Quill & Scroll Spring 2012 Magazine

1Quill and Scroll Spring 2012

Quill & ScrollS p r i n g 2 0 1 2

A d v i c e T i ps fro m c o lleg e st u d en ts a n d g r a d s o n t ec h n o lo gy a n d p r epa r i n g fo r yo u r ca r eer

S u c c e s sS t o r i e s a n d s t r at e g i e s

S t u d e n t j o u r n a l i s t s ta c k l e t h e

S u p e r B o w lS u m m e r W o r ks h o p s

' T i s t h e s e as o n f o r


3Spring 2012 Quill and Scroll

I N t h i s i s s u espring 2012

Quill & ScrollVolume 86 • Issue 2

Magazine of Quill and Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists

Editor and Business Manager Vanessa Shelton Executive Director, Quill and Scroll Society

Assistant Editor Jessica Jenkins Senior, University of Iowa

Contributing Editors Julie E. Dodd Professor, College of Journalism and Mass Communication The University of Florida, Gainesville

Bruce E. Konkle Professor, College of Journalism University of South Carolina, Columbia

Book Editor Barbara Bealor Hines Professor, Mass Communication and Media Studies, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

This 2011 Yearbook Excellence Contest entry received an Hon-orable Mention in the Feature Photo Category. The photo, titled “Salute,” was taken by Saman-tha Slupski of Shawnee Mission North High School, Kan. Want to see more contest winners? Order a copy of the Quill and Scroll con-test winners PowerPoint presenta-tion on CDs. Ordering information is at www.uiowa.edu/~quill-sc/.

F e at u r e s

C o l u m n s

12 17O N t h e C o v e r

6 Ways to PrepareNow for Your

Career Tomorrow4

Robert “Ted” Gutsche6 Student Journalists

Tackle the Super Bowl

Indiana High School Journalists

9Alumni Anecdotes:

Former High School Journalists

Look Back Sarah Larson

10Breaki ng th e

N egativity an d Growi ng

to SucceedRosa E. Rodriguez

Barbara Bealor Hines, Howard University

En s u r e S u cc ess,A llow T i m e to En act14

Mark Newton, JEA

Consi deri ng Legal an d Eth ical

Pitfalls of CoverageFrank D. LoMonte, SPLC

A d v i c e o nK e e p i n g U p w i t h

M e d i a C h a n g e s18

Tech NotesJulie E. Dodd and Judy Robinson, University of Florida15

Valu e an d Power of Attending Workshops an d Conventi ons

Mary Kay Downes, CSPAA

N ewest Books i n Jou rnalism


To p 6Ways to P r epa r e N o w f o r a Career T o m o r r o w

I M A G I N E : It’s your first job somewhere in media. Maybe a newspaper, maybe a TV station, maybe an online news organization, maybe even a public relations firm. You are wrapping up one of your first projects and you just want a few more minutes to put on the finishing touches. Find a better quote. Tweak the lede. But nope. It’s deadline, and the editor wants it now! “This doesn’t seem right,” you say to yourself. “What’s a few minutes just to make my story even better?” Sometimes media isn’t what we think it is – where we get an extra couple of minutes to make something “just right.” For example, when editors say “deadline,” they actually mean it. Time is money and when you’re late, it costs. Even if that means your story isn’t quite perfect. “Publishers don’t care about quality as much as accuracy, deadlines and lots of content to fill space,” says Jon Frank, a new sports reporter with The Gillette News Record in Wyoming, though he adds: “Your editors/publishers aren’t always right but at the same time, they are.” What else might surprise you about working in media? To get some answers, several recent college journalism graduates who are in their first out-of-school jobs were inetrviewed. Here are the Top 6 things they want you to know now, because they wish they had known them back then.

By Robert “Ted” Gutsche Jr.University of Iowa

It's (always been) a tough industry. “Get out there,” sug-gests Nicole Lumbre-ras, a Search Engine Optimization copy-writer at Norvax Inc. in Chicago. “Experi-

ence is a great thing.” And even though it may be hard now to think about what jobs might be open in the future, Lumbreras says not to worry. Instead, consider using social media, such as LinkedIn (through which Lumbreras applied – and got her first job) to make connections. Journalists who Lumbreras communicated with over LinkedIn helped point her towards jobs, gave her career ad-vice, and reviewed her resume and cover letters. Media has always been a tough field to get into, but networking and experience can get people through the door. “Don’t settle for less than you want to do,” Lumbreras says. “I had a mini-crisis of not being able to find a job for a while and I was considering taking jobs that I wasn’t even interested in, just so I could have a job. Don’t do that.”

Ted’s Tip: Be sure you trust whomever you are confiding in – on- and offline. Check them out, ask people you know to get you in touch. Don’t take advice or confide in just anyone.

6Know the business. New journalists say perhaps nothing is more important than reading about the me-dia industry and ex-posing yourself to what current-day journalists are doing. The Columbia Journalism Review, American Journalism Review, and Poynter’s MediaWire are great places to see how media work. Emily Schettler, a reporter for The Iowa City Press-Citizen, says staying in touch with what people are doing in the media helps prepare you for when it’s your turn: “Read as much as you can – newspapers, news websites, maga-zines. One of the best ways to learn how to write in a journalistic style is to read work by other journalists.” Tiffany Hung, the nightly newscast producer for KRNV News 4, the NBC affiliate in Reno, Nev., says internships at smaller news outlets help with experience, but also expose you to how media businesses operate. “For TV people,” Hung suggests, “get an in-ternship with a smaller station (not just CNN, or NBC Universal/major networks) because these internships will give you actual hands on experience that is vital. Network internships or bigger market internships don’t invest nearly as much time into you or open as many opportu-nities up to you.”

Ted’s Tip: Byliner.com, Pulitzer.com, and Mash-able.com are all great sites where you can see what’s going on in business and read good stuff.

5 4Initiative matters. Experience is one thing employers want when you try to join a college or profes-sional media outlet – especially experience beyond high school media. Jim Malewitz, a reporting fellow at State-line.org who recently graduated with a master’s degree in journalism, suggests looking for different ways to find work and to stay active producing content. “Don’t stop writing/videographing/pho-tographing,” he says. “Start a blog, contrib-ute to your friend’s blog; figure out places you can freelance.” Malewitz says building a brand around your work is important, too: “Develop a strong social media presence and promote the crap out of your work. It’s a necessary evil. Want to work for a certain news site? Follow its editors/reporters on Twitter. Maybe they’ll notice your work.”

Ted’s Tip: Even if the idea you have sounds goofy, do it. People like goofy things. And, try working for free (at first) doing work you may not like. Even if going to the local paper to ask if you can cover city meetings doesn’t sound glamorous, your efforts count and put you in the front of the pack.


