JEA announces 2014 Friend of Scholastic Journalism Award honorees

JEA announces 2014 Friend of Scholastic Journalism Award honorees

The Journalism Education Association has named four professional journalists as its 2014 JEA Friend of Scholastic Journalism Award honorees. JEA presents this award to people and groups outside the school setting who demonstrate exceptional support of scholastic journalism. The award winners will be recognized Nov. 8 at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C.

They are

Tom Campbell

As president and publisher, Campbell is the overseer of news, circulation, advertising and production at the Owosso Argus-Press. His exemplary work with and for student journalists and their advisers all over Michigan garnered him the 2006 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s John V. Field Award.

“It would be difficult to pick just one defining thing that makes Tom Campbell stand out as a Friend of Scholastic Journalism. His ability to work with students as both a professional and an educator has to top the list,” wrote nominator Rod Satterthwaite, MJE, adviser of The Tower at Grosse Pointe South High School, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.

In fact, the editorial board of The Hawkeye, the student newspaper and website at Bloomfield Hills (Michigan) High School took the time to write a letter of support on Tom’s behalf that echoes the experience of every publication that works with him.

Campbell continues to support the 70 plus scholastic newspapers and magazines he prints while assisting in running one of the few remaining independent, family-owned newspapers in the country.

“Tom has put in countless hours working with student publications,” said Sara-Beth Badalamente, adviser at Grand Ledge (Michigna) High School. “When I was a first-year adviser, I had some sort of error every time I tried to export pages. It didn’t help that the software I was using was older than when I was in high school. Tom of course had kept his old version of InDesign and was always able to help me get pages sent, no matter what time of day. And I mean any time of day,”

Gary Hairlson

Gary Hairlson, has been the video director for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and stltoday.com since 2006 and has overseen newsroom video training and daily video coverage. After joining the Post-Dispatch’s photo staff in 1999, he has worked as a picture editor, assignments editor and assistant director of photography. He has taught workshops for high school students for more than 25 years.

For the past four years, in addition to his ongoing workshop duties, Hairlson has worked to connect professional photojournalists with schools in the St. Louis area.

“His effort has made an impact on numerous programs throughout the St. Louis metro community,” wrote nominator Aaron Manfull, MJE, adviser at Frances Howell North High School in St. Charles. “The best thing about what he has set up is that it’s all been free for students. It’s his way of giving back. I’m not sure in all my years of working with students and professionals that I’ve met someone as selfless as Gary”
“The amount of time that Gary has donated over the years is enough to qualify him as a Friend of Scholastic Journalism, but the quality of his work and his ability to relate to teenagers make him more than worthy of the award. Gary seems to know just the right combination of preaching and prodding and joking to get the best out of each workshopper,” said Neil Ralston, professor at Lindenwood University in St. Charles.

Margaret Kaplow

Kaplow, who started at The Washington Post in 1984, supervises a Newspapers in Education program with more than 350 schools in The Post’s circulation area and several international schools including those in Rome and South Korea. She began the NIE program in 1985.

“Her commitment to providing journalism resources to teachers of all disciplines has never wavered,” Carol Lange, CJE and JEA cirector for the Washington, D.C., area wrote.

Kaplow also has been active in recruiting judges and speakers from the Post for five JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Conventions. She remains active in assisting with regional workshops.

“In the age of retrenchment from mainstream media from scholastic programs, Margaret Kaplow has remained a stalwart supporter of journalism programs in the Washington, D.C., metro area,” said Alan Weintraut, Annandale (Virginia) High School journalism teacher. “She has consistently availed the resources of The Washington Post for meeting space for teacher and student training seminars. Her benevolence and commitment to journalism has impacted dozens of high schools in the area.”

Barbara McCormack

A former high school teacher, Barbara McCormack is a true Friend of Scholastic Journalism. At the Newseum since its inception, she has served as coordinator of the Newseum’s NewsCapade with Al Neuharth, handling the logistics of getting the big bus to every state — including Alaska and Hawaii.

As director of education, McCormack has continued her support for local and national journalism education with the Newseum’s Learning Center and online resources and lessons. She has supported JEA/NSPA conventions in Washington, D.C., with pre-convention workshops and on-site sessions, donations to the Student Press Law Center and exhibitor presence.

The programs hosted by the D.C. JEA, The Washington Post Young Journalists Development Program and the Newseum were “vital in preparing me for my first year of teaching journalism. Each workshop covered a critical piece of journalism curriculum, from ethical and legal issues to photojournalism and design,” wrote Jessica Nassau, CJE, journalism teacher and adviser at Rockville (Maryland) High School.

“The workshops also provided ample opportunities for collaboration with other journalism educators in the area. Finally, the workshops that have been open to students have been informative and inspiring to young and developing journalists,” Nassau added. “I’m always eager for new workshops to be announced, because I know they will help me bring our school newspaper to the next level. I feel very fortunate to live in an area with such a strong collaboration between professional and scholastic journalism.”

Founded in 1924, JEA supports free and responsible scholastic journalism by providing resources and educational opportunities, by promoting professionalism, by encouraging and rewarding student excellence and teacher achievement, and by fostering an atmosphere which encompasses diversity yet builds unity. It is headquartered at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.

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