. Just contact me by e-mail.

It is likely that both parties will continue to court Indiana with visits over the next few weeks. Anyone who wants to provide other candidate or event photos to share with other student publications is welcome to do so. Be sure to give the photographer’s name, school, place of the event and date so that photo credits will be complete.

Keep sending examples of coverage as well. I would like to continue to showcase the great work our students are doing with this historic election and Indiana’s role in it.

Convention Brochure, Website Ready

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:30:00 +0000

I hope all IHPSA member schools have received a brochure that includes information about the IHSPA fall convention and other important events for 2008-09. Even though the brochure and convention forms are posted on the IHSPA Web site, I hope anyone who has not received the brochure, will contact me so that I can update addresses that need to be changed. (We are currently updating the IHSPA directory, so if any of your membership information is different this year, the sooner I receive it the more accurate the first posted document will be. We plan to update periodically throughout the year.)

The IHSPA board and I are excited about the changes for this year’s convention, and we think you will like them too since they came from your feedback. The final event should reflect the things most people liked about conventions past and ideas to make future ones reflect interests of all members.

Meetings regarding journalism standards have continued through the summer and are scheduled for the next couple of weeks. I will share updates on the Web site as soon as I have them.

All convention forms and other materials are available either at the link above or by clicking on the IHSPA Web Site here.

Where Did Summer Go?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:09:00 +0000

It’s that time of year when teachers ask, “Where did the summer go?”

Along with the fact that summer breaks are shorter than they were just a few years ago, many journalism teachers use the “break” for additional professional experiences ranging from taking classes to teaching them, so the summer disappears in a whirlwind of activity.

Three Hoosier advisers participated as IHSPA summer interns. Since the program was initiated in 1992, 90 advisers have completed internships that provide a four-week paid professional experience. In addition to the traditional newspaper internship that Lori Volheim, Elkhart Memorial , completed at the South Bend Tribune, two of the advisers expanded the program to new areas. Meredith Bledsoe, adviser at Hamilton Southeastern, completed a photography internship at the Indianapolis Star, and Chad Tuley, adviser at Scecina High School, worked at WRTV Channel 6 in Indianapolis to add broadcasting to the opportunity.

We appreciate the Hoosier State Press Association’s continued support for the print and photography internships, and the Franklin College Pulliam School of Journalism for a commitment to the new broadcast internship.

Be sure to check the internship stories, audio clips and slide shows on the IHSPA Web site (http://ihspa.franklincollege.edu), and let us know if you’re interested in participating in the internship program next year.

I hope you have made preliminary plans for your staffs to attend the IHSPA convention at Franklin College October 16, 17. We have just completed program details, so a brochure about this year’s event called the “Convergention” will be sent at the end of next week. Information and forms are also available on the IHSPA Web site.

Dennis Cripe and I will post important information on the Web site frequently throughout the school year. Make sure that you let us know if your e-mail addresses change.

Good luck with the beginning of the year and communicate your successes and challenges.

Year-End Banquets Inspirational

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Planning a publications banquet at the end of the year when life is crazy enough without another event is a real leap of faith. However, many advisers and their staffs continue to promote a final celebration of the year.

I have enjoyed attending several publications banquets in the last few weeks. It’s fun to see the different approaches and traditions the schools establish. Some provide a formal banquet, and others create a party theme. Some name one Journalist of the Year while others name an All-Star Publications Staff or Top Seniors.

Advisers and/or editors provide reviews of the year that speak volumes about the worth of the publications experience. Jeff Dick, editor in chief of the Muncie Central Munsonian, mentioned two specific events that had built the character of his staff. The first was very positive. The staff covered the Clinton and Obama rallies next to professional journalists and reported the events extensively with news, features and opinion pieces.

The other event was a computer catastrophe that forced the staff to recreate all of their established templates and documents. The two experiences provided a great comparison of the agony and ecstasy of high school publications and the overall feeling of accomplishment that all kinds of circumstances can provide.

At each banquet there were healthy amounts of teasing and praise, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the worth of an 8 ½ by 11 inch sheet of paper. It may only cost a few cents, but when that sheet becomes a certificate that honors excellence or dedication, it makes the transition to a priceless document. Parents nonchalantly whisk away tears, and most recipients modestly try to hide the joy they feel despite a pride that is difficult to conceal and wonderful to observe.

At each school the students thank the advisers who have made the publications experience possible, yet I doubt that they can fully imagine the effort involved.

Thanks to each of you for the commitment you make to scholastic journalism in general and the many students who benefit from your dedication.

Note: In the photo above, editors Elizabeth Munroe and Elizabeth Robins each thank Ryan Gunterman for his expertise and patience as adviser for all the Bloomington High School North publications. Robins presented him with a publication of “The Last Lecture.”

An End-of-Year Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:01:00 +0000

Most advisers have an “end of the year list” they depend on to check off things to be done before summer really begins. I hope your list includes these IHSPA items:

4Newspaper Harvey entries due June 6 (almost a week later than usual)

4Plans to attend the 2008 IHSPA “Convergention” at Franklin College, October 16-17.

4A Newspaper Harvey cover letter description and registration forms can be downloaded from the IHSPA Web site by clicking HERE or you can find the same forms by clicking the “Membership/Forms” button on the left side of the IHSPA Home Page.

Remember: Submissions should be limited to one entry per school per category.

For the first time, we are requesting that a CD of all the entries be submitted in addition to tear sheets so that winning entries can be posted and shared through other media with the best quality possible. This is a transition year for this request, so if you can’t send entries in both forms that is okay; but we appreciate the effort to make this improvement for sharing the best work of our students.

4We’re playing with the word “Convergention” for the IHSPA fall conference after reading the feedback from last year’s event. We think advisers and students will appreciate the tweaking to keep traditional favorites such as on-site contests and publication critiques as we add “coffee with a pro” and longer workshop opportunities in an effort to help staffs converge new ideas and technology.

Specific convention materials will be mailed at the end of the summer, but we hope you will reserve the Oct. 16-17 as an opportunity for your staff to elevate the enthusiasm of a new year.

Please report changes in contact information as we start posting the membership directory on the IHSPA Web site to help IHSPA “go green,” use financial resources most efficiently, and provide updated information.

I look forward to attending several schools’ publications banquets over the next couple of weeks. I hope you can all find time to enjoy some of the moments of celebration as the year concludes.

The Rock Star State

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Hadley) — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:16:00 +0000

It’s fun to be part of a rock star state.

Indiana’s high school newspaper staffs have had the opportunity to cover a major national election story up close and personal for the first time since 1968, providing them with an incredible educational opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

In addition to news coverage, student journalists have written features and opinion articles with a variety of angles relevant to teenagers. They have taken their own photographs and created pages with striking graphics and designs. Bloomington High School North devoted an entire publication to the primary.

Thanks to both the Clinton and Obama campaign staffs, students have been welcome to attend the rallies and town hall meetings as journalists. Advisers say their students have enjoyed the process of obtaining press credentials, working beside professionals and even putting in the extra hours required to report breaking news.

While some staffs have endorsed a candidate on their editorial pages, others have simply urged students to study the issues and if they are old enough, vote. All who have participated will remember the experience long after their student newspaper days have passed.

Anyone interested in viewing some of their work is invited to view sample pages on the bottom of the IHSPA Web site. Click Here to go to IHSPA's Home Page.