3Be ready to work. Think putting out a student news website, newspaper, yearbook, or newscast is tough? After high school, it doesn’t get any easier, says Cynthia Feng, who

has a master’s degree in journalism and works as a multimedia reporter and pro-ducer for the China Daily website. “If you do decide to work in journalism,” Feng says, “you have to learn the tough part of the profession before the glory part – for example, endless extra hours, piles of documents and various gatekeepers.” To Feng, who has traveled the world do-ing journalism, her career “is more than a job or a profession,” and she suggests that people fully find out what this profession is really about before making any commit-ment.

Ted’s Tip: Job shadowing is crucial to learn-ing about people’s careers. Call up someone whose job sounds interesting, but be sure to ask them not just about the good parts. See what the job can be like and ask them why they do it.

2Be right. Accuracy is everything. All by it-self, being right may not be enough to get a job, but being wrong will get you fired. Malewitz suggests

finding ways – sooner rather than later – to check your facts. “Quadruple or quintuple-check your facts for accuracy, including spelling of names and places,” he says. “In the classroom, a professor will just dock you a few points for an error. In real-life, errors are mortifying, and they can confuse readers.”

Ted’s Tip: Print off your stories when you edit. Professionals and scholars suggest that people find more inaccuracies – and ways to improve clarity – if they read their work on paper, not on-screen.

1Build your skills. By now, almost anyone interested in media should know the ba-sics – digital photogra-phy, basic Web design, using social media, and shooting video. And also by now, just knowing the basics isn’t enough. “I wish I would have gotten more training doing database jour-nalism, designing Web apps, making websites, shooting video, mastering social media and crafting multimedia projects,” says Danny Valentine, a breaking news reporter at The Tampa Bay Times, formerly The St. Peters-burg Times. Maybe the most important skill for jour-nalists to hone is asking questions, says Kelsey Beltramea, who interned at the White House and worked as a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill after receiv-ing a bachelor’s degree two year ago. “Journalists have a unique license to be curious,” Beltramea says, “to ask all types of questions to all types of people and to con-cisely convey their findings.” Now a first-year law student at North-western University in Evanston, Ill., Bel-tramea says the skills built as a journalist can contribute to various careers. “The abilities to think critically and com-municate effectively are hardly limited to media,” she says. “They transcend what are typically viewed as ‘journalism’ careers.”

Ted’s Tip: A career in media and journalism is one of the most exciting, but a journalism de-gree, experience writing, speaking, listening, and producing can lead to jobs in business, law – even health care. Don’t see a career or degree in journalism or media as just news-papers, magazines, broadcast and websites.

Robert Gutsche Jr. is a doctoral candidate in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at The University of Iowa and is co-founder of Io-waWatch.org non-profit public affairs news orga-nization. Visit him at robertgutschejr.com.

For more information and applications visit the Quill and Scroll website at www.uiowa.edu/~quill-sc/.

May 10

Seniors can apply for Quill and Scroll scholarships. Quill and Scroll members and Gold Key winners of its Yearbook Excellence, International Writing and Photo contests should send applications postmarked no later than May 10. Find more information on the George and Ophelia Gallup, Edward J. Nell and Richard Johns scholarships online.

June 15

Don’t forget to send in newspapers or news magazines and the staff evaluation form for the News Media Evaluation no later than June 15. The deadline has been changed to allow more schools to enter. New this year, newspaper and news magazine staffs can elect to skip the evaluation (although we think it’s the best part of the process) and be ranked only. Schools electing the latter are still eligible for the top award, the Gallup Award. Download the entry form and read the rules for the full evaluation, or the ranking only. And enter!

Nov. 1

It’s never too early to start thinking about the Yearbook Excellence Contest. Be recognized for your hard work, and submit your yearbook by the postmark date. Enter before you leave for summer break, or after you return and see your fall delivery book. Either way, we want to see your yearbook. And when you see our new entry form, you’ll have more categories to enter.

Feb. 6

Start identifying photographs and articles for the International Writing and Photo Contest. The deadline’s less than a year away. In the meantime, we’re developing new categories for entries. Stay tuned…

UpcomingEvents and

Deadlines


STUDENT JOURNALISTSTACKLE SUPER BOWL

Eight Indiana high school students were given the chance of a lifetime when they were selected to cover the 46th annual Super Bowl Media Day in Indianapolis. High school journalists across the state submitted sports photos, columns or stories to vie for the opportunity, which was sponsored by the Indiana High School Press Associa-tion. The winners included Petar Hood of Warren Central High School, Olivia Humphreys of Greencastle High School, Beatriz Costa-Lima of Munster High School, and Quill and Scroll members Sam Beishuizen of Crown Point High School, Brooke Denny of Noblesville High School, Alex Kryah of Lawrence Central High School, Alex Martens of Warren Central High School and Haley Ward of Greenwood High School. The students were given access to the field along with professional journalists on Super Bowl Media Day, held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Tuesday, Jan. 31, to interview players and coaches. “It was a thrill for everyone involved when the credentials were approved,” said Diana Hadley, director of the Indiana High School Press Association. The experiences of two of the students, written by them, follow. To read more about this event visit http://psj.franklincollege.edu/. Also view Olivia Humphreys’ Super Bowl Media Day video report at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbqxKNuR24U.


FROZEN. As the Patriots players began fil-ing onto the field at Lucas Oil Stadium and hundreds of reporters shuffled around

me, I stood frozen. I was completely mes-merized and in disbelief at the fact that I was there, at Super Bowl Media Day. For a second I thought, “Wait, I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Sure, I had interviewed football players before, but those were high school students, and these giants in front of me were NFL players. These were the guys that appear on thousands of people’s television screens and there I was about to interview them. For a few minutes I wandered the field apprehensively, trying to scope out which player to interview. Since my story assignment dealt with a Giants player, I had more freedom to interview anyone during the Patriots’ session. I spotted a smaller player walking the field with a number “17” on his jersey. I quickly rehearsed some questions in my head, and made my way to him. After introducing myself and politely asking for an interview, all the previous nerves faded away, and the journalism instincts kicked in. I learned that this player, Britt Davis, was a rookie Patriots wide receiver and grew up in Chicago. Davis’ emotions seemed to mir-ror my own when I could see the excitement in his eyes as he ex-perienced his first Super Bowl Media Day. “I think it’s everything that you could really dream for,” Davis said. “I mean, it’s a nice event. It’s kind of crazy. It’s a surreal moment.” After interviewing Da-vis, with my confidence restored, I went on to talk to seven other Patriots in-cluding Marcus Cannon, Stephen Gostkowski, and Malcolm Williams. It was surreal to interview along-side reporters from NBC, Sky1, and CBS. With one Media Day session under my belt, I approached the Giants session focused and fully prepared. My assignment was to profile Giants tight end Bear Pascoe, a Tulare County, California, native. I immediately spotted Pas-coe by his “86” jersey as he walked on the turf. The moment he reached the Media Day crowd, I hurried to be the first to speak with him. Based on my research from the night before, I asked Pas-coe about everything from his cattle ranching roots to catching his first touchdown pass just weeks before. Afterwards, I interviewed his roommate and starting tight end Jake Ballard, tight end Travis Beckum, and Defensive Backs Coach Peter Giunta. In between in-terviews, I snuck in more interview time with Pascoe, each when he was free of other reporters. By the end of the session, I had seen Pascoe so many times that we joked about it, and he pretended to make faces at my camera. “You must be sick of seeing me,” I said to him, but despite the many questions, he always greeted me with a smile and comment-

