UA-housed ASPA Names Award Recipients

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Scholastic Press Association, housed in The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences, annually presents four awards to outstanding high school journalists from across the state.

To be eligible, students must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average and have participated in high school journalism for at least a year.

J.B. Stevenson Scholarship
Alex Houser, a senior at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, was selected for this competitive $2,500 scholarship by members of the Alabama Press Association. The APA honors the late J.B. Stevenson, son of John Stevenson, publisher and editor of The Randolph Leader in Roanoke. J.B. Stevenson made a lasting impression on the journalism community while in middle school and high school.

Journalist of the Year
Houser also was recognized by ASPA as Journalist of the Year, which recognizes the most outstanding graduating scholastic journalist. Journalists submit five examples of their best work that demonstrate the quality and diversity of reporting, writing, photography, design or production. The Alabama Journalist of the Year represents the state in the national Journalism Education Association contest during the national JEA/National Scholastic Press Association convention.

Rick Bragg Award for Feature Writing Jason Frost, Sparkman High School, Madison
Jason Frost, of Sparkman High School in Madison, has been named the 2013 recipient of the Rick Bragg Award for Feature Writing. The award is given to a senior who has demonstrated excellence in feature writing throughout his or her high-school career. To enter, a student will include at least three examples of feature writing. Rick Bragg is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his work at The New York Times and a professor in UA’s department of journalism.

Bailey Thomson Award for Editorial Writing
Raiha Naeem Bajwa, of Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, received the 2013 Bailey Thomson Award for Editorial Writing. The award is given to a senior who has demonstrated excellence in editorial or opinion writing. To be eligible, entering students’ portfolios included at least three examples of editorial or opinion writing. The late Bailey Thomson was a prize-winning editorial writer for the Mobile Press-Register and a professor of journalism at UA.

Winners for Journalist of the Year and the Rick Bragg and Bailey Thomson awards receive a $250 prize.