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350 Students Attend Journalism September 27, 2004 Student media advisers from Owensboro to Campbellsville brought their staffs to attend sessions taught by Western faculty and students as well as other journalism professionals. The conference goal was to encourage excellence in high school media classes. It also provided high school students with the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills. Staffers and their advisers attended 30 breakout sessions with topics ranging from broadcasting and photography to technology and speaking for broadcast. Eight students entered the write-off contest. Facilitated by Bob Adams, adviser to the College Heights Herald, Western's student newspaper, the write-off required students to type their stories about the keynote address on computers, self-edit and turn them in all in under an hour, just like in a real newsroom. Adams and Herald editorial board members judged the stories. The competition was stiff, Adams said, and the stories were quite good. Lexington Herald-Leader managing editor Tom Eblen gave the keynote address, "First Amendment: Purpose, Pride and Passion." For two area seniors, however, it was more than just another speech. Jordan Speer of Bowling Green High and Mary Grace Brooks of Glasgow High won the speech story write-off competition; each earned $500 scholarships to attend Western. Purple Gem cartoonist and feature writer Speer said Eblen's speech about the First Amendment had a profound effect on him. "It definitely made me think about the people I listen to on the news media—that I should think twice before I know it's true. Now I know the next time I write a story I should verify stuff before I write," Speer said. Journalism Scholars Day attendees came from the following high schools: Allen County-Scottsville, Barren County, Bowling Green, Breckinridge County, Corbin, Daviess County, Glasgow, Greenwood, Graves County, Grayson County, Hopkinsville, Pulaski County, Shelby County and Taylor County. Several came specifically for the awards ceremony. Twenty-three schools entered their yearbooks in the Mark of Excellence Yearbook contest, sponsored by Western's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. One local yearbook adviser says she thinks the contest is a good idea. "It's invaluable for my students to see their books are being judged," said Tricia Crocker, Bowling Green High yearbook adviser. "I've seen my staff become much more interested in doing a good job when they see they are being compared to other schools and that it's (the yearbook) not just a product turned into a teacher." The Mark of Excellence Yearbook contest was chaired by Western SPJ chapter president Ashlee Clark. Judges included Clark, students Katie Clark, Julie Kish, Lee Fisher, Lisa Ross, Whitney Ingersoll and Adriane Hardin. Jackie Bretz, director of the Kentucky High School Media Institute, was the contest coordinator. DIVISION A/AA Advertising A/AA First Place- Crittenden County High School, Rockette Second Place- Edmonson Country High School, Wildcat Third Place- Fulton County High School, Pilot Honorable Mention-Corbin High School, Redhound; Webster County High School, Trojan Photography A/AA First Place- Glasgow High School, Scottie Second Place- Webster County High School, Trojan Third Place- Crittenden County High School, Rockette; Edmonson County High School, Wildcat Honorable Mention- Corbin High School, Redhound; Fulton County High School, Pilot Cover/Theme Development A/AA First Place- Corbin High School, Redhound Second Place- Webster County High School, Trojan Third Place- Glasgow High School, Scottie Honorable Mention- Crittenden County High School, Rockette; Edmonson County High School, Wildcat Layout/Design A/AA First Place- Webster County High School, Trojan Second Place- Glasgow High School, Scottie Third Place- Corbin High School, Redhound Honorable Mention- Edmonson County High School, Wildcat; Fulton County High School, Pilot Copy A/AA First Place- Corbin High School, Redhound Second Place- Webster County High School, Trojan Third Place- Crittenden County High School, Rockette; Glasgow High School, Scottie Honorable Mention- Edmonson County, Wildcat Best Overall Yearbook A/AA First Place- Corbin High School, Redhound; Webster County High School, Trojan Second Place- Crittenden County, Rockette