ed on how he preferred my questions to the other “awkward ones” asked by some of the professional Media Day reporters. With Media Day finished, we began the long drive home. I spent the entire ride transcribing my interviews and working on my story. Once I submitted my story, the wait began to see if it would print. Indianapolis Star Sports Editor Jim Lefko said that the sto-ry would go to Tulare County, so I figured that if it printed, it would be in the Visalia Times-Delta. I couldn’t help it—I was too eager to see my story, so I periodically checked the publication’s site for any new stories about Pascoe. Sure enough, on Feb. 3, I stumbled across the headline, “Porterville’s Pascoe ready for big stage,” and beneath it was my photo of Pascoe, my story, and my byline. It was like seeing my first byline in my high school newspaper, Crier, multiplied a thousand times. Although first standing on the field gave me some Media Day nerves, I left with an unforgettable experience. If there was ever any doubt that I wanted to pursue a career in journalism, it’s definitely gone now. - Beatriz Costa-Lima, Munster High School

Amazing journalism. Indiana high school journalism students put their

nervousness in check during the Super Bowl Media Day in January. Beatriz Costa-Lima of

Munster High School, strengthened her confidence as a journalist as a result of the experiences, such as interview-ing New England Patriots rookie Britt Davis. Photos courtesy of the Indiana High School Press Association. Left: The giant, lighted Super Bowl XLVI decorated the east side of Monu-ment Circle in downtown Indianapolis. Photo by Clark Had-ley.


I had no idea what to expect going into this. All I knew was that this was going to be an opportunity of a lifetime. I didn’t know if I

was going to be able to talk to any of the play-ers, or how intense it would be down there, or

that there would be 7,000 fans there listening to every word Tom Brady was saying. I have to admit, I was incredibly nervous. But once I stepped onto the field, I felt like I was in my niche. I was able to talk to 11 players in all, the first being Rob Gronkowski. I got right up as close as I could to him and his enormous hands, and I asked him my question. I can still remember every question, word for word, that I asked every player that day. But the most exhilarating moment was when I asked Tom Brady a question. My friend texted me and asked, “Dude, did you just talk to Tom Brady?” I knew then that this was probably the best day of my academ-ic career. In the end, I can remem-ber talking to Gronkowski, Brady, Wes Welker, Patrick Chung, Jus-tin Tuck, Corey Webster, Antrel Rolle, Mathias Kiwanuka, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs and Eli Manning. Being able to walk out on that field with the likes of sports jour-nalists Rick Reilly and Chris Ber-man is something that I’ll never forget. I will forever be able to brag to my friends that I got to talk to Brady and Manning, which is much better than any autograph that you can get. Being accepted as part of the American sports media was an awesome experience, and I will be forever grateful. - Sam Beishuizen,

Crown Point High School

Among the pros. Eight Indiana scholastic journalists hit the field along with profes-

sional sports journalists to cover Super Bowl Me-dia Day in January at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapo-

lis. Sponsored by the Indiana High School Press Association, the students interviewed and photographed members of the New England Patriots and the New York Giants football teams. Pictured from the top: Hayley Ward of Greenwood High School felt the crunch while taking photos as one of the many journal-ists on assignment. Sam Beishuizen of Crown Point High School and Alex Kryah of Lawrence Central High School are set to enter the stadium with media credentials in hand. The students also learned tips from professional journalists, including Indianapolis Star staff members. Photos courtesy of the Indiana High School Press Association.


Alumni Anecdotes A ‘51 grad and a ‘47 grad discuss their experiences as high school journalists

By Sarah LarsonJunior, University of Iowa

Literally cutting and pasting is what it took for Dolores Strauss and her fellow students to create their high school newspaper in 1947. The Quill and Scroll

alumnus described the detailed process of typing everything and using make-up pages to actually paste the content on the page before sending it to the printer. Everything was done by hand. Strauss is just one of the many Quill and Scroll alumni who went through the process of publishing a high school newspaper without a computer. Jack Egan, a 1951 graduate, also understood what it meant to write without a computer – a foreign concept for many high school students today. As Quill and Scroll looks back at 85 years of service, the organization spoke with two alumni whose experiences differed greatly from current high school stu-dents. Strauss recently gave her grandson’s new wife, a schoolteacher, her Quill and Scroll pin on a chain to wear around her neck. The Quill and Scroll alumnus said the honor society is a great organization. She continues writing. “I guess I loved the use of the English language,” Strauss said. “I used to write to express myself with words. I just didn’t write a sentence, I used a lot of adverbs, a lot of expressions.” A 1947 graduate of Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, N.Y., Strauss was the managing editor of the student newspaper, The Crimson Echo. After graduation, she was planning to attend the Columbia School of Journalism in New York but instead got a job during the summer at Good Housekeeping magazine, a part of the Hearst magazine group. When a position opened in the make-up department at Harper’s Bazaar, the company sent Strauss there to fill in. She ended up staying in the position and writing for the magazine for several years. Strauss called it a “lucky break.” Strauss then went on to raise her family and also owned a Bed and Breakfast in the 1980’s. The optimistic Strauss also put together the special 50th reunion 1997 edition of The Crimson Echo. She keeps busy and is currently creating a scrapbook for her children. When she is not in New York, Strauss spends six months a year in Maine hosting at a Bed and Breakfast. “I’m in my early 80’s but I’m still working,” Strauss said. “I’m enjoying life.” Jack Egan also appreciated his time in Quill and Scroll. Egan was the ninth member in the Big Inch Club, an honor Quill and Scroll presented to high school students who produced 10,000 column inches – the equivalent of writing an en-tire front page of a newspaper for three months. Egan was the sports editor for his high school newspaper at Joliet Catholic High School in Illinois. Most of his inches appeared in the Joliet local newspaper, The Herald News, where he reported on Catholic High sports and spent one summer working full time in the editorial department. After graduating in 1951, Egan attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champagne. He also later earned an MBA from Northwestern University. Egan worked at the Chicago Sun-Times as a sports reporter for several years before join-ing the public relations department at J. Walter Thompson. After his time there, Egan went to work at the Continental Bank, the largest bank in Chicago at the time, and ended his career there as the senior vice president of corporate com-munications. “High school journalism was the key,” Egan said of his expansive career. For both Strauss and Egan, writing in high school paved the way for their journalistic and related professional careers.

