Blend | Fall 2011

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Fall 2011 // Volume 6 // Issue 1 // Ball State Produced // NSPA Distributed

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welcome l brian hayes

Fall 2011 Volume 6 Issue 1 Blend Magazine c/o Department of Journalism Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306 SES DIRECTOR Brian Hayes EDITOR Megan McNames EDITOR AT LARGE Tom Gayda BUSINESS MANAGER Megan McNames CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Nichols Logan Aimone Kim Green Arriel Vinson Andrea Giacalone OFFICE STAFF Sarah Bergsieker Anna Kaiser

Brian Hayes is the director of Secondary Education at Ball State University. He is a former adviser of student publications at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. Hayes has worked professionally for several newspapers.

Designers Chelsea Kardokus Jennifer Prandato Blend Magazine is published by the Secondary Education Services office at Ball State University. Call 765-285-8900 for advertising information. You can always e-mail the staff at blend.mag@gmail.com.

FOR NSPA Logan Aimone executive director Emily Griesser member services director

Marc Wood communications director

Tahera Mamdani accountant FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

social media have changed the way every media outlet reports and communicates information to its readers. Journalism programs need to be cognizant of these changes and provide a curriculum that mirrors, if not predicts, changes in the industry.

When researching potential colleges and programs, look to see if their curriculum combines the fundamentals of good journalistic writing and reporting with new technologies and information delivery systems.

As high school journalists who are interested in pursuing future careers in the media, here are a few things to consider as you begin looking for a school and program that best suits your personal needs.

Internships and Student Media Opportunities You heard it here first: Going to class and getting good grades is only 50 percent of what you should be doing as a college student. The other 50 percent is getting experience. Unless you graduated from college with a 4.0, future employers are going to be more concerned with how you applied the knowledge you learned in the classroom than how you earned a B+ on your final econ exam. In your research, look for programs that have strong student media and require at least one credit-bearing professional internship. See if they have a variety of student media organizations including print, online and broadcast.

The more experience you get the better prepared you’ll be when applying for your first job.

ACEJMC Accreditation Look to see if the institution or department you are researching is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Currently, there are 111 accredited programs throughout the United States, including one university in Chile. While accredited programs provide a professional curriculum in addition to quality instruction in journalism and mass communications, they also emphasize a commitment to faculty service and scholarship, student services, facilities and equipment, diversity and inclusiveness, academic assessment and a dedication to a diversified liberal arts education. Accredited programs garner instant merit as they are held to some of the highest standards in the journalism field.

Updated Curriculum Journalism has arguably undergone the most significant changes of any profession in the last 10 years. Online journalism, smartphones and

Kathy Huting contest/critique coordinator

Suzanne Taber administrative assistant

There are different times in life when you are faced with making a big decision — a decision so important that it will change your entire future.

For many high school juniors and seniors, one of these big decisions is choosing the right college. While there are numerous factors that oftentimes affect these decisions such as cost, family influences and proximity to home, there are many other factors that need equal, if not more, thoughtful research and discovery.

Choosing the right college is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Spend some time now thoroughly researching your top choices to see how they compare. After omitting the emotion from close family and friends, make a list identifying the pros and cons of each institution. Discuss your findings with your loved ones, teachers and school guidance counselor. But ultimately, it’s your decision — and your future.

table l of contents 4 ask kim

8 indesign shortcuts

23 wordpress tips

6 nspa

11 job shadowing

26 advertising ideas

7 q&a: reporting glocal

18 copyright

28 nspa awards

ask l kim

Learn to interview like a pro

Kim Green directs the student publications at Columbus (Ind.) North High School. A 2006 Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Distinguished Adviser of the Year and 2009 JEA Distinguished Yearbook Adviser of the Year, the publications Green’s students create are consistent award winners.

Have you caught yourself returning to your school’s pub room deflated and distraught because the source you just tried to interview gave you nothing? Have you heard yourself moan to your editor about how the kid you tried to interview didn’t have a story? If either or both scenarios sound too familiar, then this issue’s questions are for you.

those are cool on tests, they’re not what you want to use when interviewing. Your questions should include lots of hows? and whys?, especially “Why should our students care about this?” and “Why do they need to know this?” Plus even more “tell me about …” and “describe …” questions will help you reap some rich quotes.

In fact, we had three questions in the “Ask Kim” mailbag, and they all deal with some aspect of interviewing.

Just don’t tie yourself to a list.

One good technique for creating thoughtful questions is to read well-written magazine articles and try to figure out what questions the writer had to ask to get the quotes used. I’ve seen potentially good interviews go nowhere when the writer failed to switch gears with follow-up questions to some interesting, yet brief answers.

Allyson, a junior on her newspaper staff, has the first question: “Hey, Kim, I need help with my interview skills. Give me some tips to get decent quotes, or I’m afraid I may have to give up on this.”

Kim: Believe it or not, Allyson, a great interview is one of the final steps of the entire interview process. If I could give you any skill, it would be preparedness.

Consider these three key tips:

Do your homework Ask around. Google your topic; read articles about it. Talk to people familiar with your source or the topic to learn some basic information.

Not only will you gain one or more jumping off points for very specific questions, but you will also be able to do some name-dropping to validate your interest. “Coach Smith told me you are the hardest worker he has ever coached. Can you describe a typical practice for you, and what you do to push yourself?”

“Your friend Mandy Jones said you have over 200 pieces of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. 200? Tell about the first thing you collected.”

Prepare thoughtful questions Be sure none of them will get you only yes/no or short answers. While 4 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

Check it out for yourself Seeing is believing. Observe your source in his or her environment.

Watch your source in action. Go to the meeting. Visit the construction site. Whatever your story is covering, see it with your own eyes. Take good notes and transform them into questions. The depth of detail that observation adds to your story will mesh with great quotes to take your writing to the next level.

Yearbook section editor Josh needs this question answered: “This is a stupid question, but why is it so hard to interview kids my own age?”

Kim: Not a stupid question! Adults seem easy to interview because they’ve lived long enough to develop a high level of empathy. Empathy comes from being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to better understand him or her.

When you interview your assistant principal, for example, that person understands you are young, somewhat inexperienced and want to

do well, so he or she steps into a role of giving you more than you’re asking, of using body language to encourage rather than discourage.

Teens, on the other hand, are just beginning to develop empathy.

Journalists like you, Josh, actually get to practice it each time you interview classmates. You are asking them to trust you to tell their stories. Empathy helps you communicate trustworthiness, and that makes interviewing kids your own age easier and more productive.

Think of interviewing as “having a conversation” with these guidelines:

Set the interview Up in person That way, your source recognizes you. Smile while you do it. Hand the source an information sheet that includes your name, staff you’re on, contact number and agreed upon time and place of the interview. If you can do business cards, that would be great. If not, an index card will suffice.

