ASPA State Convention Program 2015

ASPA State Convention 2015

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Ferguson Student Center Tuscaloosa, Alabama February 13-14

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A huge ASPA Thank

You to the following people:

Dean Mark Nelson and the C&IS Dean’s Office Dr. Wilson Lowrey, Journalism Department Chair Holley Mabury, 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 Teaching Journalism JN 436/536 class Taylor Armer, Jason Battles, Scott Bowman, Carol Cummings, Jason Frost, Krista James, Alex Hauser, Laura Hunter, Andrea Matei, Bobby Mathews, Lauren Meadows, Andrew Richardson, Cara Walker, Matt Wilson and all of our wonderful session leaders!

Patrons Alabama Broadcasters Association Alabama Press Association

ASPA Board Members President Melissa Dixon Past President Erin Coggins Vice President Connie Nolen Secretary Renee Quaife Director Emeritus Marie Parsons Director Meredith Cummings Program Assistant Anna Waters

@AlabamaSPA @AlaSPA

#ASPA15 #ASPAHHH

Alabama Scholastic Press Association 2

www.aspa.ua.edu

Schedule: Note: If you are interested in a Saturday tour of the UA campus, the Digital Media Center or the Office of Student Media, let Mrs. Meredith Cummings know upon arrival or during the ASPA Board meeting. At 1 p.m. on Saturday, advisers should see Mrs. Cummings to find out where to report for tours.

Friday, Feb. 13 Ferguson Student Center 8 a.m. Registration at Ferguson Theater 9 a.m. Welcome and keynote 10 a.m. – Noon On-site competitions

On-site Competition Location News writing Ballroom

11 a.m. Session 2

Feature writing Room 3107/300

Noon Lunch on your own

Sports writing Ballroom

1 p.m. Session 3

Editorial writing Room 301

2 p.m. Session 4

Broadcast stand-up Ballroom

3 p.m. Session 5

Newscast (anchor) Back of Ballroom at 10 a.m.

4 p.m. Closing awards ceremony

9 a.m. Session 1

Note: On-site competitions begin at the following locations at 10 a.m., except those that cover Sarah Patterson’s keynote as part of the competition. All necessary information is included in each on-site participant’s packet. Please check in at the on-site registration table upon arrival at the Ferguson Center.

Yearbook copy, caption writing Registration table at 10 a.m.

10 a.m. Session 1

Saturday, Feb. 14 Reese Phifer Hall

On-site Competitions

Sportscast (anchor) Back of Ballroom at 10 a.m.

Yearbook layout Registration table at 10 a.m.

Newspaper layout Registration table at 10 a.m.

Photography Follow instructions in packet

10 a.m. Session 2

Editorial cartooning Room 301

11 a.m. Session 3

Literary magazine poetry Room 301

Noon Lunch on your own

Literary magazine fiction Room 301

1 p.m. Tours

OUR STAFF AT WORK SCHOLASTIC JOURNALISM WEEK

FEBRUARY 22-28, 2015

The goal of the Journalism Education Association’s Scholastic Journalism Week, Feb. 22-28, is to do something, whether big or small, to raise awareness about scholastic journalism and promote your program to your community, school and staff. JEA hopes that your involvement and that of your students will serve to raise community consciousness regarding the benefits of scholastic journalism.

For ideas, visit JEA’s Scholastic Journalism Week page on jea.org, download some posters and materials, check out last year’s Scholastic Journalism Week Facebook page or follow Scholastic Journalism Week on Twitter, @SJW2015. Don’t be afraid to tweet some of your own ideas using the hashtag, #SJW2015.

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Friday

Welcome

9 a.m.

Ballroom

Meredith Cummings Director, Alabama Scholastic Press Association Dr. George Daniels Assistant Dean, College of Communication and Information Sciences

Keynote Speaker

9 a.m.

Ballroom

Sarah Patterson Special Assistant to Director of Alabama Athletics Former Alabama Gymanastics Head Coach Legendary coach Sarah Patterson led the Alabama gymnastics team for 36 seasons, racking up 1,006 wins and 43 postseason championships during her career.

