Alabama Scholastic Press Association Honors Announced

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nearly 300 journalism students and advisers from state high schools were on The University of Alabama campus recently for the annual convention of the Alabama Scholastic Press Association (ASPA).

Several students, teachers and high schools were honored for their achievements in publications and broadcasting.

Eric Kacker, a senior at Pelham High School, was named Alabama High School Journalist of the Year and received the third annual J.B. Stevenson Scholarship. This $2,500 award, made possible by the Alabama Press Association Journalism Foundation and coordinated by ASPA, is named for the late son of John Stevenson, editor of the Randolph Leader.

Cathy Bearden, Pelham High School’s literary magazine, broadcast and newspaper adviser was named Susie DeMent Adviser of the Year. The award is named for the longtime newspaper adviser at Montevallo High School.

Stan Cox, principal of Opelika High School, was named Administrator of the Year for his support of the school’s student publications.

All three were present to accept.

Awards also were presented in individual, overall and on site competitions. The following high school publications received All Alabama honors in the overall competitions:

All Alabama Broadcasts

• MHS-TV News, Montevallo High School
• WBUC News, Hoover High School

All Alabama Literary Magazines

• The Artisan, Briarwood Christian School
• Epiphany, Catholic High School
• Perspectives, Opelika High School

All Alabama Newspapers

• Aggie Journal, Jackson High School
• The Charger, Oxford High School
• Main Street Gazette, Opelika High School
• The Northridge Reporter, Northridge High School
• The Pirateer, Fairhope High School
• Spotlight, Montevallo High School
• Trojan Myths, Charles Henderson High School

All Alabama Yearbooks

• Iliad, St. James School
• Pantheron, Brookwood High School
• Warrior’s Lore, Russell County High School

For a complete list of all winners, go to www.aspa.ua.edu/state/2004/awards.html.

The Alabama Scholastic Press Association, part of the UA Office of Student Media, is a high school journalism outreach program that seeks to empower newspapers, newsmagazines, yearbooks, literary magazines and broadcasts across the state.

ASPA holds a two-day convention on campus each spring, a weekend journalism camp on campus each July, and a series of fall regional workshops in various Alabama cities each September. Each event features nationally recognized workshop leaders.

ASPA also coordinates annual critiques and competitions, helps students and advisers with their daily concerns and lobbies against high school censorship.

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