Jack Egan wrote more than 10,000 column inches as a high school journalist, earning him membership in the Quill and Scroll Honor Society Big Inch Club. Photo contributed by Egan.

Dolores Strauss, 18, after receiving her Quill and Scroll Achievement Award. Photo contributed by Strauss.


They all laughed and enjoyed the dark chocolate Hershey’s miniature candy bars that filled the baskets at the table. Every-one seemed carefree at the Dallas training camp for new scholastic journalism advis-ers. I managed to maintain a smile, but my trepidation was still evident as I sunk into my seat, holding back my thoughts. I knew I was up for quite a challenge be-coming a new adviser, and the fifth adviser at East Central High School in San Anto-nio. I would be in charge of every sin-gle aspect of run-ning a yearbook

and a newspaper staff. I had the same feel-ing of a new business owner jumping into a venture with excitement, anticipation and nervousness. From the moment I entered the teach-ing profession, I looked forward to the op-portunity of running a journalism program. Finally, that time had arrived. Walking into my first year of advising, I imagined myself presenting to these students, members of The Hornet yearbook staff and The Buzz newspaper staff, a realistic production process in which they saw the seriousness and dedication that is required of a newsroom staff member. Getting strong quotes and carrying a camera at all times MUST merge with their lives, I told them. Yet there were also a few issues that required careful rectification and they needed a resolution fast. During my interview for the position it came to my attention the job would be a bit complex. My job entailed connecting with these students in such a way that the student publications would grow and not downsize like before; that the yearbook needed wise management under a budget that I controlled. Somehow I needed to break the curse that made those who preceded me move away from advising. After the first month of advising, the first-year teaching jitters had long gone, but I didn’t think I would make it through the year and much less continue the following year. My students needed training. The task wasn’t simply teaching them InDesign, camera angles and writing the perfect lead. Com-bined, my yearbook and newspaper staffs included 34 students. A mix of underclassmen and one senior, the students had diverse in-terests, backgrounds and skills. But they all seemed to unanimous-ly believe I would burn out and not return. I found their soft spots:

They worked for food and simple motivation. For each deadline there would be one reward. The basic rule became NO WORK, NO FOOD. Yet, at times the negativity came back with many of the kids wondering if I would leave them and if the 2011 yearbook would sell or sit on the bookcase as its predecessors had in years past. But I had to prove my potential and that East Central would not see a sixth adviser any time soon. I drew upon the lessons learned at the training camp the previous summer, and channeled my own patience and determination. After months of instructing my staff and building a trusting re-lationship with them, the book reached an incredible status. It was

the first time, at least in recent history, that the book paid for itself. No debt. About 500 orders sold out, and I scrambled to find more copies to meet the demand and popularity! My students hadn’t experienced any-thing quite like the success of the 2011 Hornet. The success created a boost of mo-rale, inspiring all of us to reach the goal of making the 2012 yearbook bigger and

perhaps the best book the school has seen yet. We knew what we wanted after I pulled off the bookcase about six of the top-rated yearbooks, two of which compared in size to an encyclopedia. I told the staff, “Give the people their money’s worth. This book better kick butt, and we’re going to sell so many ads we’re go-ing to need more pages.” The yearbook staff came through. They learned new skills and accomplished their goals. The experience of navigating change and setting goals will influence them for years to come. At the same time, I grew during that first year of advising, and conquered the fears and frustrations. I proved I could meet the challenges and change the negativity left behind into a quality, respectable and profitable program. I’m raising the bar every year. And yes, I’m back for a second year.

Breakingt h e n e g at i v i t y a n d Growing t o s u c c e e d

San Antonio teacher meets the challenges of the first year advising publications

‘From the moment I entered the teaching profession, I looked forward to the opportunity of

running a journalism program. Finally, that time had arrived.’

B y R o s a E . R o d r i g u e zJ o u r n a l i s m A d v i s e rEast Central High SchoolSan Antonio, Texas

• Join local, state and national scholastic journalism organizations

• Meet other journalism advisers in your school and district to share ideas and for support

• Participate in high school journalism conferences, events and contests

• Attend scholastic journalism instruction and skills courses and workshops

New Adviser Survival Tips



T H E NEWEST B O O K S I NJOU RNALISM

WITH summer comes workshops and gradu-ation. This month’s selections are books that can help editors and staff members better understand storytelling – no matter the plat-form used (print or electronic). With elec-tions coming in the fall, there’s no better time than now to reflect how one successful presidential candidate embraced the media for his win. And for those looking to find jobs and heading to college, it’s time to better un-derstand your own social media reputation – and how to make sure it’s to your benefit.

Foster, Jerod. Storytellers: A Photographer’s Guide to Developing Themes and Creating Stories with Pictures. Peachpit/New Riders. $17. While there are many books available about understanding the convergence of the printed word and visuals, this is an exciting book written from a photographer’s perspective. Jerod Foster is an editorial and natural history photographer who also teaches at Texas Tech University. His feature and environmental portraits have been published in magazines, books and for commercial purposes. In this book, he has worked to bridge the “how-to” of photography and who, what, when, where, why and how of the story. Accompanied by wonderfully thoughtful photographs, the book includes interviews from respected visual storytellers. Their thoughts bring a whole new dimension to under-standing the art of storytelling. The author divides the book into three areas: the significance of photography and cul-ture, what it takes to tell a story and how to find and develop that special story. He also blogs (and discusses his photography) at www.jerodfoster.com. Both book and blog will make you want to grab a camera (or cell phone) and begin to create.

