Bowling Green, Taylor County Media Advisers Honored

March 20, 2007

Bowling Green, Ky. - Two Kentucky journalism teachers are the 2007 recipients of the James L. Highland High School Media Adviser of the Year Award.

Denita Hines of Bowling Green High School and Troy Benningfield of Taylor County High School were recognized March 8 during Western Kentucky University’s Mark of Excellence Awards Day ceremonies.

Hines has 22 years of advising experience which currently includes the student newspaper, The Purple Gem. She has also had yearbook and literary magazine advising duties.

Among the dozens of individual awards it has won, The Purple Gem recently repeated as first place best overall newspaper in Division 3A in WKU’s Mark of Excellence Newspaper contest.

Dr. Fred Carter, superintendent of Glasgow Independent School System, hired Hines at Bowling Green High School after he taught in the same department she did at Warren East High School several years ago.

 “… (Her) fierce determination to allow her students the freedom to write without censorship is well balanced with the common sense to deal with the often controversial educational topics which must be addressed,” he said. “She is a true professional in every sense of the word.”

Benningfield of Taylor County High School has gained the respect and admiration of his colleagues as well as his student staffers.

His publications and broadcasts have won dozens of WKU Mark of Excellence and state contest awards, most often at the top of his school’s division.

He has 14 years of advising experience which includes many years with the student-run newspaper and yearbook. Recently, he added broadcasting responsibilities.

“While he proofs and critiques pages, he will never design one himself; he is devoted to the integrity of our student-led publications,” said The Roving Cardinal editor Kyle Romines.
               
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For information, contact Jackie Bretz at (270) 745-6407.