Choose the interview location Interview the source either in a neutral, quiet area or in his or her own environment. If interviewing on campus, get there early to greet your source. Smile while you do it; be glad he or she came.

Invite your source to sit next to you Do not sit across a table from him or her. You are setting up a barrier if you do. Rather, seat yourself so your writing hand can rest on the table. Turn your knees toward your source. You are automatically communicating interest in what he or she has to say. Smile while you do it.

Be self-deprecating It’s okay to admit you’re nervous. Smile while you do it. Your source will appreciate your honesty, and most likely will be relieved by it. It puts you in the same boat.

That’s empathy.

Be genuinely interested Make eye contact. React. Nod your head in encouragement. Smile while you do it. I watched a novice writer of mine interviewing a guy who sets up and plays his guitar in the hall each day. She was so busy bending over her notebook to take notes she missed the transformation that came over him when she asked about his favorite songs. His face lit up. He beamed as he mentioned artists who sang songs to make others happy. His eyes squinted shut as he moved his head slowly from side-to-side as if to an inaudible musical beat. She went on to her next question before she looked up, missing a moment that would have added depth to her story. Maintaining eye contact is so important that you should practice note-taking-without-looking as you write in all your classes.

Realize you’ve made a connection You’ve made a connection with another student. Take care when writing his or her story. When you run across your source in the hallways, wave. Smile while you do it.

Our last question for this issue comes from Shelby, who is a first-year newspaper staffer and wants to know about interviewing resources: “I’d like to learn more about good interviewing. Any ideas where I can get help?”

Kim: One of the best resources I’ve ever used is Ken Metzler’s book, “Creative Interviewing.” Available in the JEA Bookstore, it covers all kinds of writing and the types of questions you should ask for each. My favorite chapter deals with interviewing for the personality profile.

The tips and questions there are perfect for the types of stories teens like to write and read. There is also a chapter on beat questions that is very useful for high school journalists.

Another favorite resource is the Poynter Institute. Go to www.poynter.org and search for interviewing tips and techniques. The site holds a wealth of information, and through its NewsU, offers several self-directed online sessions you may take for free.

Watch late-night talk shows. Jimmy Fallon, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien all have unique interview styles.

What makes them easy to answer? Watch the afternoon shows. Anderson Cooper has a new talk show. A well-known journalist, Cooper has taken questioning to a new plane. Watch his interaction with his guests.

Watching pros at work and emulating some of their techniques will improve your own skills.

But what are the best resources out there?

You and your curiosity and practice. The combination of the three is powerful. And the fact that you spend the greater part of your day in one of the richest environments for storytelling gives you ample opportunities to perfect your craft.

Send your journalism questions to Kim Green at blend.mag@gmail.com.

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1937-2012 Celebrating 75 years of empowering middle and high school students and teachers to do great journalism through newspapers, yearbooks, literary magazines, websites and broadcast staffs in Alabama. aspa.ua.edu Sponsored by the University of Alabama Department of Journalism

nspa l logan aimone

Don’t reinvent these resources Even though a few months of the school year have passed, it’s not too late to get some policies in place to help your organization be more successful. Look at each of these five items and evaluate how they can assist your staff. They’re all available from NSPA at The Wheel — resources you don’t want to reinvent: studentpress.org/nspa/wheel.html.

Model Code of Ethics for High School Journalists The NSPA Code of Ethics establishes seven ethical principles for high school journalists. No more modifying other codes of ethics. This one is specific to the situations facing high school students and advisers. And, it’s been created with all media in mind.

Logan Aimone is the executive director of the National Scholastic Press Association.

Why and how to use: Student journalists need to have a foundation in ethics, but they also need to have examples that recognize the unique aspects of scholastic journalism. Copy the Code and provide it to every staff member. Spend class time anticipating some of the ethical situations posed in the Code, and how students will deal with them.

the

Why and how to use: If a student takes a photo, he or she owns the copyright. It doesn’t matter whose camera was used or whether it was for a class assignment.

Being proactive to allow a limited use by the student media organization can avoid any gray areas — and tense situations — while protecting the student’s rights.

Equipment Checkout Forms

wheel

Legal Issues for Publishing Online Understanding the basics of media law is essential for any high school journalist. But that understanding may be even more important for the multimedia journalist because of issues unique to the online world.

Why and how to use: Many people have misconceptions about what is legal or ethical online. If you have a student media website, knowing the law is important.

Compare the differences between print and online.

Sample Student Media Staff Member Contract/License This sample contract and license between a student media staff member and a student media organization was drafted by the Student Press Law Center and

6 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

is an attempt to fairly balance the intellectual property rights of the student creators of a work against the business and practical requirements of student media organizations that publish such work.

Ensuring the proper maintenance of photographic equipment starts with an organized system to know where the equipment is, who is using it and who had it last. A checkout procedure helps students take responsibility for keeping track of equipment and to understand the cost to replace equipment.

Why and how to use: These models are examples from educators who found systems that worked for them. Take what makes sense and make it work for you.

Obituary Samples and Policies Being proactive with an obituary policy can make for easy decisions if, and when, student journalists and publication staffs need to cover the death of someone in the school community.

Why and how to use: During a stressful, emotional or confusing situation, it can be helpful to turn to a policy for guidance. Consider these models and what makes sense for your student media and situation.

Once you and your staff have all of these components in place, you’ll be in great shape. And, if there’s something you want to see on The Wheel, let us know at info@studentpress.org.

q & a l kelsey timmerman

Report global stories locally We recently sat down with Kelsey Timmerman to ask him what advice he has for students who want to cover “Glocal” stories – stories about how communities across the world can affect and be affected by global issues – in their publications and how to use social media to its full potential. Read what he has to say.

How can students cover “Glocal” stories in their publications?

The whole point of the “Glocal” idea is that the local goes global and that global goes local. I think you can look at global issues and look for the impact locally and then also do the reverse, how something that is happening in your community is affecting the world.

Kelsey Timmerman is the author of Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes.

His writing has appeared in publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Condé Nast Portfolio and has aired on NPR. He has spent the night in Castle Dracula in Romania, gone undercover as an underwear buyer in Bangladesh, played PlayStation in Kosovo, taught an island village to play baseball in Honduras, and in another life, worked as a SCUBA instructor in Key West, Fla.

Q&A by Anna Kaiser.Kaiser is a junior at Ball State University, where she is pursuing a degree in journalism education.

Where can students start to look for “Glocal” stories?