Waldman, Joshua. Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies. John Wiley and Sons. $19.99. As new media platforms have exploded, students have learned to jump from one thing to another using online networks to expand their circle of friends, colleagues and potential employers. Yet, it’s that third group (potential employers) who have gotten the least attention in relation to students’ Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr and DoYouBuzz sites (to name just a few). What worked in high school won’t take students to their next plateau (and professional nirvana!). Joshua Waldman wrote this book because he needed a job, after being laid off a second time in six months. He developed his personal brand using social networking and became an authority on tools and techniques that work. He emphasizes the impor-tance of creating a brand and managing it online. He prefers LinkedIn as a starting point, accompanied by a video resume. However, throughout the book, he explains how to stretch the brand, including using search engine optimization (SEO) to help yourself be “found” by the companies and organizations that can use your skills. Waldman explains using multiple sites to uncover the hidden job market, as well as using the tools they provide (Twitter job channels) to engage in related activities or practicing good online etiquette (wall etiquette on Facebook). The importance of an online presence is addressed and how to customize it to pro-vide the most opportunities, as well as the 10 common social media blunders by job seekers and how to avoid them. The list is worth the price of the book. This book is part of the Dummies series, which means it’s written to the point and in language that even the tech-challenged can understand.

Barbara Bealor HinesHoward UniversityWashington, D.C.


Kenski, Kate, Hardy, Bruce W., and Jamieson, Kathleen Hall. The Obama Victory: How Media, Money, and Message Shaped the 2008 Election. New York, Oxford University Press, Inc. $21.95

The influence and impact of social media is being felt from college campuses to Capitol Hill. Kenski, Hardy, and Jamieson set out to dissect each step taken by the Obama and McCain camps that led up to the presidential election on Nov. 4, 2008. This insider view that followed both campaign trails shows readers through in-depth analysis and numerous graphs just how each tweet, post, YouTube video, commercial, radio spot, and Saturday Night Live skit played a vital role in determining who would claim victory. Kenski, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona; Hardy, a senior research analyst at the Annenberg Public Policy Center; and Jamieson, the Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor of Communi-cation at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania use a strictly non-partisan approach to critically analyze how media, messaging and money play a vital role in campaigns. “The Obama Victory concentrates on the process at play in presidential elections, the fac-tors that affect their outcomes, and the mechanisms by which these effects occur.” The text is divided into three parts focusing on “forces and messages,” momentum shifts, and the new direction of campaigning. In part one Kenski, Hardy and Jamieson start by measuring the im-pact President George W. Bush had on each party’s campaign while addressing the labels placed on

each campaign by the opposing side. Focusing on McCain’s age and Obama’s work history, part one pits one candidate against the other in a duel of messaging. Part two focuses on the vice presidential selection and how the voter base begins to energize and rally around their parties. The final part of the text looks at the surge the Obama campaign took in the final weeks before the election and pinpointing the campaign rhetoric that served as the catalyst to push Obama and the Democrats to victory. Those on the left and right, conservative and liberal will find The Obama Victory to be an informative and accurate recap of the 2008 election campaign cycle. Kenski, Hardy and Jamieson successfully answered the question: “What part, if any, did media, money, and message play in shaping the 2008 election?”

C r y s t a l M . A d k i s s o n i s a d o c t o r a l s t u d e n t a t H o w a r d U n i v e r s i t y i n M a s s C o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d M e d i a S t u d i e s a n d a f o r m e r c o m -m u n i c a t i o n s d i r e c t o r f o r a C h i c a g o p o l i t i c i a n .

Journalism scholars are well aware of the negative and positive effects that mass media messages have on audiences. In the fifth edition of W. James Potter’s book, Me-dia Literacy, readers are offered an eye-opening approach to media literacy and being able to identify what messages could have harmful or beneficial effects on people. The book details specific steps one can take in order to become more media literate. Potter defines media literacy as “a set of perspectives that we actively use to expose ourselves to the mass media to interpret the meaning of the messages we encounter.” Potter stresses that when people heighten their sense of media literacy they are able to gain a stronger sense of the real world versus the mediated world that is portrayed to them by the mass media. This book is a valuable read for students of journalism, faculty who teach journalism courses and for anyone who wants a clearer understanding of how media messages are formulated and why. Audiences are flooded with media messages on a daily basis in several formats, such as news programming, advertisements, and even more so now with the growth of social media. This overwhelming flow of information can make it difficult to deci-pher what messages are harmful or helpful to one’s own knowledge structures, but Potter offers some clear explanations of how one can use those messages that benefit you and discard those messages that do not. The book addresses key topics, such as advertising to children, social networking and the issue of privacy, and how violence is a key marketing formula in entertainment programming. These issues, as well as others addressed in the book, will leave readers with a sense of revelation, but also a better understanding of their own level of media literacy and how they can increase it.

A n d r e N i c h o l s o n i s a d o c t o r a l s t u d e n t i n M a s s C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d M e d i a S t u d i e s a t H o w a r d U n i v e r s i t y a n d i s c o n c l u d i n g a p r e -f a c u l t y i n t e r n s h i p a t J a m e s M a d i s o n U n i v e r s i t y. H e s e r v e d i n p u b l i c a f f a i r s i n t h e U . S . A i r F o r c e .

Potter, W. James. Media Literacy, 5th ed. Sage. $71.


JEA Notes

One of the biggest pet peeves I have as a teacher is the all-too-frequent tendency of those in charge to introduce new ideas two or three days before the students are sitting in front of us. Almost every year of my 28-year teach-ing career I’ve showed up for the first fac-ulty meeting and heard someone declare a new program, procedure, initiative, idea or thing that is often well designed, pre-pared, tested and often true to making us better teachers and our students better learners. Those in charge plan this new opportu-

nity well, articulating a brilliant case for why this particular pro-gram at this particular time will lead all parties — from students to teachers to administrators to parents to educational leaders to consultants to Arne Duncan — to educational nirvana. I’ll even admit I’m excited as I hear about The Plan for the first time. After three different breakout sessions scaffolding everything to be done to ensure its success, I’m even more excited — ready to blast off to educational euphoria! “I am ready! Let’s do this!” On the long walk back to the journalism room, I begin to waiv-er just a tad as I run through my ever-increasing long list of to-do items related to my jobs. At 8 p.m., despite the guilt, I push on and read the two articles we were assigned before the second day of our school-wide inservice explaining The Plan and think, “If only I was given The Plan in May.” Unintentionally and to the fault of the way our jobs really are, The Plan fails (usually by October, sometimes by September). And, it’s not because The Plan is not great. It is. The Plan fails because the implementation fails. It’s the fact that all too often little or no concern is given to preparing those who will implement it. Despite the fact that teachers make hundreds of in-the-moment decisions, we need time to process.“If only I was given The Plan in May.” Now that we’re nearing the end of this school year, it’s time to start our own version of The Plan. It’s time to think about next year. We need time to craft The Plan so that when our returning staff members walk out the door in May or June they have The Plan. They need the time to critically think about it. They need the time to process it. They need the time over the summer to make it work at the beginning of the next school year. Before we can craft The Plan, we need to honestly evaluate our-selves, our students and our program within our school and com-munity cultures and our own values and situations. At the very least, we need to spend some time reflecting on what we do, why we do it and what’s next. Journalism Education