Patterson retired in July 2014 but has remained a part of the Alabama Athletics staff, where she works with the Crimson Tide Foundation and serves as a member of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee. Patterson has also been the driving force behind the Power of Pink initiative that raises awareness in the fight against breast cancer and has raised more than $1.46 million for the DCH Breast Cancer Fund.

Session 1

UA Athletics

10 a.m.

Ferguson Center

Let’s Face It: Finding Unique Angles for Recurring Stories All Media Carla Jean Whitley, Room 3104 High school journalists have to cover prom, homecoming, new school policies, etc. But you don’t have to cover those stories the same way year after year. Put a new face on your stories and find a unique angle to grab your readers and viewers.

Don’t Get Schooled by Academics Yearbook Erinn Harris, Forum, Room 3700/360 Don’t settle for pics of kids staring at textbooks. There are great stories in your classrooms and telling them starts with fantastic photos. Two yearbook advisers discuss vibrant academics coverage through great photography, strong writing and contemporary design.

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Session 1

continued

Online News and Content All Media Jonathan Little, Room 2408/Blackburn This online news presentation provides an overview of the First Amendment, interactivity, user-generated content, crowdsourcing, the intricacies of online only publishing, defamation, privacy, copyright and Section 230. The presentation also features specific examples and significant case law relating to these issues.

Punched in the Face While Reading Literary Magazine Ginger Stewart, Room 3114/312, Morris Mayer Room Today’s readers are different than those of the days-gone-by Dickens era. They don’t suffer long passages of exposition and description. They want their plot to move and move fast. How can a writer get (and keep) today’s reader’s attention?

In this session, you will learn how to grab your reader and not let go.

Session 2

11 a.m.

Ferguson Center

ASPA Board Meeting Advisers Only Melissa Dixon and Meredith Cummings, Room 3125/302, Anderson Room The annual State Convention meeting for the ASPA board. All advisers are welcome and encouraged to attend. New officers will be elected.

Personality Profiles: Tell My Story All Media Mark Mayfield, Room 3104 Everybody has a story. Like Steve Hartman, the television reporter who throws a dart at a map and chooses someone at random from the phone book to interview, you can randomly select people you don’t know and turn them into people you know.

More Than Just a Dance Yearbook, Newspaper Erinn Harris, Forum, Room 3700/360 Do you find yourself covering the same six events every year, and five of them are dances? Being a student – and being a teenager – in 2015 is about more than just a dance. This session will help staffers figure out what’s important to their student body, as well as how to diversify their student life coverage.

Lessons to Share from ‘Tuscaloosa Runs This’ Literary Magazine Brian Oliu, Room 3114/312, Morris Mayer Room In 2011, a group of authors came together to publish a book called “Tuscaloosa Runs This,” a compilation of fiction, nonfiction and poetry dedicated to the storms that hit Tuscaloosa, led by creative writing professor Brian Oliu. In this session, Oliu will help students brainstorm how they might help their own communities through similar works.

Building Better Graphics and Illustrations Yearbook, Newspaper, Website Anthony Bratina, Room 2408/Blackburn Make your graphics and illustrations pop, with advice from the Tuscaloosa News graphics editor, Anthony Bratina.

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Noon – Lunch Break

Session 3

1 p.m.

Ferguson Center

Fifty Ways to Tell a Story Yearbook, Newspaper Erinn Harris, Forum, Room 3700/360 Mods. Sidebars. Alternative Story Forms. Whatever you call them, they are a great way to expand your publication’s coverage, play with design and explore unique forms of storytelling. If you’re stuck in a picture and quote rut, this session will give you some new ideas.

Landing the Internship You Want All Media Cindy Crawford Fisher, Room 2200C/204A How can you start now to get the internship you’ve always wanted? Learn some concrete steps you can take, as well as tips for planning for your dream job.