It is amazing how much a small town can reach out to the rest of the world. If you really look into the community and just ask people about interesting stories, you can find these interconnected stories that hits your hometown to the rest of the world and how the rest of the world hits your hometown. It is just amazing to me to see all these interesting stories pop up in places unexpected. I really do believe everybody has a story, some stories are harder to get at, some stories are more common than others, but everybody has a story, you just have to look for them.

How should students prepare to interview someone on global issues?

I do think it takes a little practice to learn how to interview someone, I have preformed bad interviews myself, that I really wasn’t prepared going into, and sometimes at no real fault of my own. I just think try to get to know your subject, the person you are talking to, as well as the larger aspect. So just read up on the subject and try to know what the person knows.

What advice would you give students who want to investigate a story?

I think I’m going to go somewhere where teachers don’t go right off the bat, I think a lot of teachers say don’t go to Wikipedia, I think you always start with Wikipedia. Now don’t go quoting Wikipedia, but try and wrap your head around the bigger issue as quickly as possible and then dissect from there. There’s a great void in local journalism that students can step into and get some good credits and break some really good stories, so I encourage them to do that. With most of these local stories, you don’t need money to

do it; you just need time, a recorder, a notebook and some questions. That is all you need.

How do you use social networking to spread your word?

I see my blog kind of as my home base, and then everything kind of points back to that. So if I do a blog post, I will tweet a link that will go back to that blog post or maybe a phrase from that blog post with that link. I really think you need that social interaction with people as well; I try to make a couple comments everyday to posts I find interesting. You really need to listen to other people and have that interaction with other people and be helpful and be useful to other people so that when you could use some help, people are willing to do that.

How would you encourage students to use social media?

It kind of depends on what the student wants to go into. Follow those people you look up to, whose careers you would like to have, and then see how they use social media, interact with them, it is amazing who you can interact with. For research purposes, you can search twitter.com, it is an amazing resource. Use Facebook to get a limited audience, poll your friends on a certain subject that is important to them. There are new ways people are using social media all the time. I use it to get information, I use to tell people about what I am doing, I use it to network with people, there are just so many different ways to use it, you just have to decide what you are looking to get out of it and learn how to use it in that way.

Do you have any advice to students?

To me I think that traditional journalism can’t welcome in as many people as it use to, but I still think you can take those skills and tell important stories in new ways.

So many publications that I have written for are constantly changing and you have to be able to change with it. You have to be able to do audio, you have to be able to do video, you still have to tell stories. For me it has always been about telling stories, sharing stories, connecting people, well there are a million different avenues that you could get there. So just don’t lose faith.

Interested in reading more? Visit blendmagazine.org to read the full interview and find out why a trip to Honduras made Kelsey want to visit all the places his clothes were made and the process of turning that idea into a book.

Fall 2011 | Blend Magazine | 7

InDesign Shortcuts You’d be surprised at how much time you can save by learning InDesign shortcuts. Here are some of our favorites.

FORMATTING

SPACING

option + 8

command +] When you press these keys, whatever you have selected will

command +\ Press these keys right after the bullet to indent the next line,

be brought forward. If you want to bring something to the very front, press command + shift + ]

making it even.

command + [

This will create a bullet point in one simple step.

shift + tab This will give the text a right indent tab. shift + drag Pressing these keys will make sure that the line you are drawing is perfectly straight.

command + option + E

These keys allow your content to fit into the frame you’ve provided. In order to fit the frame to the content, press the keys command + option + C at the same time.

Likewise, this will send things backward. If you want to send an object completely backward, press command + shift + [

shift + arrow keys

This will move whatever you select exactly a pica away from the direction of the arrow key you pressed.

option + command + W

Pressing these keys will bring up text wrap options. This will allow you to arrange objects and text around each other.

EDITING

command + I

These keys will bring up spellcheck, one of the most important tools for any document or design. Always make sure to check your spelling and grammar before sending off a project.

Typeface Shortcuts Sometimes words or even certain letters need to be adjusted for a better design.

• Leading is the space between individual lines of text.

To adjust this, select multiple lines, then press option + up/down arrows • Kerning is the space between individual letters within a word. To adjust this, select two letters, press option + right/left arrows • Tracking is the space between all words in a line. To adjust this, select an entire line, press option + right/ left arrows 8 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

NAVIGATION

spacebar + drag

This will give you access to the hand tool and let you drag around the page however you want. It’s an useful tool that makes it easier for you to move throughout the page.

command +0 When you press these keys, it will automatically fit your page into your window so you can view how the complete design looks. To fit the entire spread within your viewing window, press command + option + 0. To view the document in its actual size, press command + 1.

z + drag

Press z, then drag your mouse to the place you want to zoom in on. It will bring you exactly to that area.

Bold, Italic, Underline, caps • To get bold, type: command + shift + B • To get italics, type: command + shift + I • To get underline, type: command + shift + U • To get CAPS, type: Command + shift + K

Quick Tool Tips selection: press V or escape direct selection: press A page: press shift + P gap: press U type: press T

TEXT OPTIONS

escape

line: press \ pen: press P

This will let you switch from the type tool to the selection tool, allowing you to use shortcuts.

pencil: press N

control + shift + >

rectangle frame: press F

By pressing these keys at the same time, you will be able to increase the size of your font by increments. To decrease, press control + shift + <

command + B

These keys bring up the text frame options palette, where you can adjust columns, inset spacing and vertical justification.

rectangle: press M scissors: press C free transform: press E gradient swatch: press G gradient feather: press shift + G note

WINDOW

command +T This will bring up the character table, where you can easily

eyedropper: press I

change between typefaces, font size, kerning, tracking, leading and more.

zoom: press Z

F6 Pressing this one key will bring up the color palette, allowing

fill/stroke: press X

you to easily alter whatever object you have selected.

hand: press H

default fill/stroke: press D apply color/gradient: press comma/period

VIEW

view: press W

command +R This tool will let you toggle between viewing your page with or without the rulers.

command +; By pressing these keys, you can toggle between seeing your page with and without your guides and column grids.

command + option + H

Pressing these keys at the same time while selecting an object will allow it to be displayed in high quality. To have it displayed in typical quality, press command + option + Z.

Alignment Shortcuts For any project, the designer must decide how they want their text aligned. These shortcuts make the process faster.

• Align Center: command + shift + c • Justify (all lines): command + shift + f • Justify (all but last line): command + shift + j • Align Left: command + shift + l • Align Right: command + shift + r • Justify Center: command + option + shift + c Fall 2011 | Blend Magazine | 9

LINKS

COLOR MODELS

Always make sure that you have correct links within your document. Here’s a quick breakdown of those different symbols.

broken symbol The stop sign with the question mark shows that your link is broken, meaning InDesign cannot find your file.