Association Vice President Sarah Nichols sent a wonderful website link via the JEA Listserve in January that can help us forge The Plan. In her post, Sarah said she was going to implement a version of “Start. Stop. Continue.” with her newspaper and yearbook staffs. Sarah’s post intrigued me enough to further research this method of strategic planning, which is exactly what The Plan is. In short, “Start. Stop. Continue.” (SSC) asks three questions:

We also must ask these questions of ourselves (as teachers, ad-visers) and our programs:

Our responses as journalism teachers/advisers (and, let’s be honest, as people, too) coupled with asking these questions of our students and staff members (and maybe even our readers, listeners and viewers, but that is another article) will lead us to our version of The Plan. An article, written by management consultant Susan Stein-brecher, said SSC is used for “development and communication, including personal growth, team-building, troubleshooting and organizational-improvement initiatives.” Steinbrecher added SSC is “great for generating respectful, honest and meaningful communication. Team leaders can use this model to facilitate a balanced discussion of areas of improvement, areas of strength and areas of opportunity as they relate to team objectives and performance.” I’m not about to tell you how to specifically use SSC (or any other reflection opportunity). If you believe you need The Plan, then you’ll establish the best way to create and implement one. I do encourage you, however, to take the time to genuinely reflect on yourself as a teacher/adviser and leader of the most important program at your school. Our jobs are about providing challenges to develop, grow and stretch our students — and ourselves. Our Plan will do that if we get started now, craft it intelligently, passionately and, most importantly for its success, publish it in May.

1. What are we doing that isn’t working? (Something we should Stop.)2. What should we put in place to improve? (Something we should Start.)3. What is working well? (Something we should Continue.)

1. What am I doing that isn’t working? (Something I should Stop.)2. What should I put in place to improve? (Something I should Start.)3. What is working well? (Something I should Continue.)

B y M a r k N e w t o n , M J EP r e s i d e n tJournalism Education Association

Ensure Success, Allow Time to EnactMental processing and planning must take place when launching new projects for them to be accepted and yield the best results.


Just as written in the general prologue of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, in the spring “folks long to go on pilgrim-ages,” and student journalists and their advisers are no exception. Spring and summer are prime convention and work-shop seasons when staffs can journey near and far to get a head start on their plans for the following scholastic year. Why take the time, money and put in hard work to facilitate trips to workshops and conventions? With so much informa-tion available online it might seem to be extra work. After all, we can enter just

about any topic into Google and find a plethora of answers and re-sources. The answer can be summed up in one word: bonding. Over the course of almost 30 years as a publications adviser, I have taken staff members on approximately 120 trips. Some are close to home. Others mean flying across the country from east to west coast. Some of the groups are small, just five or six key editors. Others are very large, such as our trip to Ana-heim four years ago with a group of 40. The work involved to journey across the country becomes rote after you have gone on multiple trips, how-ever, it can be daunting the first time. The question could be posed then, is it worth the trouble and the money to bond? Student journalists and advisers alike know the value of genuine bond-ing. “I really immersed myself in yearbook after going to yearbook camp the first year. There were only eight of us that year so we had to work really hard, and that set the groundwork for the dynamic of the group for the rest of the year,” said Layne Zimmerman, Odyssey managing editor. When you attend a session at a national convention or a camp that makes the importance of having a great theme finally click, and when you share what you learned with fellow staffers following the session, that forms a bond. “During camp we developed our theme by having discus-sions every night about how we could continue the design element

B y M a r y K ay D ow n e s, M J EP a s t P r e s i d e n tColumbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association

throughout the book. We continued united when we got back to school in September,” said Lizzy Graviano, Odyssey editor in chief. Hearing a motivational speaker of national renown relate tips on how to write better copy and produce better designs provides information to bring back to the pub room. “Learning about design and writing stories is something we are all interested in, so going to conventions and workshops gets us all involved in something we all love. We learn to work together so we get inspired from not only the instructor, but from one another,” said Sydney Pereira, Odyssey staffer and future editor. Knowledge is the best catalyst for forging bonds that last in the pub room and continue through life. And although the principles of journalism are always taught in the classroom, being in a room with fellow journalists lends intensity and relevance to the instruction. There is also the experience of staff living together for a time. “We were in close quarters rooming together at yearbook camp, so it was really hard to not bond with everyone. I got to know people before the year started, and that was a big plus,” said Natalie Roberson, Odyssey team leader.

Experiencing a new city with upperclassmen was another posi-tive for Zimmerman. “I got to know the upperclassmen during my two trips to Columbia Scho-lastic Press Association in New York City. I noticed that those who ended up in leadership po-sitions got there because of what they learned at workshops and on trips.” So how do you become in-formed and learn how to enjoy workshop and convention experi-ences? Membership in Quill and Scroll, CSPA, National Scholastic

Press Association and the Journalism Education Association as well as state and local groups is the best way to keep in the loop, read ads and notifications and get applications. In addition, yearbook com-panies often host workshops, and your publisher’s representative can keep you informed. Don’t ignore the communication power of social media either. It is now commonplace for attendees to tweet at conventions and to let Facebook friends know about their plans to attend conven-tions and workshops. While at conventions, students meet and then maintain virtual relationships after they return home.

Value and Power of Attending Workshops and Conventions

CSPAA Notes

‘I really immersed myself in yearbook after going to year-book camp the first year. There were only eight of us that year so we had to work really hard, and that set the groundwork for the dynamic of the group

for the rest of the year.’ - Layne Zimmerman, Odyssey managing editor

Continued on page 16


EngagE REpoRt ConnECt.