Photography: From Ordinary to Extraordinary All Media Kirsten Fiscus, Room 3104 This lively session will teach you to get away from those boring, expected photos and learn to take ones that are showstoppingly wonderful. Go beyond the rules to thinking like a professional.

Tech Talk: Literary Magazines and Technology Literary Magazine Alicia Clavell, Room 3114/312, Morris Mayer Room Literary magazine publisher Alicia Clavell examines the use of technology in the field of literary publishing. She will discuss print versus online venues, how to choose the right medium for your publication, and how to use technology effectively for your publication.

Multimedia/Broadcast Roundtable Multimedia, Broadcast Andrew Richardson, Room 3111/309 Bring your YouTube videos for some constructive criticism and feedback on how you can improve your online website or broadcast video. In this session, we will conquer everything from sound to camera angles and on-camera presence.

It’s Game Time!

All Media Christopher Walsh, Room 301 An inside look at sports writing and the do’s and don’ts in a rapidly changing profession. A longtime pro sports reporter and book author will offer examples of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to sports coverage. From hockey to football, bring your sports-related questions and get answers.

Digital World to Real World: How Community Engagement is Connecting Readers All Media Edward Bowser, Room 3115/313, Anderson Society Room So what the heck is community engagement, anyway? It’s a principle journalists have been committed to for decades, now adapted for a changing digital world. Join Edward Bowser, columnist and Statewide Community Manager for Alabama Media Group, as he speaks on how social media is bridging the gap between the newsroom and the community.

Also, you’ll get tips on how to keep your own social-media footprints clean. From reader feedback to community service, learn how social media is helping to tell our stories in new and exciting ways.

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Session 4

2 p.m.

Ferguson Center

How to Score Great Sports Stories All Media Laura Owens, Room 301 A professional sports reporter will teach you how to write stories that will appeal even to readers who rarely turn to the sports pages. Find the story within the story, develop sources and build relationships to get good quotes (no clichés), and maintain objectivity despite covering classmates.

Newspaper/Yearbook Editor and Adviser Roundtable Newspaper, Yearbook Melissa Dixon, Room 2408/Blackburn This session is for newspaper and yearbook advisers, editors and senior staff. Take this opportunity to get guidance and advice from the president of the board of the Alabama Scholastic Press Association, as well as hear triumphs and challenges from other editors and advisers from around the state.

Putting People First: Language, Labels, and Pronouns in Journalistic Integrity in LGBTQA+ Communities All Media Kirk Walter and Hawken Brackett, Forum, Room 3700/360 The words we choose and the labels we apply to people send important and often unintentional messages about how we think about and relate to each other. During this one-hour workshop, representatives from the University of Alabama’s Safe Zone Resource Center will discuss important impacts of the language and labels that journalists use when describing LGBTQA+-identified people and LGBTQA+-related issues, including discussions of case examples of “word choice gone wrong.” The facilitators will work together with participants to help them develop a working knowledge of and competence in how to conscientiously and respectfully use appropriate LGBTQA+ terminology and preferred pronouns to develop and reinforce rapport between journalists and members of LGBTQA+ communities.

Get into the Game: Action Photography All Media Kirsten Fiscus, Room 3111/309 Action sports photography is a staple of any high school publication. Learn how to make better photographs using simple rules. Also learn how to utilize your camera to stop the action, helping your readers get into the game.

How to Tell the Story Happening Around You Broadcast Catenya McHenry, Room 3104 Learn from a veteran TV reporter about the ins and outs of covering spot news and how to ignore silly spectators.

What Editors Want Literary Magazine Alicia Clavell, Room 3114/312, Morris Mayer Room Editor and publisher Alicia Clavell discusses what editors should be looking for in submissions, how to navigate the slush pile, how to recognize stories that rev up readership and how to effectively work with your contributors during the editing process. She’ll also discuss the importance of the cover letter.

How to Write for the Web Website Cindy Crawford Fisher, Room 2200C/204A Often one story can be broken down into five. Cindy Crawford Fisher will show examples of the “ladder” reporting she recommends for online coverage.

