ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR 2019

The KSPA Administrator of the Year Award recognizes secondary school administrators who have stood up for the First Amendment and his/her students.  The nominee should meet the following five criteria: 1) Supports the Kansas Student Publications Act and the First Amendment; 2) Provides adequate and appropriate financial support for student media; 3) Understands the importance of journalism’s place in a complete secondary school curriculum; 4) Encourages academic and professional growth, both for students and for journalism teachers: 5) Provides personal support and encouragement for students and journalism advisers

The committee would like to note that it had the fortunate problem of having several very strong nominations from which to choose this year. It is heartening to know that many Kansas journalism educators feel supported by their administrators.

Tim Hamblin

Principal, Derby High School

Words of nomination from Joanna Chadwick, Derby High School journalism teacher:

Derby High principal Tim Hamblin has been an excellent partner for the journalism program. He understands the KSPA and the First Amendment, and when he has questions about stories, it is clear that he is aware of the freedoms the journalists have.

Our conversations are frank and professional, and I see that he is consistently working to view the situation from a journalist’s perspective. When my students work with him, he is excellent. He’s honest, he finds time for them and he encourages them.

While there isn’t much financial support for journalism, he has worked with me to find ways to fund it, supporting the students who sell ads, working on fundraising ideas and suggesting outside sources for us to contact.

I believe that a principal like Tim Hamblin is the type of leader any journalism adviser would be thankful to work for and with. I am thankful for his continued support and encouragement.

Words from the selection committee:

The kind of well-rounded support that Tim Hamblin gives to the student journalists of Derby High School is the hallmark of an excellent administrator for free student expression. Hamblin has shown his understanding that the function of student publications is not simply to flatter the school. Instead, students should be expected to work hard and be rewarded with the freedom to tell the truth. The judging committee commends Hamblin’s work in giving the students of Derby High School the resources and environment they need to be productive student journalists.

KSPA congratulates Mr. Tim Hamblin and thanks him for his support of his students!

2019 KSPA Administrator of the Year Tim Hamblin poses with KSPA board president Jessica Bowman, left, and Derby High School student media adviser Joanna Chadwick, right, after an award presentation at a school board meeting in 2019.

2019 KSPA Administrator of the Year Tim Hamblin poses with Derby High School students and KSPA board president Jessica Bowman, left, plus Derby High School student media adviser Joanna Chadwick, right, after an award presentation at a school board meeting in 2019.