A huge ASPA thank you to the following people Dean Jennifer Greer and the C&IS Dean’s Office Dr. Wilson Lowrey, Journalism Department Chair Cecilia Hammond, Crechale Stevens and the Department of Journalism Department of Advertising and Public Relations Department of Telecommunication and Film Department of Communication Studies Diane Shaddix and the C&IS Graduate Program Steve Diorio and the staff of WVUA-TV Paul Wright and the Office of Student Media John Stevenson with The Randolph Leader Taylor Armer, Jason Battles, Sharon Bullock, Carol Cummings, Jason Frost, Krista James, Alex Hauser, Elizabeth Lowder, Andrea Mattei, Cara Walker, Alex Hale, Matt Wilson
PATRONS Alabama Broadcasters Association Alabama Press Association Our ASPA Board Members President Melissa Dixon; Past President Erin Coggins; Vice President Connie Nolen; Secretary Renee Quaife; Director Emeritus Marie Parsons; Director Meredith Cummings; Graduate Assistant Tara Bullock
Follow ASPA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook! Instagram: @AlabamaSPA Twitter: @AlaSPA (Hashtag #ASPA14) Facebook fan page: Alabama Scholastic Press Association
Feb. 14-15, 2014
ASPA State Convention
Schedule of events
Welcome to the annual ASPA State Convention at The University of Alabama. #ASPA14 #SpreadTheLove on Twitter
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Friday, Feb. 14, at Ferguson Center
8 a.m. Registration at Ferguson Theater 9 a.m.. Kickoff and keynote, Dianne Bragg 10 a.m. to noon On-site competitions 10 a.m. Session 1 11 a.m. Session 2 Noon Lunch on your own 1 p.m. Session 3 2 p.m. Session 4 3 p.m. Session 5 4 p.m. Closing awards ceremony
Saturday, Feb. 15, at Reese Phifer Hall
(Session times vary depending on the duration of the class. See Saturday’s schedule for details.)
Don’t forget to stop by our Penny Drop table and place your change in a jar! All proceeds benefit ASPA’s mentoring and scholarship programs.
9 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. Noon 1 p.m.
Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Lunch on your own Tours: UA campus tour, Digital Media Center tour or WVUA station tour
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ASPA State Convention
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The goal of Scholastic Journalism Week,
Feb. 16-22, is to do something, whether big or small, to raise awareness and promote
your program to your community, school
and staff. Your involvement and that of your students will to raise community c
onsciousness regarding the benefits of scholastic journalism. Need some ideas? Check
out JEA's Scholastic Journalism Week page, download some posters and materials, then
become part of the community on Facebook or Tweet (#sjw2014) your own ideas. We hope every staff will do something to
celebrate, and represent Alabama well!
Mark your calendar for ASPA’s summer camps!
June 13-15: The Long Weekend summer camp June 13-22: Multicultural Journalism Workshop (Deadline to apply is April 1)
and other events ...
Fall Regional Workshops: Sept. 22: Mobile, Sept. 24: Tuscaloosa, Sept. 26: Huntsville (Other cities and dates TBA) Deadline for all media for competition and critiques: Dec. 19, 2014 Senior award deadlines (Bragg, Thomson, Stevenson and Journalist of the Year awards), Administrator and Adviser of the Year awards deadlines: Jan 31, 2015 ASPA 2015 State Convention: Feb. 20-21 For information and updates, check the ASPA website at aspa.ua.edu.
Feb. 14-15, 2014
ASPA State Convention
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PLEASE NOTE: The Penny Wars will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drinks and snacks are available for advisers in the Advisers Hospitality Room in the Anderson Room, 302. If you are interested in a Saturday tour, please sign up at registration Friday morning.
Friday, Feb. 14 sessions, Ferguson Student Center 9 a.m. Welcome!
