Empowering
student Media
keynote Lily Jackson
9 a.m. Auditorium Lily Jackson was born and raised in Athens, Alabama. She covers youth and opportunity for AL.com in Mobile. Lily’s focused on the issues facing young southerners and what the state of Alabama is doing to help or hinder their opportunity. She graduated from Auburn University in December 2018 with a degree in journalism and political science. She served as managing editor for The Auburn Plainsman for two Pacemaker-winning years, and she scored internships with Reckon by AL.com and The Chronicle of Higher Education in Washington, D.C. She found her way back to Sweet Home Alabama after her love of local news reared its head. She was a finalist for the Religion News Writing Association’s Chandler Student Award and won third place in the Association of Food Writing Journalists’ Student Division.
Sessions are held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with breaks on the hour
Yearbook Lanie Catuogno
room 171
Lanie Catuogno is from Austin, Texas, has taught journalism at Westwood High School and advised the Westwood Student Press since 2013. Before that, she taught English, Desktop Publishing,Video Tech, and Graphic Design and advised yearbook staffs in Texas and California for 20 years. Lanie’s undergrad degree is in Plan II Liberal Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, and she holds a Master’s of Education in Reading. She was an ASNE (American Society of News Editors) Reynolds High School Journalism Fellow in 2013, earned her CJE in 2016, and was honored with the Edith Fox King award for Texas journalism teachers in 2018. Her staffs have earned CSPA Silver Crowns and NSPA Pacemaker finalist awards, among other honors. Known as “Ms. Cat” to her students, Lanie is happiest when the newsroom is hopping and all the student journalists are busy following up on stories.
Literary Mag Connie Nolen
Connie Nolen is the Communication and Media Arts Academy Director, AP Capstone instructor, writing electives teacher and literary magazine adviser at Pelham High School in Pelham, Alabama. She writes a weekly column for The Pelham Reporter and The Shelby County Reporter. Nolen is a past president of the Alabama Scholastic Press Association. She is sleep-deprived, hyperactive and happy to be always busy in her school, her community, her home and in cyberspace.
broadcast Butler Cain
Auditorium
Room 181
Dr. Butler Cain is chair and professor in the Department of Communications at the University of North Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama with B.A. (’96) and M.A. (’02) degrees in Journalism. He received his Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences with a focus in Media History (’07) from the University of Alabama. Dr. Cain spent many years working professionally as a broadcast journalist in Virginia and Alabama, including a decade as news director of Alabama Public Radio. He spent six years as the student media adviser and Broadcast Journalism program coordinator in the Department of Communication at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. Before transitioning into higher education, he spent a year teaching English language reading and writing skills in Seoul, South Korea. He is a member of the Fulbright Specialist roster with a focus on Journalism and Mass Communication.
Post on social media and tag us! @alabamaspa
@alabamaspa
Alabama Scholastic Press Association
@AlaSPA
#FRW19
broadcast Room 181 A.J. Spurr
A.J. Spurr is a Junior at The University of Alabama and is originally from Miami, Florida. He is double majoring in News Media and Political Science. He first started as a production assistant at the local sports radio station TIDE 102.9 FM. AJ is currently the Programming Director at 90.7 WVUA-FM where he also co-hosts a weekly sports talk radio show. Starting this July AJ will Be news reporting for WVUA 23 here in Tuscaloosa.
ASPA Director Meredith Cummings
Meredith Cummings is a freelance journalist with 25 years of experience in multimedia reporting. She is an instructor in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media at The University of Alabama, where she supervises Editing and Digital production in the WVUA23 newsroom. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists Education Committee and directs the National Elementary Schools Press Association, as well as the Alabama Scholastic Press Association and the Multicultural Journalism Workshop for UA. Her handle is @merecummings on all social media.
The Alabama Scholastic Press Association would like to say
Thank You To:
Dean Mark Nelson and the C&IS Dean’s Office Dr. Cory Armstrong, Chair of the Department of Journalism and Creative Media Jackie Hayes, Crechale Stevens, Hannah Jones, Austin Kohls, Nayeli Pineda, Amber Slaughter and the Department of Journalism and Creative Media Department of Advertising and Public Relations Department of Communication Studies Steve Diorio and the staff of WVUA 23 Paul Wright, Mark Mayfield and the Office of Student Media
Patrons Alabama Broadcasters Association Alabama Press Association
Thank you to our ASPA board members Capri Day: President, Brookwood High School, Tuscaloosa Barbara Bateman: Vice President, Daphne High School Silvia Scaife: Secretary, Auburn High School
Members at Large Birmingham: Connie Nolen, Pelham High School Montgomery: Gina Aaij, LAMP High School Mobile: Lindsey Koen, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School Huntsville: Michelle Sisson, Lee High School
Staff Director Meredith Cummings Program Assistant and Designer Lane Stafford Director Emeritus Marie Parsons