It’s important for you to relink files so that your images do not turn out blurry. To relink, rightclick the symbol, then select relink. This will allow you to search for the file.

modified symbol

The exclamation point in the yield sign shows that you need to update your link. To update, right-click the symbol, then select update.

link info

Click on a link in the link palette then click on the triangle in the bottom left corner to see a list of link information. Use the link info to make sure you are using the correct Color Space (CMYK for print, RGB for web) and to check the resolution (150-200 for newspaper, 300+ for magazine).

In the example to the left, the color space is RGB and the resolution (PPI) is 72. This link is not appropriate for print.

Depending on what medium you are designing for, you use different color models. To switch between models, click the far-right button on the color tab and select your desired process.

CMYK

CMYK is a subtractive color model used for print design. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key Color (black), which are the four ink colors commercial printers use on paper.

RGB

RGB is an additive color model used for web design. RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue, the three colors computer screens and TVs use to create colors with light.

LAB

Links panel tricks and tips • Bring Links panel into view: command + shift + d • Edit photo: Right click on the photo in the links list and choose Edit With This will allow you to open the link in Photoshop and make changes.

• See link on page: Right click on the photo in the links list and choose Go To Link. This will bring the page with the link into view.

10 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

LAB is a device-independent color system.

10

tips to get in the door

by Katie Kutsko | Columbus North High School Over summer vacation, I was a total “jerd.” I had to job shadow as part of my school corporation’s graduation requirements, and I wanted my experience to be meaningful, so I created opportunities for myself. You can too.

Katie Kutsko, a high school journalist, job shadowed at the St. Petersburg Times, The Indianapolis Star and The Poynter Institute last summer.

|Don’t be afraid people will say no. Take the risk.

I job shadowed at the St. Petersburg Times and the Poynter Institute, and I interned at the Indianapolis Star through the Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists (IABJ) Multimedia Workshop. No, I’m not bragging. In fact, even as I look back over my summer, I can’t believe it all actually happened to me. It can happen to you, too. Use these 10 tips to get you going.

1. Send out some emails.

My parents and I were planning a vacation to visit some family in Florida, specifically the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. After planning the details of the trip during dinner one night, I took a shower. During my shower, I had a light bulb moment.

“Hey, I’m going to be in St. Pete. Why don’t I job shadow at the St. Pete Times!?”

I presented my idea to my parents — they thought it was a fantastic one. I went into school the next day and asked my adviser for some advice. I asked her whom I should contact. She said that I should email former St. Petersburg Times writer Tom French, currently teaching for Indiana University in Indianapolis, to recommend someone at the newspaper. And she gave me another idea — shadow someone at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies while I was in the city.

“Why not?” I thought. “Might as well make this week an awesome one.”

So, I got on it. I began emailing the different media organizations. First, I sent an email to Wendy Wallace, grants

12 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

coordinator, entrepreneurship faculty and high school program director at Poynter, and then I contacted French.

Sure, those people are big shots in the industry, but what did I really have to lose if they refused to help me?

They are awesome. I scheduled my job shadowing with Wallace at Poynter for Monday and with Kim Wilmath, to whom Tom French referred me, at the Times Tampa Bureau for Wednesday. Simple as that.

2. Do your homework.

Wallace had good advice here.

“Students impress me when they arrive prepared and ask good questions. You should have spent time on Poynter’s website before you come. You should have Googled me and the program I run,” she said. “Then you should use that background to ask me for details or reactions to your observations. If you care, you’ll do your homework first.”

I really can’t stress this enough. If I had gone into Poynter or the Times without knowing a little bit of background information, I would have looked like an idiot.

Another example of “doing your homework” is from the night before I went to the Indianapolis Star. One of the program directors told the other girl who was going and me that we might be writing about a new immigration bill affecting Indiana at the time. So, instead of waiting to learn all about it, we were proactive. We immediately did some initial research on the bill, then we each wrote some interview questions. Next, we started brainstorming. We came up with the idea to get to the Star early, go downtown

When job shadowing, you can’t just know your contact’s name – being proactive is essential to your success... it sets the tone for your entire experience. and do a “man on the street,” essentially walking up to strangers, asking them a question and taking their photo.

Not only did we get a head start on reporting, we also really impressed Heather Gillers, the reporter with whom we worked.

When job shadowing, you can’t just know your contact’s name — being proactive is essential to your success because it sets the tone for your entire experience.

3. Take a notebook.

This really goes without saying! I normally carry a notebook with me everywhere, but it was especially crucial during my time job shadowing and interning. I have a terrible memory to begin with, so it is important for me to write stuff down just to remember it. When you shadow someone, there is a reason why you’re shadowing that particular person. They are experts, so take what they say to heart!

Even if it does not seem significant to you at the time, write it down. Trust me, I did not write down an itinerary of my day at the Times, and I regret that now because I cannot remember exactly what I did.

Aside from just remembering what you did, you can write down observations you make, tidbits from conversations and tips the person gives you.

4. Be prepared not to have every question answered.

I went in with at least 20 questions for each person I shadowed. When I wrote them, I did not think it would be a problem to get all of them answered. However, that was not the case. I was busy every minute of the day, so I had to squeeze my questions in when we were walking from place to place or in transition. I had a limited amount of time, so I quickly prioritized my questions and went from there.

After you complete your job shadowing experience, you can always send them a follow up e-mail with more questions.

my portfolio during some downtime. I brought the portfolio with me just in case, and I am glad I did. It was nice to get some feedback from a person whose shoes I would really like to be in someday.

But it doesn’t stop there. DeShong Perry-Smitherman, president of IABJ and producer at NBC-affiliate WTHR in Indianapolis, says it is important to know everything and to do more than what your teacher or your employer requires from you.

“Take classes, find a mentor, shadow your favorite local reporter, learn all aspects of the craft (design, reporting, interviewing, etc.) — but most importantly, hone your writing skills by writing something every day!” Perry-Smitherman said. “I’ve started a blog about my life as a pregnant hot mama. I have found that through my journey as a blogger I am further fine-tuning my skills as a writer. I am 36-years-old and just now getting to the point where I see just how important it is to write something each day that has nothing to do with my 9 to 5. I know you’re half my age right now. So take my advice and don’t wait 18 years to do something that will further your brilliance.”

6. Network, network, network.

After Wilmath looked at my portfolio, we started talking about “what it takes” to make it. I asked her what she did in college, where she went, where she interned, what her dayto-day schedule is like, etc. Instead of listing everything off, she emailed me a copy of her resume and sent me a link to a writers’ blog that she loves to read. She also told me that her work schedule is very sporadic and different daily.