Dr. Wilson Lowrey, Chair, University of Alabama Department of Journalism Meredith Cummings, Director, ASPA Keynote, Dianne Bragg, “Changing the World Where You Are”
Onsite competitions begin at 10 a.m. and will be held in the following rooms. STAY IN THE BALLROOM for instructions before going to your room: Yearbook copy and caption writing Ballroom News writing
313
Feature writing
313
Sports writing
313
Editorial writing
Ballroom
Broadcast stand up/camcorder
313
Newscast (anchor)
Ballroom
Sportscast (anchor)
Ballroom
Yearbook layout
Ballroom
Newspaper layout
Ballroom
Literary magazine layout/design
Ballroom
Editorial Cartooning
Ballroom
Literary magazine poetry
Ballroom
Literary magazine illustration
Ballroom
10 a.m. Sessions
Session 1
Shoot like a pro (Broadcast, Online) How do you shoot video to look professional? Having the right look, sound, and questions to produce a good story can be difficult if you don’t know all the rules. This session will get beginning broadcasters off on the right foot for success. Dr. Chandra Clark Room 300 Exposing the best in graphic design: Braving the worst “type demons” (Yearbook, Lit Mag, Newspaper) Almost like magic, the right type choice can turn twodimensional designs into dynamic and powerful pieces of journalism – digital or print. From light to extra bold italic, the right font can turn good reporting into great storytelling. Students will use this session to preview and critique a variety of font samples from high school magazines, newspapers and yearbooks. Bruce Watterson Room 360, Forum Basic Editing (Newspaper, Online, Yearbook) When should you cut a sentence? When do you leave it? Oh, and AP Style! Let’s talk about that little monster in this introduction to editing. Taylor Manning Room 301A Ledes – you know, the first paragraph? – are key (Newspaper, Online) There are tried and true ways to write the first paragraphs of a story. This session will explore techniques for writing direct ledes, delayed ledes and feature ledes. Find out what to include in a strong lede, and what to avoid. And maybe most importantly of all, find out why journalists spell the word L-E-D-E. Paul Isom Room 312
Feb. 14-15, 2014
ASPA State Convention
Behind the scenes with Black Warrior Review (Literary magazine) Find out what it takes to be part of a college literary magazine staff from members of the the nationally respected, award-winning Black Warrior Review, one of UA’s lit mags. BWR publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art by Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners alongside up-and-coming writers. Black Warrior Review staff Room 301A
11 a.m.
Session 2
Exposing the best in graphic design: Erase the clutter by simplifying (Yearbook, Newspaper) In-your-face designs have infiltrated our publications. Ever tried to spice up your deign by adding something? Next time, subtract something instead. Join us to see just how hard it is to create simple, effective designs. It is time to eliminate the flashy, overly graphic patterns that glut our grids. Bruce Watterson Room 360, Forum Starting out small: Behind the scenes with NANO (Literary magazine) Find out what it takes to start a small, independent publication with members of NANO Fiction, a literary magazine run independently from UA by a group of English graduate students. Taught by NANO Staff Room 301A Intro to feature writing (Newspaper, Online, Yearbook) Do you dream of writing features for publications such as The New York Times, Southern Living or Sports Illustrated? This session will teach you the mechanics of feature writing, and help you to do delve deeper into stories and write glowing sentences. Elizabeth Manning and Laura Monroe Room 312 Photography for beginners: Endless possibilities (Newspaper, Online, Yearbook) Get photo tips and tricks to make your photos pop! This veteran photographer will show you many easy ways to improve your photos. Dan Meissner Room 313
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Noon Lunch on your own! Be sure to check out the Penny Wars and Valentines in the ballroom! 1 p.m.
Session 3
Are your photos page turners? (Yearbook, Literary Magazine, Online, Newspaper) Use photography to illustrate, not decorate. It is time to capture things the reader takes for granted: the awe, the mystery, the victory, the humor and, yes, the defeat that tell the stories that matter. Bruce Watterson Room 360, Forum Advanced Broadcast Making sure you have the right tools to take your video, sound and packages to the next level is not as simple as you thought. Find out about some free resources you can turn to for help while you build that award-winning portfolio that win scholarships and get some attention. Dr. Chandra Clark Room 300 You are the Woodward to my Bernstein (All media) Spread the Love with journalism for justice! In-depth pieces sometimes require two or more reporters to work together. The Watergate Scandal, for example, was uncovered by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Learn how two heads are better than one for certain stories in this session, led by students who won the 2013 College Press Freedom Award from the Student Press Law Center. Matt Ford and Abby Crain Room 313 Travel with us! Design and photography by way of travel journalism (Yearbook, Lit Mag, Online, Newspaper) Do you hope to photograph for National Geographic? Or, do you dream of writing for Travel + Leisure? Members of Alpine Living, an award-winning travel magazine sponsored by the University of Alabama’s Journalism Department, will offer tips on design, photography and writing for magazines. They will also discuss obstacles to overcome in travel journalism. Jessie Hancock and Gigi Eyre Room 301A
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ASPA State Convention
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Behind the Scenes at the Marr’s Field Journal (Literary Magazine) How a successful magazine gathers fiction, poetry and art is all in a day’s work for staff of The Marr’s Field Journal. Get tips and tricks of the trade from students on staff at this award-winning undergraduate publication. Marr’s Field Journal staff Room 312
Leadership Academy (All media) In this session, Hauser, former Journalist of the Year, will discuss leadership in a high-school newsroom. It’s your chance to pick the brain of someone who’s been in your shoes, as well as gain contacts with different editors around the state you can connect with throughout your year as editor-in-chief. Alex Houser Room 301A
ASPA Board meeting (Advisers only) The annual State Convention meeting for the ASPA board. All advisers are welcome to attend. Melissa Dixon Anderson Room, 302
Advanced Reporting with a side of Twitter Learn how to write in-depth pieces with help from 140 characters or less with al.com’s Melissa Brown. Melissa Brown Room 312
Multicultural Journalism Workshop - What’s it all about? Learn about UA’s prestigious Multicultural Journalism Workshop - one of the oldest in the country. Get tips and tricks for applying and find out more about this lifechanging experience open to anyone! MJW alumni Ballroom
Sports myserties solved Two award-winning sports reporters answer your questions about covering the big (and not-so-big) games. They will also look at challenges and triumphs of being a sports reporter. Marc Torrence, Marq Burnett Ballroom
2 p.m.