WoRKSHop InFoTeresa A. White ([email protected])

REgIStRatIon InFoLinda J. Johnson ([email protected])

ConnECt WItH US812.855.0895 / 812.855.1311 (FAX)

LEaRn MoREhttp://journalism.indiana.edu/hsji

“tRaDItIonaL” StUDEnt WoRKSHopSJuly 9-13 | Newspaper, Yearbook, Digital Photography, Television News, Desktop Design, Multimedia &Online Journalism

“nEW” StUDEnt WoRKSHopSJuly 15-19, July 22-26 | Converged Newsrooms:Arts & Entertainment, Business, Health & Science, Sports

“tRaDItIonaL” aDvISER WoRKSHopSSupervision of Student Media | June 25-29Independent Study for Journalism Educators | June 25-July 26

“nEW” aDvISER WoRKSHopSStaff Retreat (non-credit workshop)Practicum (graduate credit/professional development points)July 9-13, July 15-19, July 22-26

HIgH SCHooL JoURnaLISM InStItUtE InDIana UnIvERSIty | SUMMER 2012

When you zero in on the workshop or convention that would benefit your staff, then it is time to address the two hurdles – fund-ing and promotion. Odyssey posts signup sheets for all three nation-

al conventions, summer yearbook camp, and the state champion-ship workshop. At back-to-school night, the editors conducting the session discuss the travel oppor-tunities and en-courage parents to look favorably on their students at-tending. The best part about their words is the obvi-ous passion they

have about what they do, and the fact that attending workshops and conventions helped fuel the fire. Fundraising woes can be solved by all sorts of sales - lollipops, candy bars and fruit. However, an aggressive ad sales campaign is

the best way to generate cash for professional development. Rela-tives also can be encouraged to contribute to a trip fund rather than giving presents for birthdays and holidays. The value of attending workshops and conventions provides the bond to sustain the hard work during the school year with dead-lines and other stressors. Attendance also helps spur the careers of future professional journalists. A former Odyssey copy and sports editor, Tim Chapman, who is now a sports reporter for the Minot Daily News in North Dakota, and was the editor-in-chief of the James Madison University news-paper said, “Attending conventions and yearbook camp at such a young age showed me how many different people and ideas con-tribute to the development of writers and print design. I took a new work ethic to my student newspaper in college and elevated my own writing and the quality of the publication to levels of national rec-ognition.”

CSPAA Notes

The value of attending workshops and conven-tions provides the bond to sustain the hard work

during the school year with deadlines and other

stressors. Attendance also helps spur the

careers of future professional journalists.

Have you "liked" us on facebook yet?

Search Quill and Scroll Honor Society

Attending Workshops continued from page 15


Student reporters at Central High School were curious. Every afternoon, underage kids gathered in the woods across from the school parking lot and enjoyed a smoke. But none was old enough to buy cigarettes legally. Where were they getting them? At Bailey’s Convenience Store right around the corner, the reporters were told. Old Mr. Bailey is so nearsighted that he doesn’t bother checking ID’s. He’ll sell cigarettes to just about anybody. So the student reporters at Central de-cided on a test: They’d send a visibly not-

18 reporter into the store to make a purchase without showing a driver’s license. It seemed like the kind of story you see all the time on “Dateline”-type newsmagazine shows – and a valuable public ser-vice, if Mr. Bailey really is breaking the law. But there were lurk-ing dangers. Under the law of their state, it wasn’t illegal just to sell cigarettes to a minor. It was also illegal to buy them. And that meant the reporter – good intentions or not – would be commit-ting a crime to get the story. The school isn’t really Central and the store isn’t really Bailey’s, but this story is otherwise real. It’s typical of the kinds of stories that make the attorney hotline at the Student Press Law Center ring some 2,000 times a year. Students want to take on “real” community news – and they should. But like all journalists, they must consider all of the legal and ethical pitfalls when they push boundaries and take risks. Legally, doing an undercover “sting”-type story carries risk. Ask ABC News, which was successfully sued by the Food Lion gro-cery chain because its producers lied on employment applications to get jobs in the grocer’s meat and deli departments, where they secretly videotaped deceptive labeling practices. There also are ethical considerations that may be decisive. For instance, in the underage-cigarette story, one option that the students considered was cooperating with police as part of an of-ficially approved sting. But many professional news organizations won’t make that deal. They are ethically wary of creating the impression of too-close cooperation with law enforcement. Sources need to know that, when they confide in a journalist, the journalist can be trusted to keep confidentiality – not run to the police and spill the beans. Consider another real SPLC case of a high school where a student-athlete bragged to someone on the newspaper staff that he and several teammates regularly got stoned on drugs before prac-tice. He even invited a camera crew to come videotape him lighting up – with his face blurred – and then going onto the practice field. That athletes are practicing under-the-influence is an impor-tant story that deserves to be told. It puts their safety and others’ at risk. But this storytelling method was flashing a bright red “dan-ger” sign. The athlete is admitting to committing a crime – on school grounds. The students have the crime on video. Can they keep

their promise of confidentiality? Every state except Wyoming has some type of a reporter’s priv-ilege law that allows journalists to refuse to turn over confidential information – including the names of sources – if asked to do so by police or attorneys. But some states’ laws don’t protect unpaid student journalists – Texas and Florida are two notable examples. And they’ve never been tried in a situation where the demand for information comes from a principal for use in school discipline, not in court. So it isn’t 100 percent clear that a student would have a legal right to refuse the principal’s demand for the identity of the source – though a student in that situation should never break a promise of confiden-tiality without consulting a lawyer. Complicating the issue even more, the camera probably be-longs to the school and is kept on school premises, where the principal can get access to it anytime. (For this reason, no student journalist should store anything with confidential notes, photos or audio recordings on school grounds.) And complicating it even more, once the faculty adviser knows the identity of the dope-smoker, he may be under a duty to report the behavior. In many states, teachers are legally required – under penalty of firing – to report student behavior that poses a risk to physical safety. (For this reason, student publications should always have confidential-source policies and consider whether, in extreme cases such as this one, it is safest to wall off the adviser from knowing too much.) Those are the legal questions. But then there’s the ethical one. Why does someone invite media coverage of his foolish and illegal behavior? Is it possible that the student is a bragger and attention-seeker, who just wants to be in the paper? There is a fine ethical line between recording news and cre-ating news. In this situation, had the students gone ahead (they didn’t), the line might have been crossed. It is one thing to capture a photo of students who are spotted doing something illegal on school grounds. It’s another thing to cooperate in staging the illegal behavior for the benefit of the cameras. Consider, too, whether the student may be exaggerating. Might he have a grudge against the coach, and believe that this is a way to embarrass the athletic program? When someone admits to behavior that is against his best interests, it’s always wise to con-sider hidden motives. These types of judgment calls are commonplace through-out journalism, and they’re in no way limited to the school set-ting. Journalists wrestle constantly with such ethical dilemmas as whether to “out” a news source as being an illegal immigrant, for example. Learning to make sound ethical decisions is part of becoming a true “professional,” and that learning opportunity is what makes scholastic journalism so uniquely valuable – even for people who never plan to work in the news business. If you are embarking on a project that has the potential to re-veal damaging private information about people, or put journalists in harm’s way, it is always a good start to consult a lawyer. But in the end, it is most important to consult your conscience.

