Past Recipients
To nominate a teacher, visit our awards page.
2023 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Todd Cammarata, Newspaper & Yearbook Adviser, Tyrone Area High School
Todd Cammarata, Newspaper & Yearbook Adviser, Tyrone Area High School
The Pennsylvania School Press Association is proud to announce the 2023 Journalism Teacher of the Year, Todd Cammarata of Tyrone Area High School. The Awards Committee unanimously voted for Mr. Cammarata after a thorough review of this year’s nominees. In addition to teaching civics and history classes, Mr. Cammarata manages the newspaper and yearbook programs. During his tenure with the district, Todd has instilled a passion and love for journalism in his students and inspired them to perform above and beyond all expectations. District administrators, parents, and students all agree that he is a journalism teacher that is devoted and resolute to ensuring that his journalists are part of an environment that allows them to grow freely and be themselves without judgment.
2020-2021 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Dr. Stacey Aronow, Newspaper Adviser, Souderton Area High School
Dr. Stacey Aronow, Newspaper Adviser, Souderton Area High School
Dr. Stacey Aronow, Souderton Area High School newspaper adviser, has been named the 2021-2022 Pennsylvania School Press Association state Journalism Teacher of the Year.
Aronow has been the adviser to the Souderton Arrowhead newspaper since 1998 and served on the Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) board from 2007-2010. During that time, she also serve several years as PSPA secretary.
Read more--
2019-2020 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Denise Reaman, Journalism Adviser, Emmaus High School
Denise Reaman, Journalism Adviser, Emmaus High School
Pennsylvania School Press Association has chosen Denise Reaman of Emmaus High School as the 2020 state Journalism Teacher of the Year. Reaman advises The Stinger student newspaper, where she teaches four levels of journalism as well as ninth-grade English. Since 2009, she has coached a staff of more than 30 editors and writers involved with this award-winning print and online publication.
Read more--
Read more--
2018-2019 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Aaron Fitzpatrick, Journalism Adviser, Freedom Area High School
Aaron Fitzpatrick, Journalism Adviser, Freedom Area High School
Freedom High School print and broadcast media teacher and adviser Aaron Fitzpatrick has been named the Pennsylvania School Press Association Journalism Teacher of the Year for 2018-2019. Fitzpatrick advises the FHS Press student newspaper, the Shawnee yearbook, and the Bulldog Beat broadcast program. Both the FHS Press and Shawnee have earned numerous regional, state and national awards.
Read more--
Read more--
2017-2018 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Kate Plows, Newspaper Adviser, Malvern Preparatory School
Kate Plows, Newspaper Adviser, Malvern Preparatory School
The Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) honors Kate Plows as the 2017 Pennsylvania Journalism Teacher of the Year. Plows, art and journalism teacher and adviser of The Blackfriar Chronicle, and the digital publication, The Friar’s Lantern at Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern, Pa was recognized at the Spring PSPA Conference held at Pennsylvania State University at University Park in March of 2018.
Read more--
Read more--
2016-2017 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Cynthia Crothers-Hyatt, Newspaper Adviser, Conestoga High School
Cynthia Crothers-Hyatt, Newspaper Adviser, Conestoga High School
|
Cynthia Crothers-Hyatt, PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year for 2016-2017, is the co-adviser of the Conestoga High School newspaper, The Spoke, a nationally award winning student media outlet that boasts a strong online and print media program.