Session 4
Trendsetting ideas for improving your reporting and design skills (Yearbook, Newspaper) Real storytelling takes time, patience and passion. Use this session to polish your skill-set and increase your importance to the staff. Bruce Watterson Room 360, Forum Yearbook 3D (Advisers, Yearbook) Preserve memories forever with the printed yearbook while leveraging new technology to ensure it stays exciting and relevant to today’s students. Learn how to create video content that comes to life on your mobile device! Kane Belew and Tyler Craig Room 313 Producing for more than just broadcast news (Broadcast, Online) Shane Dorrill, a veteran radio and television broadcaster works with media from around the state with University Relations at the University of Alabama to get sources from state media while producing promotional videos for the web and broadcast. Find out how you use your skills for more than you ever realized. Shane Dorrill Room 300
Typography 101 Missed the first typography session? Then head on over to this one where you will learn how the right typography can turn your work into dynamic and powerful pieces of journalism. Mike Little Room 301B
3 p.m.
Session 5
Need some great idea starters? How to capitalize on your unique ‘home-town’ coverage advantage (All media) Grab a list of top creative ideas that are sure to trigger plenty of positive reaction among all your readers. Bruce Watterson Room 360, Forum Rewind and take a step back in time (All media) Members of the University of Alabama Radio Television Digital News Association broadcast students who will share stories of what they wish they would have known as broadcasters while in high school. They’ve had great internships and know how to get future employers’ attention with stories that have what it takes to air. They will share the good, the bad, and the ugly in this session moderated by Dr. Pamela Tran, UA Electronic News Professor. RTDNA students Room 301A
Feb. 14-15, 2014
ASPA State Convention
Friday, Feb. 14 sessions continued
The Inside Scoop on College Newspapers Peek inside the day-to-day operations of one of the best college papers in the country. The Crimson White Staff Room 301B
Expect the unexpected (Broadcast) Learn how to handle covering unexpected events and keep your cool while on camera. WVUA’s Isaac Williams will share experiences, tips and tricks from covering Snowpocalypse 2014. Isaac Williams Room 300 Production Tips and Tricks (Broadcast, Online) When filming video or capturing audio, there are some basic techniques that can be used to increase quality with little or no cost. We will review some of these techniques and learn how to create better video and audio for our newscasts and other projects.
All morning
Andrew Richardson
9-noon Ongoing photography sessions
Session 1
Beginning InDesign Don’t be scared of all the bells and whistles. You, can conquer the InDesign beast in a few easy steps! Alex Houser Room 341 Student media problem solving What are your biggest issues? Hiring staff? Keeping the staff you’ve hired? Meeting deadline? Finding stories? All these things and more are on the table. Come to this session with your list of problems and, with the help of a veteran adviser, we’ll solve them together. It’s quite possible the person sitting next to you will have dealt with the same things – and might even have discovered some solutions. Meredith Cummings Room 327 Harness the power of the desktop How to begin creating, distributing and optimizing cutting-edge content. For digital magazines or online newspapers, it’s got to be interactive, inspiring. Why? Because your readers in the student body are demanding it. Bruce Watterson Room 338
Room 313
The Icing on the Cake (Newspaper, Online, Yearbook) This session explores the use and function of figurative language within news reporting by experimenting with writing in a mini-workshop format. Elizabeth Pratt, Kelsey Nolen and Lizzy Valenza Room 312
4 p.m.
Awards ceremony
* Dr. Jennifer Greer, Dean College of Communication and Information Sciences * Sharon Tinsley, President, Alabama Broadcaster’s Association * Larry Haynes, Principal, Oak Mountain Middle School * Dr. Chris Roberts, Journalism Professor
Saturday, Feb. 18 sessions, Reese Phifer Hall 10 a.m.
Please stop by the ASPA lobby on the third floor to say hello and grab a snack!
9 a.m.
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Session 2
New trends in high school publications A look at the national award-winning publications, soon to be previewed at the Spring Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s conference in NYC. Bruce Watterson Room Room 338 Advanced InDesign Now that you’ve conquered InDesign, see how far you can take it with these fun ideas. Alex Houser Room 341
11 a.m.
Session 3
Using digital devices like the iPad and the iPhone to improve your reporting skills Ideas that take you from traditional photographic basics through more interactive uses of digital imaging. Bring along copies of your publication or share your URLs. Bruce Watterson Room 338
Noon 1 p.m.
Lunch on your own Session 4, Tours
Advisers: See Mrs. Cummings for where to go for your tour.