SPLC Notes

Consider Legal, Ethical Pitfalls of Coverage

B y F r a n k D. L o M o n t eE x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o rStudent Press Law Center


1. What are your media experiences – starting from your pre-college experience? In high school, I worked as an editor for my school’s paper and as a columnist for my hometown newspaper. I was the vice presi-dent of the Quill and Scroll Chapter at my high school. I started my college career at the University of Florida writing for the Indepen-dent Florida Alligator, the largest student-run newspaper in the country. The first event I

covered was on the Friday of my first week of col-

lege. While all the other new fresh-men were off exploring Gainesville, I was reporting on a dance class that was raising money for breast cancer research! My sophomore year, I was se-lected to be part of a five-person team at UF for ABC News On Campus. My colleagues were senior broadcast ma-jors. When I interviewed for the posi-tion, the ABC editor said he was ex-cited to see so much writing in my clip book because, he said, so often when people work for the Web they forget about the technical aspects of report-ing and writing. During my time at ABC, I learned even though media is going digital, the heart of reporting will always be a strong foundation in writing. Last summer I worked as a digital

Journalism and Tech

College Students Offer Advice to Keep Up with Technology Changes in the Media

Between the two of us, we work with more than 400 undergraduate media students each year at the Univer-sity of Florida. We asked two of the real go-getters to tell about their media experience and offer advice for how high school media students (and teachers) can keep up with the technology changes in the media.

J u l i e E . D o d dJ o u r n a l i s m P r o f e s s o rUniversity of Florida

J u d y R o b i n s o nAsst. Journalism ProfessorUniversity of Florida

Meg WagnerJunior, University of FloridaWeb: http://www.megwag.comTwitter: @meg_wag

media intern for the New York Times Regional Media Group, where I learned more about the business side of a news organization. Last fall, I was a news desk intern for the UF News Bureau. I wrote mostly about events happening on the UF campus, although I wrote some fun fea-ture stories on campus faculty for the UF homepage. My favorite story was about a theater teacher who taught improv to veterans as a form of therapy. I currently work as a reporting intern at the local paper, The Gainesville Sun.

2. What has been your experience in how technology skills combine with journalism skills to improve re-porting, storytelling, etc.? Give an example of a class assign-ment or internship project that used a variety of skills sets. While I’m trained as a print journalist, I use tech-nology on a daily basis. When I worked for ABC, I was hired as a writer, but I was often asked to shoot photographs and video to run next to my stories on-line. Social media has also changed the way I write stories. I found some of my best sources through Twit-ter by tweeting questions and following experts on the topics I cover. I’m expected to tweet news and events as they happen in addition to writing a simple story for the Web or for publication.

Meg Wagner live tweets from the meeting of the University of Flori-da student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Wagner joined SPJ the first semester of her freshman year and now is vice president. She used her phone for a tweet with a photo and used her laptop for text-only tweets. Photo by Lyn Kramer


1. What are your media experiences – starting from your pre-college experience? In high school, I started spending free time at a local park, shooting wildlife and landscapes. I started to have people ask me to shoot photos for them, and I moved into portrait and wedding photography for some extra money. Once in college, I started as a freelance photographer for The Independent Florida Alligator and The Gainesville Sun. Then, I became the staff videographer for The Alligator, then assistant online editor. I’d

been coding with HTML since I was 13, so that helped me work with the website. This semester I’m the new media intern for The Miami Herald, working in Tallahassee in the combined news bureau of The Miami Herald and The Tampa Bay Times. We’re covering the Florida legis-lative session and I’m producing videos and podcasts. I also handle social media and Web development for the Herald’s websites – Po-litical Currents and Naked Politics.2. What has been your experience in how technology skills combine with jour-nalism skills to improve reporting, storytelling, etc.? Give an example of a class assignment or internship project that used a variety of skills sets. One special topics media class I took involved following the University of Florida football team on a road game to Auburn to see what went into packing for each away weekend. I worked on two stories - one for print about team nutrition and another for video about the marching band. Photos went with both. If I had

Journalism and Tech

3. How would you suggest that high school media students and teachers fol-low trends in the media and develop their technology skills? I love PBS Media Shift (http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/) and Neiman Lab (http://www.niemanlab.org/). Both are frequently up-dated with stories about how news organizations are utilizing tech-nology. But doing is the best way of learning. In journalism, the best way to improve your writing is to write constantly, and the same is true with technology. Try every new technology you can find. Get a blog, and get a Twitter account. Take a class on HTML coding or teach yourself through Lynda.com or another training site. Just start doing.4. What advice would you give to high school media students who are making decisions about attending college and choosing a major? There’s constantly news about how grim the state of the media is, but if you can be flexible in your capacity as a journalist there’s no reason you can’t succeed. People are consuming more news than ever - they’re just doing so through online media. Be open to non-traditional journalism jobs, such as Web pro-ducing and online development. And above all, be passionate about what you do. Don’t go into journalism if you only have lukewarm feelings about the field.

Matt RivaJunior, University of FloridaWeb: http://www.mattriva.comTwitter: @mattriva

more time, I would have wanted to do interactive graphics for both. But there was more involved than just the reporting on the surface: I did records and data collection for the nutrition story and used social media while working on the band story to gain readership. 3. How would you suggest that high school media students and teachers fol-low trends in the media and develop their technology skills? Most high school students are already on their way in one sec-tor - social media. Believe it or not, just being active on Facebook and Twitter (especially Twitter, because you can track media more easily) is one of the best ways to keep up on media. For instance, the recent launch of WaPo’s (Washington Post) Social Reader on Facebook is an example of new media that many companies are jumping on board with. There are also numerous blogs (Jim Romenesko and Erik Wemple ) that report on media. Get involved with a professional organization, such as the Society of Professional Journalists (a big one) or the Online News Association. For these, students can typi-cally get discounted or free membership. Participating in the local, state and regional events held by the organizations is a great way to break in to what’s going on in the world of journalism. 4. What advice would you give to high school media students who are mak-ing decisions about attending college and choosing a major? Don’t plan on going into journalism unless you think it’s a good fit for you. You know you won’t be in it for the money. Don’t be afraid to try for jobs or internships even if you know you have no chance of getting them. You might get noticed for be-ing persistent, which is a good trait to have as a journalist. Finally, read news. The more you read, the more you’ll pick up on what’s good writing and reporting and what’s not.

Matt Riva interviews a cyclist during a campus event to promote the University of Florida’s One Less Car campaign. Riva has expanded his storytelling ability by being able to write and take photographs or shoot video. Photo by Julie Dodd


QUILL & SCROLLOfficial Magazine of theInternational Honorary Societyfor High School Journalists100 Adler Journalism Bldg., Room E346Iowa City, IA 52242-2004

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Quill & Scroll Spring 2012 Magazine