PENNSYLVANIA (special) – For local high school journalists, the quest to become a State Champion commenced once again when the Pennsylvania School Press Association opened up its Sixth Annual State Journalism Contests. On October 18, 34 students from southwestern Pennsylvania traveled to Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the hopes of advancing to the State Finals held at Penn State Main on March 25, 2020. PSPA President Paul Fantaski expressed his appreciation for several aspects about the event.

“It just amazes me how institutions like The Indiana Gazette and IUP truly advocate and super-support journalism in Pennsylvania schools. On behalf of PSPA, I simply must thank Hastie Kinter from the Gazette and everyone else who met over and over to make this all happen. Because of those efforts, 18 student journalists from outstanding southwestern PA schools have advanced to the State Championships.”

Contests involved literary design, photography, copywriting, sports-writing, editorial cartoon, broadcast media, and poetry talents. Only the top-scoring competitors in each Regional contest category qualified to attend the State Finals. PSPA proudly announces the following students as 2019-20 State Finalists:

• Bailey Hamilton - Yearbook Caption Writing - Kiski Area HS (tie for 1st)
• Rachel Helsel - Yearbook Caption Writing - Kiski Area HS (tie for 1st)
• Chandler McGuire - Yearbook Copy Writing - Kiski Area HS HS
• Eddie Fuhrer - Newspaper Sports Story Writing - Kiski Area HS HS
• Amber McGihon - Newspaper News Story Writing - Franklin Regional HS
• Debra Spaid - Newspaper News Story Writing - Purchase Line Area HS
• Emmet Jamieson - Newspaper Feature Writing - Punxsutawney Area HS
• Luke Rainey - Newspaper Sports Story Writing - Penns Manor Area Jr./Sr. HS
• Brice Hoculock - Editorial Cartoon - Kiski Area HS
• Louise Bennett - Editorial Writing - Punxsutawney Area HS
• Sean Adamski - Literary Magazine Poetry - Kiski Area HS
• Alyssa Poleski - Literary Magazine Artwork - Kiski Area HS (tie for 1st)
• Jack Coleman - Literary Magazine Artwork - Kiski Area HS (tie for 1st)
• Anna Buggy - Broadcast Writing - Penns Manor Area Jr./Sr. HS
• Martina Webb - Yearbook Photography - Kiski Area HS
• Colin Matz - Newspaper Photography - Purchase Line Area HS
• Angelina Pampena - Broadcast Feature - Franklin Regional HS
• Olivia Ciotti - Broadcast News Package - Franklin Regional HS

The Pennsylvania School Press Association originated in 1925 and stands as one of the oldest scholastic journalistic organizations in the country. The group presently is headquartered in Manchester, PA and welcomes all to apply for membership. For details, visit www.paschoolpress.org.

The PSPA Board of Directors is proud to endorse Pennsylvania Senate Bill 806, the Free School Media Act. We're excited to see some remarkable progress towards New Voices legislation in our state. Our endorsement is below.

​Please read more and learn how you can get involved at the PA New Voices site.

We, the Pennsylvania School Press Association, are writing to express our sincere hope that you will join us in endorsing Pennsylvania’s New Voices legislation.

New Voices is a nonpartisan, grassroots, student-driven effort to create state-based student free press protections and to prevent retaliation against advisers who stand up for student free press rights. As of the spring of 2019, there are New Voices laws in 14 states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. New legislation has been introduced this year in 11 additional states.

New Voices protections are needed because, without them, school administrators can (and do) censor many student publications for “any reasonable pedagogical purpose” (Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 1988). Censoring students not only quells their engagement in the life of their community, but sends a clear message that their voices are not valued and respected. 

Under current Pennsylvania code, school publications do have some protections, but we have found that many schools and their administrators may not follow this code. In order to ensure student First Amendment rights here in Pennsylvania, we need stronger protections for our students and their advisers. We need New Voices. 

In Pennsylvania, our own New Voices campaign has been underway since August 2018. After meeting with student journalists and their adviser last winter, Sen. Andy Dinniman (D) agreed to draft legislation. Through a collaborative effort between student journalists and advisers from across the Commonwealth, the bill was revised and ultimately drafted by Sen. Dinniman. Sen. Dinniman has since garnered the support of Senators Brewster (D), Muth (D), and Browne (R), who have signed on to co-sponsor the bill, now “Senate Bill 806: The Free School Media Act.”

While Sen. Dinniman is seeking more co-sponsors to ensure that the bill is picked up by a committee, your support can help. Contact your state senator to encourage them to support or even co-sponsor SB806, encourage your local media to do stories about the movement and to editorialize in favor of the bill, connect with other organizations who may be willing to endorse the bill, or simply connect with New Voices PA on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date.

