Thankfully a really difficult semester is behind us. If any of you advise yearbook and journalism and have switched rooms, you understand the struggle that is moving inventory, renaming computers (three times) and figuring out how 20 years of stuff will fit into a new space.

I apologize for the pause that the shift pus on us at KHSJA. The good news is we are back and ready to roll for the spring semester. I have a lot to cover, so bear with me.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

The state deadline is February 15. Schools must be a member of JEA in order to compete. This JEA page is an outstanding resource for portfolio development. I will send out the link in late January for submissions. If you have any questions, or if you kids need help, please don’t hesitate to ask me.

SPRING CONVENTIONS

Southern Interscholastic Press Association – Columbia, South Carolina at the University of South Carolina March 1-3.

Columbia Scholastic Press Association – New York City at Columbia University March 20-22.

JEA/NSPA – Anaheim, California at Anaheim Hilton April 25-27.

Please contact me with any questions. There is nothing better than the staff bonding experience of immersing in a sea of high school journalists and listening to the best journalism minds in the country talk about what we love.

KYJTA AWARDS

More on this soon. If you have an idea for an award, please let us know. We are looking to do some that are out of the ordinary. If you have an idea, send it our way. You will need to be a KYJTA member to submit.

KYJTA WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT

James, Wendy and I are starting a new concept and will be writing weekly about an issue that relates to us. James is starting us off next week with a piece about public records requests.

If you have an idea that you want us to write about, or if you want to write about something yourself, please let us know.

I think that’s it for now. We’re looking forward to a big semester.

Larry