Third Place- Glasgow High School, Scottie Honorable Mention- Edmonson County High School, Wildcat; Fulton County High School, Pilot DIVISION AAA Advertising AAA First Place- Lone Oak High School, Oak Leaves Second Place- Taylor County High School, Cardinal Third Place- Union County High School, Unionaire Honorable Mention- Bowling Green High School, Beacon; Lexington Catholic High School, Quest; Logan County High School, Cougar; South Oldham County High School, Draconium Photography AAA First Place- South Oldham County High School, Draconium Second Place- Taylor County High School, Cardinal Third Place- Lexington Catholic High School, Quest Honorable Mention- Hopkinsville High School, Orange & Black Cover/Theme Development AAA First Place- South Oldham County High School, Draconium Second Place- Bowling Green High School, Beacon Third Place- Lexington Catholic High School, Quest; Taylor County High School, Cardinal Honorable Mention- Logan County High School, Cougar; Lone Oak High School, Oak Leaves; Union County High School, Unionaire Layout/Design AAA First Place- Lexington Catholic High School, Quest Second Place- Bowling Green High School, Beacon Third Place- Taylor County High School, Cardinal Honorable Mention- Hopkinsville High School, Orange & Black Copy AAA First Place- South Oldham County High School, Draconium Second Place- Bowling Green High School, Beacon; Lexington Catholic High School, Quest Third Place- Taylor County High School, Cardinal; Hopkinsville High School, Orange & Black Best Overall Yearbook AAA First Place- South Oldham County High School, Draconium; Taylor County High School, Cardinal Second Place- Lexington Catholic High School, Quest Third Place- Bowling Green High School, Beacon DIVISION AAAA Advertising AAAA First Place- Barren County High School, The Trojan Second Place- Graves County High School- Aquila; Greenwood High School- Ebullience Third Place- Eastern High School, The Talon; Fern Creek Traditional High School, Tiger; Henderson County High School, Countiana Honorable Mention- Shelby County High School, Rocket First Place- Daviess County High School, Echoes Second Place- Scott County High School, eXposure Third Place- Greenwood High School, Ebullience Honorable Mention- Barren County High School, The Trojan; Eastern High School, The Talon; Graves County High School- Aquila; Shelby County High School, Rocket First Place- Eastern High School, The Talon; Graves County High School, Aquila Second Place- Daviess County High School, Echoes; Fern Creek Traditional High School, Tiger Third Place- Greenwood High School, Ebullience Honorable Mention- Barren County High School, The Trojan First Place- Barren County High School, The Trojan Second Place- Greenwood High School, Ebullience Third Place- Scott County High School, exposure; Graves County High School, Aquila Honorable Mention- Eastern High School, The Talon; Fern Creek Traditional High School, The Tiger First Place- Graves County High School, Aquila Second Place- Greenwood High School, Ebullience Third Place- Barren County High School, The Trojan; Henderson County High School, Countiana; Fern Creek Traditional High School, The Tiger Honorable Mention- Eastern High School, The Talon First Place- Graves County High School, Aquila Second Place- Greenwood High School, Ebullience; Barren County High School, The Trojan Third Place- Daviess County High School, Echoes; Fern Creek Traditional High School, Tiger Honorable Mention- Eastern High School, The Tiger; Henderson County High School, Countiana; Scott County High School, exposure; Shelby County High School, Rocket Journalism Scholars Day, directed by Jackie Bretz, is co-sponsored by the School of Journalism and Broadcasting, the Kentucky High School Media Institute, Western, Western's Chapter of Society of Professional Journalists, the College Heights Herald, Talisman and the Kentucky High School Journalism Association. Originally called High School Press Day, the conference was renamed Journalism Scholars Day when Jo-Ann Albers became department chair in the late 1980s. Having a day devoted to high school journalism is a Western tradition that dates to the 1970s. Dr. Pam Johnson is the current director of WKU's School of Journalism and Broadcasting. More information about Journalism Scholars Day can be found at www.wku.edu/khsmp.
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