Blog

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 School.  Engel devoted more than two decades to teaching journalism.  She and her students brought national recognition to Kansas high-school journalism.

The award was created to honor the best high school journalism teacher in Kansas.

Morgan has advised the student news magazine, The Epic, and the school’s yearbook, Saga, for the last 13 years.  She also co-advises the website. She was chosen because of her staunch defense of the First Amendment and the commitment she has made to her students and to several journalism organizations, including the Journalism Educators of Metro Kansas City and the Kansas Scholastic Press Association.

Morgan was the co-chairperson of the National Scholastic Press Association fall conference held in Kansas City last fall, and she was named a Journalism Education Association Master Journalism Educator in 2006.

The contest judge wrote of Morgan, “The letters of recommendation for students and colleagues alike reflect a wide variety of experiences with Ms. Morgan, but all bear a common thread: she is a talented, knowledgeable and effective teacher who inspires a passion for journalism in others.”

Morgan will be honored at two ceremonies. The first was at the KACP spring conference April 18 in Hutchinson. The second will be at the KSPA’s state conference May 7 in Lawrence.

Engel was the first recipient of the award in 1990. The complete list of winners includes:

• 1990 – Jackie Engel, McPherson High School
• 1991 – Shirley Gabrielson, Wichita South High School
• 1992 – Gaye Coburn, Wichita North High School
• 1993 – Mary Ann (Siefkes) McCloud, Newton High School
• 1994 – Carol Dreiling, McPherson High School
• 1995 – Celia McDuff, Wichita Northwest High School
• 1996 – Cindy Moore, Dodge City High School
• 1997 – Susan Massy, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
• 1998 – Phyllis Wipf, Maize High School
• 1999 – Linda Drake, Chase County
• 2000 – June DeWeese, Chapman
• 2001 – Becky Lucas, Shawnee Mission North High School
• 2002 – Debra Feil, Lucas Luray
• 2003 – Dot Stegman, Kapaun Mt. Carmel
• 2004 – Barbara Padget, Topeka High School
• 2005 – Allen Wilhite, Humboldt High School
• 2006 – Cheryl Nelsen, Lawrence Free State High School
• 2007 – C. Dow Tate, Shawnee Mission East High School
• 2008 – Kollen Long, Bishop Carroll Catholic High School
• 2009 – Sharon Martin, Wichita High School East
• 2010 – Kathy Hill Habiger, Mill Valley High School
• 2011 – Amy Morgan, Shawnee Mission West High School