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Blogs

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…...

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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…...

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St. Francis student’s design selected for 2011 State t-shirt

Tilyn Bell of St. Francis Community High School is the 2011 state t-shirt design contest winner.  She will receive a $50 check and t-shirt as a prize. Out of several qualified entries, Bell’s stood out among the rest with its simple, yet bold design featuring the 20 contests offered at…...

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Two Kansas schools earn national Pacemaker finalist ranking

Two Kansas student digital publications have been named finalists for Pacemaker awards by the National Scholastic Press Association. The Shawnee Mission East Harbinger Online was named a national online Pacemaker finalist. The Harbinger is one of just 37 news websites to earn the distinction and one of only 18 that…...

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Discussion highlights value of multimedia journalism education

Howard Finberg, the director of interactive studies at The Poynter Institute, and Jeff Jarvis from the City University of New York appeared on Minnesota Public Radio’s Dec. 20 morning program to talk about the value of a multimedia journalism education. Their discussion focuses primarily on educating college students, but it…...

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KSDE funding decision under media spotlight

KSPA’s ad hoc CTE committee has made an impact on the public’s awareness of the Kansas State Department of Education’s decision to cut journalism funding effective 2012. Led by Karen Ford of Holton HS, committee members have lobbied state media to write about the decision, and they’ve lobbied KSDE decision-makers…...

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Journalism should satisfy KSDE pathway requirements

Lawrence Free State adviser Laurie Folsom, also a member of the KSPA’s ad hoc Career and Technical Education action committee, wrote a blog post for the Lawrence Journal-World that brilliantly articulates KSPA’s position on journalism’s place in the CTE curriculum. In a message she sent to the JEA listserv, Laurie…...

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Eight Kansas students win awards in national NFPW contest

Kansas entries placed in eight categories in the National Federation of Press Women high school journalism contest. Winners were announced this week by the NFPW. Kansas winners included: Rachel Ferencz, Rachel Avery and Lauren Komer, Shawnee Mission Northwest, First Place, News Story; Ian Wiseman, Shawnee Mission East, Second Place, Sports…...

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KPC announces winners in Write-Off Competition

Students from Phillipsburg, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Shawnee Mission East, Blue Valley Northwest and Lawrence High School won first place in the Kansas Professional Communicators and KSPA All-Kansas Write-Off Competition for 2009-2010. View the results in this link. All first-place winners in national categories are forwarded for competition in the National…...

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Help a Kansas school earn a visit from President Obama

Blue Valley Northwest has a chance to hear President Barack Obama speak at the school’s 2010 commencement ceremony, and you can help make it happen. Voting begins at 7 a.m. CDT, Monday, April 26, for the winner of the first annual Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. Voting…...

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