Her students have earned NSPA All-American, Columbia Gold Crown, PSPA Keystone Awards, and PA News Media Keystone Press Awards. Additionally, the Spoke has had five PA Student Journalists of the Year and two JEA National Student Journalists of the Year. She has served on the Journalism Education Association Press Rights Committee and has mentored students on the 45 Words team, a group of students who reach out to peers during times of student publication censorship to help peers in their quest to gain First Amendment rights. She is a graduate of Emerson College and Penn State University. Crothers-Hyatt teaches journalism, theater arts and gifted education at Conestoga High School. |
2015-2016 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Nate Thompson, Newspaper & Yearbook Adviser, Tussey Mountain High School
Nate Thompson, Newspaper & Yearbook Adviser, Tussey Mountain High School
More than a decade ago, Nate Thompson envisioned a career with insects, trees, and plants. Then he got the newspaper "bug'' while a biology major at Juniata College, and in 2015-16 he was named the Pennsylvania School Press Association's Journalism Teacher of the Year.
Thompson, an English/Journalism teacher at Tussey Mountain High School, Bedford County, for the past 10 years, won the award for his work as adviser to both the high school newspaper and yearbook.
Read more at psea.org / Altoona Mirror
Thompson, an English/Journalism teacher at Tussey Mountain High School, Bedford County, for the past 10 years, won the award for his work as adviser to both the high school newspaper and yearbook.
Read more at psea.org / Altoona Mirror
2014-2015 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Tara Huber, Newspaper adviser, Neshaminy High School
Tara Huber, Newspaper adviser, Neshaminy High School
Tara Huber, veteran student publication adviser at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, PA, has been named Journalism Teacher of the Year for 2014-2015 by the Pennsylvania School Press Association. The Neshaminy High School student newspaper, The Playwickian, has made state and national news by refusing to compromise on its state-protected right to determine its own publications policy, despite the school board and administration calling for acquiescence to their demands. That battle continues in the courts.
She’s also spent the ten plus years teaching English part-time at Today, Inc., a substance abuse program. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Temple University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from Lehigh University.
She’s also spent the ten plus years teaching English part-time at Today, Inc., a substance abuse program. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Temple University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from Lehigh University.
2013-2014 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Susan Houseman, Newspaper/Broadcast adviser, Conestoga High School
Susan Houseman, Newspaper/Broadcast adviser, Conestoga High School
Susan Houseman is the co-adviser of the award-winning Spoke newspaper and the executive producer of Good Morning ’Stoga at Conestoga High School in Berwyn. This is Susan’s 14th year teaching; prior to becoming an educator, Susan worked as an anchor, reporter and producer at WNEP-TV in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and WMGM-TV in Atlantic City/Wildwood. Susan is the vice president of the Pennsylvania School Press Association, the state director for the Journalism Education Association and a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Special Recognition Adviser. She serves on the steering committee of the Student Press Law Center. Susan has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State, a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Scranton, a master of education degree from Penn State and a master of journalism degree from Temple University. In addition, Susan is a certified Master Journalism Educator through JEA. She presents regularly at JEA/NSPA national conventions.
2012-2013 PSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year
Paul Fantaski, Yearbook adviser, Kiski Area High School
Paul Fantaski, Yearbook adviser, Kiski Area High School
Paul Fantaski is a 1985 Kiski Area High School graduate. He attended Edinboro University to major in Secondary Mathematics Education and minor in music. Immediately after college, Fantaski landed a teaching position at Orchard Hills Christian Academy in Apollo, PA where he taught for 5 years. In 1997, the Kiski Area Administration welcomed him to permanently join the high school mathematics faculty. Mr. Fantaski has enjoyed announcing the Kiski Area Marching Band for 20 years and has advised Kiski’s Campus yearbook staff for 14 years. Under his leadership Campus has earned many awards at both the state and national level. The 2009 book earned a Silver Crown from Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Additionally, the National Scholastic Press Association has continually recognized his books as All-American. On the state level, Campus has won the coveted Keystone All-State Award for three of the past four years. Balfour Publishing has recognized Campus in their Yearbook Yearbook for ten years. In September, Adobe Inc. chose a spread from the 2012 Campus as one of the top five best designed spreads in the country. Beyond the district boundaries, Paul has taught yearbook-related skills in various workshops held in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Texas. He also has adjudicated yearbooks for PSPA and for other states across the nation.