5. Don’t be so modest. Stand out from the crowd, and be proud of it.

Honestly, I struggled with this — being proud of my accomplishments in front of other people. Any time we entered a room, and Wallace introduced me and listed my accomplishments, it embarrassed me. When I was with Wilmath, I stepped out of my comfort zone and showed her

Fall 2011 | Blend Magazine | 13

It sounds perfect for my personality, another thing I didn’t know before that day. During our conversation, she gave me the business card of the person responsible for internships at the St. Petersburg Times, encouraging me to put a bug in his ear early.

Job shadowing is an opportunity to network. I utilized my adviser to give me some names, but even if your adviser can’t help in this area, you can find people who know people. Use the internet, meet other advisers at conventions, get to know professionals at your local newspaper!

And networking is not important just to land an internship or job shadowing experience, it is important to gain mentors and grow as a journalist.

Looking back, I’m really glad that I utilized Wilmath as a resource. Although very close to me in age, she obviously knows what she’s talking about because her first job is at the St. Petersburg Times.

In addition, I talked to other people besides the person I “was assigned to.” I asked questions and have six business cards to prove it. I know that I have people who will answer questions for me or somehow help me out down the road just because I took the step to network.

7. Take full advantage of your opportunities.

Do not just sit there! Actively engage in everything you are doing.

According to Perry-Smitherman, when you shadow or intern you get “a smattering of real-world experience, the kind you don’t get to see when you’re just sitting in a classroom listening to a lecturer.”

I can definitely vouch for that. I come from a strong scholastic journalism program, but I learned so much more in the field of journalism this summer than I ever could have in the classroom. But I could not do that just sitting around on my butt. I had to work hard to get what I wanted out of the experiences. I had to ask the right questions, get out of my comfort zone and talk to people in authority and to absorb everything possible through good, careful notetaking.

8. Take a risk.

In the middle of May, I received an email from IABJ about a multimedia workshop for high school students through a grant from the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, and that I was welcome to apply. Before I opened the email, I almost trashed it because I didn’t recognize the address.

Luckily, I opened it, and I filled out an application.

As it turned out, applying to the IABJ workshop was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I got accepted, along with 14 other high school journalists from Indianapolis, most were editors of their own publications. For only $20, IABJ gave me opportunity of a lifetime.

Want to know more?

9. Keep your options open.

I was in the car on my way to the St. Petersburg Times Tampa Bureau when I read the email that rocked my world.

Wimath said that I could either stay until 4 p.m. with her and then go home or stay until 6 p.m. and go knock on doors with Jessica Vander Velde, a crime reporter, for the story on which she was working. I chose the latter!

Here’s a little premise to the story Vander Velde was working on: The day I was at the St. Pete Times was a Wednesday. Four days earlier, two teenagers were shot to death in their home. They were brother and sister, the girl was 16-years-old and the boy was 13-years-old. Vander Velde’s story involved looking for the motive and narrowing down suspects.

Vander Velde and I were on our way to the street where the kids had lived, the worst part of Tampa, to talk to the girl’s boyfriend. Vander Velde had heard that the boyfriend was having his graduation party, so we were essentially going to crash it.

After we made a game plan, we walked up to the house and asked for the boyfriend. As it turned out, he was the one we asked. Vander Velde started talking to him, trying to get information about a potential motive for murder from him.

It was a brief interview, and we didn’t learn much from him. But I learned a lot from her. Vander Velde interviewed the boyfriend in such a way that he felt comfortable talking with her. The questions she asked were also unrehearsed. It was very much a conversation.

Before going to the Times, I thought I wanted to work at a magazine doing something music-related. When I shadowed Vander Velde on the scene, I saw more options. Sure, there are long hours and questionable circumstances, but the thrill and the information one can give to a community are the reason I changed my mind about what I want to do in journalism. Previously, I had zero interest in working for a daily paper, but now I’m seriously considering cops reporting. I never would have realized that if I hadn’t shadowed Vander Velde.

10. Shoot for the stars. If you land on the moon, awesome!

Have you been to a newsroom? Or have you just seen them in movies? When you are on vacation, check out that community’s resources. Reach out to their newspaper, their radio station, their broadcast station. If your family doesn’t go on vacation, stay at home. Just get in a newsroom! See what it is like.

Even if you don’t think you will learn stuff, you will.

Don’t be afraid that people will say no. Take the risk, and you will probably be really surprised. People in high places are willing to help out an aspiring journalist. But you can’t expect people to hand you opportunities. You have to create them for yourself.

Friend Katie on Facebook, follow her on Twitter (@katiekutsko) or visit cnhsmedia.com to read more.

12 14 Blend | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY

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Emerging Media Journalism Classes Open to teachers and students Learn to produce multimedia journalism using real-world techniques and software.

n Courses in multimedia include:

video, audio, still photography, design n Credit or non-credit options n Self-paced, online classes n Award-winning faculty n Guest presenters from The New

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www.bsu.edu/nytimes

CELEBRATING A SINGLE SCHOOL YEAR CAN BE A LIFETIME COMMITMENT. It takes a special person to help teenagers with no experience in publishing turn their first yearbook project into a timeless classic, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the challenge for adviser Susie Weidner.

While her expertise and limitless energy give her students a head start, Susie knows there are new challenges that arise with each yearbook. Fortunately, Susie also knows that Herff Jones is always there to support her and her students.

Our knowledgeable representatives get to know the little things that make each school unique. We offer new ideas and smarter ways to make a yearbook come alive. And we are genuinely committed to providing trusted solutions that make a difference for Susie today. So her students will have something truly special tomorrow.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE WHITEPAPER ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN EDUCATION AT HERFFJONES.COM/SOCIAL

herffjones.com/social Š 2011 Herff Jones, Inc.

SUSIE WEIDNER YEARBOOK ADVISER

COPY RIGHT ISSUE ILLEGAL LEGAL

GRAY AREA

Copyright law exists to create a balance between copyright owners and the culture at large. Learn who owns copyrighted works and when you can use them.

By Megan McNames

CC

C

WHATARE

COPYRIGHTS? Copy rights are just what they sound like – the right to copy or distribute a creative work (including articles, photos, videos, music, sculptures, T-shirt designs, etc.) As soon as you are finished creating something original, you own the right to copy and distribute the thing that you made.

You also have the ability to give away or sell a license for someone else to use your copyrighted works. If you take a photo on your summer vacation to Hawaii, for example, you are the only person who is allowed to use that photo. However, you can submit your photo to a website and give the website license to use the photo and distribute it to a wider audience. You could send it to a magazine and give or sell them the license to publish the image in their next issue. You could share it with your friends online or give them the original file so they can make prints.

On the web, you probably give license to use your copyrighted works all the time without even knowing it! In fact, just by signing up for Facebook, you agree that the company that runs Facebook can copy and distribute any photos you post to the site! It’s spelled out in the Facebook Terms of Use you were asked to read when you signed up.

