More Than 450 Students Attend WKU Journalism Scholars Day
November 06, 2008
List of Yearbook Contest Winners (.doc file)
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Journalism Scholars Day, a 36-year tradition at Western Kentucky University, attracted more than 450 Kentucky high school journalism students from 20 schools to campus Thursday. The four-hour conference included breakout sessions, keynote address, writing contest and yearbook contest awards ceremony.
Student media advisers from across Kentucky brought their staffs to attend sessions taught by WKU 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 20 breakout sessions with topics ranging from yearbook design and photography to editorial cartooning.
Sixteen students entered the on-site writing contest.
Facilitated by Jim Highland, the contest required students to type their stories about the keynote address, self-edit and turn them in all in under an hour, just like in a real newsroom.
Bryce Combs, one of the visionaries of the new digital communications era, gave the keynote address, “Career Planning for the New Communication Frontier.”
For two Kentucky high school newspaper staffers, however, it was more than just another speech.
Jessica England, a junior from duPont Manual High School, and Mackenzie Pirtle, a junior from Bowling Green High School, won the on-site writing competition; each earned $500 scholarships to attend WKU.
Journalism Scholars Day attendees came from Allen County-Scottsville, Ballard Memorial, Barren County, Bowling Green, Corbin, Daviess County, duPont Manual, Elizabethtown, Fern Creek Traditional, Franklin-Simpson, Grant County, Highland, Logan County, North Hardin, Pleasure Ridge Park, Southwestern, St. Francis DeSales, Thomas Jefferson Middle, Waggener and Warren East.
Several came specifically for the awards ceremony. Twenty-three schools entered their yearbooks in the Mark of Excellence Yearbook contest, sponsored by WKU’s student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Best overall winners were Crittenden County in Class A/AA, Allen County-Scottsville in Class AAA and duPont Manual in Class AAAA.
Held the day of the event 10 schools entered the Best of Show yearbook competition. First place in the small school enrollment division was awarded to Allen County-Scottsville. In the large school enrollment division first place went to duPont Manual.
Journalism Scholars Day, coordinated by Katie Clark, was co-sponsored by the School of Journalism & Broadcasting, the Kentucky High School Media Institute, WKU, WKU’s chapter of Society of Professional Journalists, the College Heights Herald and Talisman.
Originally called High School Press Day, the conference was renamed Journalism Scholars Day in the late 1980s. Having a day devoted to high school journalism is a WKU tradition that dates back to the 1970s. Pam Johnson is the director of the School of Journalism & Broadcasting.
More information about Journalism Scholars Day can be found at www.wku.edu/khsmp.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Katie Clark at (270) 745-3055.
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