We are hopeful that, with your support, we can pass legislation that not only protects student speech, but advisers’ jobs as well. 
​
In solidarity,
The Pennsylvania School Press Association Board of Directors

PSPA wants to see as many Pennsylvania student publications participate in summer critiques as possible! We're extending the 2019 critique deadline through July 31 for newspapers, online news, literary magazines, and broadcast. (We're already at capacity for spring delivery yearbooks.)

Submit your publications for critique today!

A few points to know about critiques:

• We've got amazing judges. All of our judges have both professional industry and scholastic journalism experience. They are committed to offering descriptive feedback in all evaluations. (We do our critiques in the summer months because our judges are generally a little less busy— because they have a lot to write and share!) Expect to learn a lot!
• Paid membership includes one publication critique for each school. Get your money's worth on the annual membership fee—you've got nothing to lose. PSPA is happy to complete additional publication critiques for the other publications at your school for $50 each.
• Your publication is only competing against itself in the critique process. Judges score each publication individually and not by comparison to other publications. Critique results are sent only to advisers—not to school administration or students. You determine the best ways to share feedback that will help your publication to grow.
  
• Summer logistics got you down? We know it can be tough to secure check requests or credit card payment from school business offices during the summer. Register for membership and submit your publications for critique even if payment won't come through until school starts up again. We won't release critique results until membership / critique fees are paid, but we don't want to wait to start the process!
• We introduced online news publications as a category in 2018 because so many of our Pennsylvania schools have online news sites. Help us to grow this category by sharing your publication for review!
  
• Critiques are not a fundraiser for PSPA. We pay our judges, we handle mailings, and we handle all the turnaround on getting the feedback to you. We're an all-volunteer organization, so we keep this cost as low as possible--much lower than what we've researched for some other state and national organizations. 
• First-year membership is free this year and does not include a critique, but first-year members are welcome to submit publications for critique at $50 each. 
• Top-ranked publications WILL compete! All publications earning GOLD recognition will be sent on to a new judge where your publication will compete against other GOLD publications to determine who wins the annual All-State Keystone Award in each category. ​See our 2018 Keystone winners.
  

Any questions? Please reach out and let us know!
We look forward to seeing the rest of our categories fill up for summer 2019...

Broadcast Critique Entry Form
Literary Magazine Critique Entry Form
Newspaper Critique Entry Form
Online Publication Entry Form

PSPA is excited to announce our new membership pricing for 2019-2020. Because we fundamentally believe that student journalism should be a part of every school, our board has discussed ways we might expand the reach of PSPA’s programs. Beginning in 2019-2020, we will offer $0 FIRST-YEAR MEMBERSHIP for new schools and for any schools that have not been a member of PSPA for the last three years.

First-year members are welcome to pay for a summer critique, or to have students participate in the regional Student Journalism Competitions. First-year members will also be included in all PSPA communications and support.

The only difference between first-year membership and returning membership is that no critiques or registration fees for SJCs are included as part of first-year membership. This allows our first-year members to approach PSPA’s services “a’la carte”— testing out our signature programs, and investing in what might best support your staffs.

Both levels of membership now include all publications at a school. So, once your school registers, please let us know about your newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine, student news website, broadcast program, and/or social media channels. We hope that advisers staff members from any and all publications will participate.

After the first year, if you find that PSPA’s programs boost and support your journalism staff, the annual $125 membership includes one summer publication critique and five student registrations for a regional SJC. You can purchase additional critiques and registrations as needed.

We understand that it can sometimes be a tough sell to build financial support for new school programs. We’re confident that after your first year of membership, you’ll know how PSPA can help the publications at your school, and you’ll have a strong case for continued funding of your school’s membership.

Questions? Please let us know. The registration deadline for schools to participate in our summer 2019 critiques is June 30.

PSPA is grateful to Norman Eberly Professor of Practice in Journalism Will Yurman of Penn State Bellisario College of Communications for taking photographs during our state SJC finals on Wednesday, March 27.

The video that was shared at the last session of the day is linked here, and we've selected a few of Yurman's photos in the album below. You can find the full album at this link. To share any of these photos in your publication or on social media, please credit Will Yurman / Penn State. 

Pennsylvania School Press Association's 2019 Student Journalism Competition Finals took place on Wednesday, March 27 at Penn State University's main campus.

Students who previously qualified at regional events participated in a press conference about operations at the Penn State Creamery with Professor and Food Service Department Head Dr. Robert Roberts and Creamery Director of Sales and Marketing Mr. James Brown. Students then competed in writing, design, photography, and video categories based on the themes of the conference. 