ILLEGAL LEGAL LEGAL ILLEGAL

GRAY GRAY AREA AREA

If someone uses your copyrighted work without getting your license to do so, they are doing what’s called “infringing” your copyrights. If you use someone’s creative work without getting permission, you are infringing their copyrights!

To avoid infringing someone’s copyrights, always be aware of where anything in your publication you did not make yourself comes from, and whether or not you have permission to use it.

To avoid someone else at your school infringing your copyrights, know your rights, and create a contract for your publication. If you are not getting paid, you own the rights to the photos you take and the articles you write, not your publication. If you would like to change that, so your publication has a license for your work and can use it in future editions or for ads, create a contract that spells that out. There are some great sample contracts available from the National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center at studentpress.org/nspa/wheel.html Read on for answers to some common questions advisers and their students have concerning copyrights.

ILLEGAL LEGAL LEGAL ILLEGAL

GRAY GRAY AREA AREA

ILLEGAL LEGAL LEGAL ILLEGAL

GRAY GRAY AREA AREA

“

THe Internet allows copyright infringers to widely distribute photos they don’t own, which has led to the misconception that anything online is up for grabs.

// Can I use a photo of a celebrity or politician from a google search in our publication or on our website?

You should assume that unless otherwise noted, photos found via an online search are copyrighted by the person who took the photo and therefore, you cannot use them. Just because you can download a photo from the Internet doesn’t mean you should! According to copyright laws, a photographer owns the rights to his or her photo as soon as he or she takes it. Although the photographer may choose to allow a website to use his or her photo, that does not mean you have the right to do so as well.

If you really need celebrity photos, you may be able to purchase them from a wire service like MCT Campus or from celebrity photo sites like prphotos.com, where photos cost about $10 each. If you need photos of politicians, try contacting their public relations liaisons.

NO.

// Aw come on, what if I put “Courtesy Celebritywebsite.com” in the caption?

Still no. If you don’t have permission to use a photo, providing attribution for a photo does not give you permission.

Publishing a photo for which you do not have the rights with attribution is no different from publishing the photo without attribution.

and don’t open it in Photoshop or another photo editor to check the size and resolution, you might accidentally print a photo made for your computer screen - and it’s going to look muddy and pixelated in your print publication!

// So can I use Creative Commons Licensed photos if I provide Attribution?

Please do! In fact, CreativeCommons.org is a great resource for free images that you can use in your publication. Photos on CreativeCommons.org use what’s called the Creative Commons License, which allows the public to print, distribute and sometimes even edit and alter photos as long as the photos are attributed to their creator. Each photo on Creative Commons will tell you what the terms of its license are and what you can and can’t do with the photo. Many photos on Flickr also use the Creative Commons license, just be sure to check if and how you can use them by clicking the “License” link for every photo.

YES!

NOPE!

// If I find a photo I want to use on a blog, can I copy it and put it on my blog or in my publication?

No. You certainly can link to the photograph on the other blog, but since you do not have permission from the person who took the photo to put it on your blog, you can’t use it. The difference is that if you link to the photo, the photo is still only available on the original website and you are just using the link to send people to that site. If you save the photo and put it on your own website, the photo now is available from you as well, even though the copyright owner never said you have the right to make it available! However, you can always try contacting the person who took the photo and asking very nicely if you can use it!

NO.

// Can I use a photo from Flickr in our publication or on our website?

IT DEPENDS. Most photos on Flickr are the property of their respective creators and therefore are protected by Copyright Laws and you cannot use them. However, some photos on Flickr use what is called the Creative Commons License, which allows the public to use them as long as they provide attribution. Each photo will have a link on its page explaining what kind of license it uses. The other thing you should watch out for on Flickr is resolutions and photo sizes! Your computer screen displays 72 dots of color per inch (a figure referred to as resolution), whereas your newspaper is printed with between 150 and 200 dots of color per inch and your yearbook anywhere from 200 to 600! If you take a photo from Flickr

// Can we use photos from Facebook?

PROBABLY NOT. The Facebook Terms of Use state that “When you publish content or information using the Public setting, it means

that you are allowing everyone, including people off of Facebook, to access and use that information, and to associate it with you (i.e., your name and profile picture).”

Keep in mind, however, that what you see on your friend’s profile is likely not all public – you are seeing it because they have added you as a friend. Anything listed as Public by a user should show up in their profile when the profile is viewed by someone who is not their Facebook friend. When you go to the profile of someone you don’t know and you can’t see their wall, photos, etc., you are only seeing the things they have marked public. It’s also best to check Facebook’s current Terms of Use to make sure this rule is still listed there, as they are constantly changing.

However, just because someone uploaded a photo of themselves to Facebook and made it Public doesn’t mean they own the copyright! In fact, if the person is IN a photo, he or she probably did not take it – someone else did. And that someone else owns the copyright. That means you can’t use it without that person’s permission. If you find a photo on Facebook and you want to use it, just contact the copyright owner and ask. Sometimes they can provide a high quality version of the photo for print.

On the flip side, photos your publication shares on Facebook should not be appearing in other publications without your permission.

// A student who is not on staff took a lot of good photos of an event and we’d like to publish them. Can we? you get permission! All you will YES. ifneed to do is get permission from

that student to run his or her photos. It’s best to have him or her provide the photos. You may consider writing up a contract for submissions.

// Can other publications or our school use our photos without asking?

And if they do, you should probably give them a call. The only way another person can use your works is if they are using them in some way that constitutes Fair Use, which is explained in the next few questions, or if they get your permission. This is where a contract between students and their publication can be quite handy.

NO.

// We use a wire service like MCT Campus, so we use photos from that site without getting permission from individual photographers. Is that OK? media outlets have their YES. Many employees sign an agreement

turning their copyrights over to the company. In fact, legally, if you complete creative work for payment for a company, that company owns your work!

That means as long as you have an account with MCT Campus, you can use the content on it.

However, it’s important to note that unless your publication has some kind of copyrights contract, your paper doesn’t actually own the articles, photos and graphics your staff are creating. Students retain copyrights for the work they do for the publication.

If you want to change that, create a contract that lets your publication license the student work. You can find sample contracts on the National Scholastic Press Association website at studentpress.org/nspa/wheel.html.

// Can I use a scan or photo of an album or book cover when reviewing an album or book? is an exception to Copyright YES. There Laws called Fair Use. Fair use allows

copyrighted material to be used without permission if it is used “for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research,” according to section 107 of the Copyright Laws of the United States.

// Isn’t the student newspaper news reporting? Shouldn’t I be allowed to use photos from the web, for example, if they show something happening in the news?

