Pennsylvania School Press Association

Just posted our entire December issue with the hope that someone, anyone will take a look and send us some constructive comments. We have received more comments from NewsPageDesigner than from PSPA members which is quite sad considering. Check out the Album on Sam Bidleman’s member page. Best/Only place to post images.

And as always, we are looking to fill the next 16 pages with some good stories so we will take those suggestions too. This issue – focus on homework, dancing, swim team dps coverage, holiday editorial and lots more.

Rene Harris, 17,  a 12th grader at Oxford Area High School in Oxford, Pa., has won the DOE video contest. She shares her story about overcoming personal setbacks at home.  Check out her video at this link.

Close

The Internet has been both a boon and a curse to journalists and news media. In many ways, the Internet provides student journalists a chance to extend and deepen their stories. However, as with all tools, it is important to learn how to use it in a safe, legal, and ethical manner.

Whenever a student newspaper makes the jump to an online publication, a few common questions tend to accompany that jump:

• Can student journalists use images they find online to accompany their articles?
• How can student journalists adapt existing stories that they find online?
• Where do you draw the line when promoting your story online (e.g. social networking)?
• Can other media outlets use a story published on our blog for their own purposes?

To help educators and students find answers to these new questions in the world of Journalism 2.0, the folks over at Creative Commons have developed a tool to actively engage student journalists and their advisers in these issues. If you’re struggling with questions like these in our increasingly connected world, check out Student Journalism 2.0.

i June 4 2009

Whether you’re with the hardcore hold-outs who are sticking with that traditional newspaper format, or you’re one of those crazy newsmagazine hybrid folks, you’ll enjoy reading this article (http://www.editorsweblog.org/analysis/2009/11/a_portuguese_success_story_could_i_be_th.php) touting the success of Portugal’s new daily i that seems to be leading the way in ensuring that our beloved print news medium ain’t dead yet.

“Why are free and independent news media important?” The  Society of Professional Journalists want to know what your students think and are sponsoring a national contest to find out.

I thought this might be a good essay for a journalism class and/or exam, extra credit.

• National first place is a $1,000 scholarship
• Second is a $500 scholarship
• Third is a $300 scholarship

Students or advisers should go to http://www.spj.org/a-hs.asp for information on where to send your essays.

Postmark deadline is March 5, 2010.

For more information, you can contact Gloria Olman, MJE at gaolman@comcast.net