UA to Host Alabama Scholastic Press Association Convention

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama will once again host the Alabama Scholastic Press Associationís annual state convention March 10-11.

High school journalism students, teachers and advisers from across the state will take part in newspaper/newsmagazine, literary magazine, yearbook, broadcast, photography and desktop publishing/technology workshop sessions and on-site competitions. Mark Goodman, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, will deliver the conventionís keynote address on Friday, March 10. Results of ASPAís annual critique/judging competition will be announced at the closing ceremony on Saturday.

Three nationally recognized journalism educators will join local faculty and media professionals in presenting a variety of workshop sessions.

Helen Smith of Newton, Mass., will teach newspaper sessions for students and advisers. Editor of the high school journalism text “Springboard to Journalism,” she has advised an award-winning high school newspaper since 1973. For the past two summers, Smith taught fact-based journalism to students in Eastern Bloc countries.

Linda Putney of Manhattan, Kan., currently serves as executive director of the Journalism Education Association. She is an assistant professor of journalism at Kansas State University, where she advises the award-winning Royal Purple yearbook. She will teach yearbook and advising sessions.

Pat Graff of Albuquerque, N.M., will teach literary magazine sessions. A communications teacher for 23 years, Graff was named the 1995 High School Journalism Teacher of the Year. Last summer she was named the National English Teacher of the Year.

For more information, contact ASPA at 205/348-9298, aspa@sa.ua.edu, or P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403.