YES AND

NO.

The student newspaper does carry news reports.

However, in determining whether a work can be used without permission as part of the Fair Use doctrine, the courts can consider whether or not the work has a potential market value. So if you find an Associated Press photo of President Obama and want to run it in your news section, you can’t. The Associated Press is able to use their copyright for that image to make money (by selling it to other news outlets) so your use of it probably does not fall under Fair Use.

You could, however, take a photo of students at a rally wearing t-shirts with pictures of Obama on them and run that – you would not be violating the rights of the person who took the photo of Obama used on the T-shirt because it is part of an event photographed for the news. In addition, the photo on the T-shirt is just one part of a photo with a larger context.

The difference between the two examples is that one is being used for its original purpose. The photo taken by the AP was meant to appear with news articles written by the AP. The photo on the T-shirt is incidental.

// Can I trace over a copyrighted image in Illustrator to make an illustrated version of it?

IT DEPENDS. A creative work that is made by using an existing work as its source is called a “derivative work.” Generally, the person who owns the copyright of the existing work will also own the copyright to the derivative work. However, according to copy right law, derivative works that are “different enough from the original to be regarded as a ‘new work’” or “contain a substantial amount of new material” can be claimed as a new work with a new copyright owner. So often, you can trace over an image.

The key word here is original. If you are simply tracing over the image, then you are probably not creating an entirely new work for which you can claim copyright ownership.

But if you trace the image and envision the copyrighted image in a completely new way – creating an artistic vector interpretation of the original work with new colors and a new style, which sends a new message, for example, you are probably able to claim copyright ownership of this new work and use it in your publication.

// What about the 30-second rule? I heard I can legally use clips of any song or video as long as they are less than 30 seconds.

NO.

The 30-second rule does not exist, although the myth that it does has been perpetuated for decades. There are no government copyright laws allowing legal use of copyrighted work with time stipulations. If you use any clip of a song or video for which you do not have the copyright, you are infringing on

the copyright owner’s legal rights to the work. If you need music for a video, slideshow or podcast, try scouting some Creative Commons Licensed music from creativecommons. org/legalmusicforvideos. Don’t forget, some Creative Commons works are licensed differently than others, so always check individual licenses to see what kind of use is OK. If the music is not put in the video by your staff, but rather playing in the background of an interview you did at a coffee shop, or in the background of a video you shot at your prom, then you are probably OK. These uses would likely be covered by Fair Use as the music is incidental to your reporting on an event or your interview.

Sometimes, online video sharing sites like YouTube will not allow a video like this to appear online. YouTube uses software that recognizes copyrighted music and content in videos that are uploaded. But YouTube doesn’t have software that can know if your use falls under the Fair Use doctrine. So it indiscriminately flags all videos with copyrighted material as possibly infringing.

If you post content to a video sharing service and it is flagged as possibly infringing, you might be able to contact the service and make the case that your use of copyrighted work falls under Fair Use.

// Geeze, you are making it sound like I can’t use any photos that our staff didn’t take or buy!

Sorry, I didn’t intend it to! Unfortunately, the Internet allows copyright infringers to widely distribute photos, videos and articles they don’t own, which has led to the misconception that anything online is up for grabs. That is simply not true. It’s such a problem that some newspapers hire companies to hunt down online copyright infringers and put a stop to their thievery. Knowing your rights when it comes to your content, and knowing the rights of others when you are looking for content, can start a great discussion in your classroom.

At the end of the day, your publication is able to offer hyper-local news about your school and community that your readers can’t get anywhere else. That means you can create content that is important to your audience without relying on other sources for photos, videos and articles. If students want to read about Lady Gaga, they can go to a million websites online to find articles and pictures. But if they want to know what the best summer jobs in your town are, they’ll come to you!

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Want to know more about Copyright laws or read the laws for yourself? Check out the Copyright Office online at copyright.gov

S S E R

P S D K R C I O W TR & PI S

T

eat t r g is a tuden st s s pre for s ing ju s d r Wo tform Know d trick pla edia. ps an Word m ew ti your rt. a f n set e apa ca ess sit pr

customize with

simple code

Code secrets

Posting Video

To embed a video from YouTube, SchoolTube or Vimeo, pull the video up on your screen like you are going to watch it. Click the Share button and you should find an embed code. Copy the embed code and paste it into the HTML tab of your post, wherever you want it to appear in the article. It should look like the example below.

Online readers tend to scan articles before they read them to determine whether or not the article is worth their time. That means that spacing is just as important on your website as it is in your print edition. Switch to the HTML tab of your post editor and use these two HTML tricks to space your articles and divide content.

&nbsp;

change the size of your video

Add a description

You can change the size of the video by changing the width and height (measured in pixels) listed in the embed code.

Include a paragraph or two about the video with keywords you think people will search for.

The goal with changing the width and height is to get the video to fit into the post so it doesn’t have any white space on either side, which can be visually confusing for viewers.

However wide your chunk of text is, that’s how wide your video should be.

Search engines like Google can’t tell what’s in your video, so someone searching for “High School Prom” probably won’t find your Wordpress page with a video of prom unless you also have a text description of it.

Change the colors

With just a few lines of CSS code, you can change the color of text on your site! That means you can change the color of your headlines and links to match your school or publication colors. Here’s how: 1. Click on the Appearance Tab 2. Click on the Editor Tab 3. Scroll to the bottom of the file list on the right. Choose the custom.css file.

4. Add the code to the right to change various elements.

5. Click Update File.

24 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

This piece of code creates double spacing between paragraphs. Use it between sections of a story to emphasize the transition.

<hr>

This piece of code creates a rule line across the post. Use it to separate parts of a story, or put a “Just the Facts” style summary at the top of your article and separate it from the main article with a rule line.

Choosing Colors

This type of code defines colors using hex codes – six digit numbers preceded by a # sign that correspond to various colors on your computer. In the example to the left, #cc0029 is a dark red. You can find lists of hex codes and the colors they correspond to online, or in Photoshop.

Changes link color Changes headline color

6plugins Must-have

Shadowbox js

This plugin changes the way photos are shown when a reader clicks on them. Without a plugin, users who click on a photo will be taken to a blank white page where the photo will be displayed in the upper left-hand corner. With the plugin, photos will be displayed in a pop-up window instead.

Hyper Cache

This plugin allows Wordpress to store information about how the elements of your site fit together rather than compiling them each time the site is accessed, which speeds up the time it takes for your site to appear on a visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screen.

Contact form 7 This plugin allows you to make contact forms ranging from simple forms that let visitors send your staff an email to more complex forms that will allow visitors to send you photos, links and more. If you want to collect content from your users, this is a great way to go!

