Blog

KSPA has awarded long-time Walsworth sales representative John Kelley the 2025 Friend of KSPA award. This award recognizes a professional partner’s efforts to support KSPA and scholastic journalism on a state or local level. 

During his 36 years with Walsworth, Kelley has established himself as a loyal and dedicated professional who believes in the power of yearbooks and the students and advisers who produce them. Nomination letters for Kelley describe him as supportive, motivating and knowledgable.

Words of nomination:

Shawnee Mission West adviser Amy Morgan said:

I have known John for 29 years- my entire teaching career. We first met when I was a student teacher at SM Northwest, and he volunteered to supervise the yearbook worknight because the adviser was home sick. That really sums up John as a yearbook rep. He will do whatever he can to help students and advisers be successful. He has gone out of his way to work with the tech people in our district to make sure the plug ins work for us. He works with students on creating people pages and flowing the index. He answers frantic phone calls and texts, and provides advice and reassurance. He will also be stern when kids need a good talking to about meeting (or missing!) a deadline.

Retired Shawnee Mission Northwest adviser Susan Massy said:

John Kelley is the ideal yearbook rep. He worked with me as an adviser, not only sharpening my skills and feeding me organizational tips and tricks, but also serving as the ultimate deadline enforcer and even the bad guy when needed (I know it’s hard for anyone to imagine John Kelley as the bad guy). Most importantly, he recognized the importance of treating student editors as the leaders they were, allowing them to ask questions, to mess up, to call him waaaaay too late at night when we were on deadline and, in general, treating them respectfully. And they loved him for it. It’s not like John Kelley worked this magic only with the Lair staff. Talk to any of the advisers who work with him. They will tell you the same thing. He empowers students. He encourages them and celebrates their creativity and hard work. He’s taken them on plant tours and organized workshops and special speakers for them. He has also shown up to support KSPA every time he’s been asked, welcomed the students that love him and made sure they know how much he appreciates them.

Current Shawnee Mission Northwest adviser Chris Heady said:

My students love John Kelley so much they have a song for him. They sing it when I tell them he’s coming to the room and they all cheer. This is a man who, most of the time, is telling them to get it in gear and meet their deadline or about to break down why they’re behind on selling books or senior ads. Here’s what I think it is: kids love being treated like adults. They love being taken seriously. And John Kelley treats high school journalists like journalists. When he meets with students, I’m not even in the room. I trust him to lead my students, and my students trust him in how to run the yearbook. In meetings, he’s talking business with my editors, treating their concerns with reason and calm. In a world where adults often dismiss students, John consistently takes them seriously. He teaches them about the business side of journalism: how to sell and how to market and how to balance production with creativity.

Congratulations to a true friend of KSPA and scholastic journalism, John Kelley.