NSPA & ACP THROUGH THE DECADES

⊲ WORLDWIDE

1990 The Paris Summit ends the Cold War.

1991 The Gulf War in Kuwait and Iraq spikes stock prices.

1992 Police acquittals ignite Los Angeles riots in the Rodney King beating case.

1993 Janet Reno becomes the first female attorney general.

1994 The magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake hits Los Angeles.

1995 Nearly 200 die in the Oklahoma City bombing.

1996 The AIDS Memorial Quilt unfolds across the National Mall.

1997 Princess Diana dies in car crash.

1998 President Clinton is impeached.

1999 A mass shooting at Columbine High School, Littleton, Colorado, kills 15 and injures 28.

Technology Transforms Journalism

The inaugural NSPA Computer Assisted Publishing Trendsetter Awards recognize 25 high school journalists.

From the pages of Trends: “When students at South Eugene (Oregon) High School received their yearbooks, there was an unexpected surprise tucked into the back cover — a compact disc. It contains a track full of computer information that can be used to bring-up an audio-visual yearbook called the Electronic Eugenean.”

1993

Best Of The High School Press Debuts

The Best of the High School Press begins as a special edition of Trends in High School Media. In his welcome column, director Tom Rolnicki says 500 newspapers, yearbooks and magazines were reviewed for possible selection in the publication.

1995

NSPA/ACP ARRIVES ON WORLD WIDE WEB

“Students and advisers with World Wide Web access through the Internet can now join NSPA and other connected members in high school journalism cyberspace,” Trends reports.

“With Internet access through computers with modem hook-ups in high schools becoming common, NSPA officials decided the time was right to begin offering some of its services on-line and add some new programs just for Internet users.”

1996

75TH CELEBRATED IN CHICAGO

NSPA officially celebrates its 75th anniversary during the fall convention in Chicago — the city often considered NSPA’s convention home

NEW MEDIA CRITIQUES INTRODUCED

Website critiques are introduced, in addition to existing critiques for literary arts magazines, newspaper/ newsmagazines and yearbooks. Broadcast critiques are added in 2020.

NSPA ADDS BROADCAST PACEMAKER

Reflecting the growing popularity of scholastic broadcasting programs, NSPA adds Broadcast to its prestigious Pacemaker competition.

2001

HISTORIC PUBLICATION

9-11: The College Press Responds — ACP publishes a 56-page book showcasing the coverage from 77 collegiate newspapers.

2006

ROLNICKI’S 26-YEAR TENURE ENDS

Tom Rolnicki, executive director since 1980, is relieved of his duties on June 7, and a national search is launched for the next leader. Renee McGivern is named interim director of operations.

SENIOR SUPERLATIVES

A popular May, 1988, Trends cover features the “greats” including Elizabeth Taylor, Norma Jean Baker, Lauren Becall, James Dean as well as (top row) Judi Coolidge, Bruce Watterson (second row) Ann Gramlich Akers, Nancy Hall, John Custinger (third row) Jim Jordan (bottom row) Dot McPhillips, Judy Allen.

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RULES in 1969, that Mary Beth and John Tinker, Des Moines, Iowa, had the right to protest the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands at school. The decision establishes the bedrock of student-press rights for nearly two decades. In recent years, Mary Beth and her Tinker Tour have educated thousands of students coast to coast. In 2013, the tour stopped in Boston at the National High School Journalism Convention where Tinker and attorney Mike Hiestand met with students.