The afternoon featured a panel on progress towards New Voices legislation in Pennsylvania with Penn State Bellisario School of Communications Professor Cindy Simmons, Student Press Law Center Director of Engagement Diana Mitsu-Klos, Freedom Area High School journalism adviser Aaron Fitzpatrick, Conestoga High School adviser Cyndi Hyatt, and student journalists from the staffs of the FHS Press and the Conestoga Spoke— Claudia Huggins, Cole Skuse, Justin Huang, Avery Maslowsky, and Audrey Kim
​
Congratulations to the following students for winning their categories at the 2019 Student Journalism Competitions. Results in the photography and video categories will be announced after the submission date.

1Y | Yearbook Caption Writing | Jeff Hudak | Northeastern HS
2Y | Yearbook Copywriting | Cole Skuse | Freedom Area HS
3Y | Yearbook Sports | Celia Chickerella | Kiski Area HS
4Y  | Yearbook Spread Design | Abby Tabachini | Northeastern HS
5N | News Story Writing | Claudia Huggins | Freedom Area HS
6N | News Feature Writing | Maddi Collins | Bellefonte Area HS
7N | Newspaper Sports Writing | Jake Wiener | Parkland HS
8E | Editorial Cartoon | Kaylee Ruiz | Emmaus HS
9E | Editorial Writing | Ronald Rohlsen | Emmaus HS
10L | Literary Magazine Poetry | Peyton Dempsey | North Allegheny HS
11L | Literary Magazine Artwork | Kierra Shreffler | Kiski Area HS
12B | Broadcast News Writing | Tory Abbott | Bellefonte Area HS
——-
13YP | Yearbook Photography | Regan Gross | Northeastern HS
14NP | News Photography | Isabelle Southard | McDowell HS
15V | Broadcast News Video | TBA
​

PSPA is grateful to our hosts at Penn State University for the organizational and on-site support, especially to Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications Dean Marie Hardin, Assistant Dean Jamey Perry, Assistant Teaching Professor John Beale, and Manager of Recruitment Emily Clevenger. 

Runner-up Regan Gross has worked on Northeastern High School’s award-winning Daedalus yearbook for the last three years, and, according to judges, has been "a positive influence on [the] staff and impacted the book in countless, wonderful ways."

“The phrase I hear most often from Regan is ‘What else can I do, Miss Brown?’” adviser Beth Ann Brown wrote in her recommendation letter for Gross. “This statement epitomizes the work ethic and attitutude he has exhibited over the past three years.”

​The Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year award was named for Dr. Jane Blystone in 2011, and includes a $500 scholarship for the winner, as well as $100 awards for runners-up. State scholarship awards are sponsored by Pennsylvania School Press Association. Competition standards and rubrics align with the Journalism Education Association's Student Journalist of the Year competition. The annual competition is open to senior student journalists.

​Please visit the JEA SJOY page for information about preparing a portfolio. Sample portfolios from last year's state winners are posted on JEA's site. Portfolios for the 2020 Student Journalist of the Year will be due in early spring 2020.

For more information about Pennsylvania School
Press Association, please contact organization president Paul Fantaski at pfantaski@gmail.com.

Pennsylvania School Press Association is proud to announce this year’s Clyde F. Lytle All-State Keystone Awards for newspapers, yearbooks, and literary magazines.

Yearbook winners are “Sigma” from Eastern Lebanon County High School in Myerstown, PA, and “Daedalus” from Northeastern High School in Manchester, PA. “Pulp” from Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School received the award for literary magazines. Newspaper winners are “The Spoke” from Conestoga High School in Berwyn, PA and “The Voice” from Perkiomen Valley High School in Collegeville, PA. 

Publications were evaluated based on their 2017-2018 editions. All newspapers, yearbooks, and literary magazines receiving gold ratings in PSPA summer critiques are automatically considered for the annual Keystone Awards. These publications are sent on to a new judge, where these are evaluated alongside other gold-ranked publications to determine the Keystone All-State Awardees.

Keystone judges offered extensive feedback for this year’s award-winning publications. In the yearbook category, judges highlighted specific design elements and reporting strengths.

“The Sigma staff pulled off a great theme and a great yearbook, and their 2018 offering was a clear winner,” the judge noted. “When you see quotes like, ‘My parents were concerned I was bringing home a skull,’ on page 92, you know that the staff is working to get the good, interesting information and not just filling space.”

“Another consistently designed yearbook with a modern theme and solid content throughout,” the judge described in the evaluation of Eastern Lebanon County High School’s “Daedalus.” “While some spreads have minimal content, opting for big, eye-catching photo and limited copy, the Daedalus staff is not afraid to change it up on the next spread with a large number of pictures and deep-digging content to give the reader more than expected.”

The literary magazine winner, “Pulp” from Lincoln Park Performing Arts High School, was a sensory delight, according to the Keystone judge. “Beginning with the cover, the magazine simply overwhelms the senses. The coordination of visual  elements used to complement the exceptional writing make this a vivid and vibrant publication.”