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Session 5

3 p.m.

Ferguson Center

Ten Mistakes Yearbooks Make and How to Avoid Them Yearbook Erinn Harris, Forum, Room 3700/360 Despite all the blood, sweat and tears, all yearbook veterans know it’s inevitable: You made some mistakes and most of them were avoidable. This session will take you through yearbook’s top ten mistakes and how to avoid them.

The Lost Art of the Picture Story All Media Amy Sullivan, Room 3111/309 Whether you’ve made a slide show, picture package or Facebook album, you have created a photo story. Did you control the message or throw together some images and hope the story would reveal itself? Start telling stories that matter.

Preparing to Study Journalism in College All Media Casey Voyles, Room 3115/313, Anderson Society Room Thinking about studying journalism you want to pursue? Come to this session to get some tips from a current college student about the search and life at J-school.

Promoting Your Publication: Literary Magazine Marketing Literary Magazine Alicia Clavell, Room 3114/312, Morris Mayer Room Alicia Clavell has almost two decades of experience in the publishing industry and almost a decade of experience branding her own creative writing journal. She’ll share her own marketing success stories, explain how you can brand yourself and your publication, and discuss the importance of social media in reaching your subscribers.

Multicultural Journalism Workshop - What’s it all about?

All Media Andrea Matei and Savannah Bullard, Room 2408/Blackburn 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 life-changing experience open to anyone!

Broadcast Interviewing Broadcast Lesley Bruinton, Room 3104 Take your broadcast to the next level! On-camera interviewing, composition, framing, microphones, techniques, what to ask, how to ask it and quality sound bites.

Finding Story Ideas All Media Tarah Massouleh and Dylan Walker, Room 301 We’ve all been there, staring at the blank page. Learn how to think creatively when it comes to new story ideas and where to look for them.

4 p.m.

Ballroom

Awards Ceremony Meredith Cummings Director, Alabama Scholastic Press Association

Larry Haynes Principal, Oak Mountain Middle School

Sharon Tinsley President, Alabama Broadcaster’s Association

Dr. Chris Roberts Journalism Professor, University of Alabama

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Note: Saturday’s schedule is very fluid and subject to change based on staffs who attend. We understand that sometimes staffs decide to attend at the last minute. Please see Mrs. Meredith Cummings Friday if that is the case, or if you need something specific that you do not see on the schedule. Saturday sessions will be held in Reese Phifer Hall.

Join us in the ASPA lobby on the third floor of Reese Phifer for doughnuts, coffee and juice!

Session 1

Saturday 9 a.m.

Reese Phifer Hall

Great Doesn’t Happen on the First Try Yearbook Erinn Harris, Room 341 Ever wonder how some yearbooks end up looking like professional magazines? It doesn’t happen on the first try. This three-hour session will start with a mini-lecture on translating inspiration and revision in design. This will be followed by dedicated work time (bring pages in progress!) when we will search for inspiration that fits with the voice of your 2015 book and figure out how to translate that inspiration into usable designs. The session will end with a short critique session.

Hands-on Photography All Media Dan Meissner, Room 301 Spend some time shooting with a pro and get one-on-one feedback on your photos. This three-hour session will remain flexible based on experience level of interested students.

Beginning InDesign and Photoshop Meredith Cummings and Alex Hauser, Room 338 Don’t be scared of all the bells and whistles. You can conquer the InDesign beast in a few easy steps!

Session 2

All Media

10 a.m.

Reese Phifer Hall

Student Media Problem Solving All Media Meredith Cummings, Room 323 What are your biggest issues? Hiring staff? Keeping the staff you’ve hired? Meeting deadlines? 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.

Session 3

11 a.m.

Reese Phifer Hall

Advanced InDesign Workshop All Media Anna Waters, Room 338 Now that you’ve conquered InDesign, see how far you can take it. This session will offer some advanced layout techniques and attempt to answer any questions you may have about design.

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