In the newspaper category, the judge acknowledged Keystone Awardees directly for contributing to the overall importance of scholastic journalism.

“After reading the issues, I felt like I could visit your school and have a sense of the ‘pulse’ of what was happening there and what students were thinking about—and that I could carry on a conversation about some of these issues moderately well due to the reporting,” the judge wrote to students and advisers at “The Spoke” of Conestoga High School. “In a time when newspapers are being challenged in every corner of this nation, it is vital that high school journalists keep their eyes and their pens focused on their community and keep bringing strong coverage to their readers. Your staff should be commended for its hard work and earnest hearts.”

Perkiomen Valley High School re-launched a print edition of "The Voice" in 2017-2018 for the first time since 2013. “You deserve immediate commendation for re-starting a newspaper that has lain dormant and quieted. There is no more important time in recent American history for newspapers to be present, so thank you to the committed adviser and staff who are re-igniting one of the most important parts of a student campus: its ‘town square,’” the judge stated.

The Clyde F. Lytle Keystone All-State Award was named in 2012 for PSPA’s first president, Clyde F. Lytle, professor at The Keystone Normal School, now known as Kutztown University.  One of the buildings on the Kutztown campus is named for Dr. Lytle. He became the first president of PSPA in December of 1925. Besides being remembered for his work in education, he is known for his collection of inspirational verse, “Leaves of Gold.”​​

The Pennsylvania School Press Association originated in 1925 and stands as one of the oldest scholastic journalistic organizations in the country. PSPA recognizes and support student journalism programs in Pennsylvania through journalism competitions, summer critiques, awards and recognition, mentorship for advisers, and other resources.

Learn more about PSPA’s summer critique process here.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania News Media Association, the annual Student Keystone Press Awards contest recognize high school and college journalism that provides relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers.  Any student at any public, private or parochial Pennsylvania high school, college or university who has had his or her material published in the school newspaper may enter the contest. Students who have had their work published on a digital news site may enter the contest provided the site meets the criteria as outlined in the contest rules.

Winners will be honored at the America East News Media & Technology Summit on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Hershey, Pa.

Congratulations to our PSPA member schools recognized in the 2019 PNA Student Keystone Press Awards. ​See the full list here.
​
The Spoke, Conestoga High School

1st Place, Public Service/Enterprise Package: “Cheating with a Big C: Student integrity under question at Conestoga and beyond”
Betty Ben Dor, Neil Goldenthal, Justin Huang, Ian Ong

Honorable Mention, Reviews: “Review: Restaurants of the King of Prussia Town Center”
Claire Guo, Neil Goldenthal

Honorable Mention, Sports Photo: “Glorifying the gold (Villanova parade)”
Elizabeth Billman

Honorable Mention, Video Story: “Philadelphia Womens March 2018”
Avery Maslowsky

The Stinger, Emmaus High School

1st Place, Ongoing News Coverage: Flood Coverage
Staff

1st Place, Photo Story: “Coming together: 800 observe walkout”
Rylan Bassett, Emma Brashear, Arianna Werner

2nd Place, Public Service/Enterprise Package: “The hidden shame: Emmaus students open up about sexual harassment”
Caroline Bond, Luke Maake, Cassidy Klingman, Makayla Frazier

Honorable Mention, General News: “From skinhead to speaker: former neo-Nazi advocates for acceptance at EHS”
Katie Taranto

Honorable Mention, Ongoing News Coverage: Emmaus response to Parkland shooting
Staff

Honorable Mention, Public Service/Enterprise Package: “Prejudice in the East Penn Area”
Isabella Wegner, Makenzie Christman, Michael Moyzan, Renee Martin

Honorable Mention, Editorials
Ronald Rohlsen

Honorable Mention, Layout & Design: “Black History Month”
Erica Love

FHS Press, Freedom Area High School

2nd Place, Personality Profile: “Fighting for Freedom”
Natalie Dubovi

2nd Place, Feature Photo: “SAD and under weather”
Madison Snavely

The Friar’s Lantern, Malvern Preparatory School

1st Place, General News: “AP Policy Update 2018-2019”
Michael Harrington, Evan Waitte

1st Place, Sports Story: “ACL Tears Playing Time at All Levels”
Kyle Leonard

Honorable Mention, Sports Story: “Superstitions are Game Changers”
Garrett Hallinan

2nd Place, Cartoon/Graphic Illustration: “College Map 2018”
Billy Carlini, Ian Lebano

The Uproar, North Allegheny High School

2nd Place, Editorials
Rin Swann

2nd Place, Columns: “Turncoat”
Jonathan Ross

The Panther Press, Saegertown High School

2nd Place, Reviews: “Ready Player One Rocks”
Sam Shelenberger

First Place, Video Story: “Holiday Pawdcast, 2018”
Sam Shelenberger, Dustin Steiger