WP iSsuu

akismet or spam free wP

Wordpress related posts

This plugin will allow you to embed pdfs that you upload to issuu.com into your Wordpress site. That means you can share the pdf of your print publication on your site, and people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to download it (which can be slow).

These plugins will do their best to keep spammers from using the comment sections of your site to peddle their goods or post links.

This plugin will let you put a feed of related posts after each article you post. Your readers are more likely to click around and read other articles if they get a suggested list than if they have to find them themselves.

Fall 2011 | Blend Magazine | 25

Creative

money making strategies

By Brian Hayes Advertising dollars for student media are becoming harder and harder to come by. While it’s important to continue your traditional money-making strategies like selling senior ads, candy and working the concessions at high school athletic events, it’s time to get creative! Consider these proven advertising sales techniques commonly used in the professional media industry.

Special Issues

One way to attract more advertising interest in your student publications is to create special issues. These issues are generally time-sensitive and appeal to a specialized audience.

Now, while a high school audience is already specialized by nature, advertisers like the idea of being featured or associated with a specific topic or idea. For example, consider having a special college section where you can seek advertisements from local colleges or universities. Or, maybe you want to have a special prom issue. In that issue, you have an opportunity to seek advertising from multiple businesses including flower shops, dress retailers, tux shops, tanning beds and limo rentals, just to name a few. Additionally, while a health and wellness issue is less time-sensitive, it can certainly draw in advertising revenue from a variety of health-related businesses that generally would not have considered advertising in a high school publication.

TIP: When seeking advertising from colleges and universities, don’t just call the university marketing or admissions office. Call individual departments or units like the Office of Extended Education or the Business College, for example. Typically, each individual department has a marketing and advertising budget for their own specific programs and initiatives.

There’s no “I” in Team

There are many other programs in your school building that seek advertising revenue. The advertising you see in your school sports program is probably one of your biggest com-

petitors. Consider teaming up with the athletic department in your school and offer advertising packages for all school publications. It will take a little work determining price points and how to split the proceeds, but it could be well worth the effort.

TIP: Don’t rush into the athletic director’s office and overwhelm him or her with details of how this partnership could work. Approach the issue casually and seek input. Once you’ve discussed the pros and cons and other details, then go back and formulate a more comprehensive business proposal that you can present at a later meeting.

Other Money-Making Ideas Approach local restaurants about hosting a “student media night” at different times throughout the semester. Restaurants generally give anywhere between 10 and 20 percent of all proceeds to the community partner. It’s a win-win for both the restaurant and your publication!

Host a rummage sale at the school. Send home letters to publications parents, faculty and staff and ask them to clean out their garages, closets and attics. Have them bring their donated items to a pre-determined school location and have your staff separate and price all the items. Advertise the rummage sale in the local newspaper and get ready to make some cash!

Round up your staff and volunteer to work a concession stand at a local college or professional sports event. This too can gain you anywhere between 10 and 20 percent of all profits from your individual concession stand sales.

Get your staff ready and volunteer to pick up garbage after a major sporting event like the Indianapolis 500. This could bring in hundreds of dollars to the publication and make for some great staff bonding too!

Sell subscriptions to your student newspaper and magazine. The trick here is to price it high enough to make a profit.

Set up a subscription table at back-to-school night and at summer registration. You might be surprised how many parents and grandparents are interested in reading about what’s going on in the school from the students’ perspective.

Ideas shared by Editors-in-chief at the Iowa Scholastic Press Association’s Summer Journalism Workshop, July 2010

By Linda Barrington, KEMPA Workshops Director

Business fundraising night

Local businesses host a fund raising night in town (also take out ads and give donations). Anyone who comes in and makes a purchase, a percentage of the business’s sales goes to the publication.

Duct tape teachers to the wall

Duct tape volunteer students and teachers to a wall at lunch time. People pay for a piece of duct tape to tape them. Volunteers stand on stools. At end of lunch the tools are removed and they’re stuck to the wall. Voila!

Dancing with the Stars

Rent a ballroom at a hotel. Students pay about $25 to get in. There’s a recognition book (parent ad $15 full page). Percentage of money spent on room that someone might stay in for the night goes to the publication.

Constitution Day

Staff members at lunch perform a skit or song or poem (original about First Amendment) when people put money in the cup.

March of the Dead Journalist

Everyone on staff picks one deceased famous journalist (famousdead.com>media) to research. In cafeteria, j-students walk from table to table and if someone puts money in cup, you tell about that journalist.

Penny Wars

Adviser vs. j-students. Putting larger coins in opponent’s jar subtracts equal amount of pennies from the total.

“Drive-in” out in the school field at night Ask for donation. Sell snacks.

Make calendars of teachers in funny poses

Add the year’s activities to the calendar (check with the office for big school events). Include advertisers.

Maybe best sports photos on calendar.

a cakewalk. Do on a non-school day, or a designated part of the day. Get lots of inflatable things. People pay to do each activity.

Flower cards

Pay about $20 and you get a bouquet of flowers once a month for a year. Sell senior issue of newspaper at end of the year.

Bracelet sales

Make a bunch of bracelets. Sell them for $2. Word-ofmouth works great here! Easy to make beads out of newspaper — directions online. Cheap way to make cool bracelets.

Students Bring in old books and DVDs that they no longer want

Or if you want to trade. Pay $1 for every trade or purchase.

Before school each day, j-staff

works in coffee shop on campus, selling pastries, etc.

Faculty vs. Student basketball games

Charge $3 admission.

School sports competition. $1 to enter each game. $10 to winner. Rest goes to you.

Jam for charity

Bands sign up and perform and charge admission.

Baby ads in newspaper:

(caution: don’t tread on YB’s toes)

POPS (Parents of Publication Students)

They do the fundraising!

School carnival bring in bungee jump, jumpy slide, cotton candy machine, snow cone machine. Have

MORE IDEAS ONLINE AT WWW.BSUJOURNALISMWORKSHOPS.COM

NSPA YEARBOOK SPREAD

DESIGN OF THE YEAR

FINALISTS

verson Kyle Cartier, Emma Se , Sacramento, Calif.

HS no ca eri Hayden Wolf Tesoro, Rio Am Marksmen, St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Texas, Dallas, Texas

Kelsi Gunderson, Malia Elliott, Katie Freeman Legacy, Green Valley HS, Henderson, Nev.

Roya Rakhshan Spring, Md. Leaves, Sherwood HS, Sandy

Madeline Franz, Elise Kelly, Olivia Pocost Iliad, Whitfield School, St. Louis, Mo.

30 | Blend Magazine | Fall 2011

HONORABLE MENTION

Jenna Cossette Spartan, Orono HS, Long Lake, Minn.

Sarah Kee, Katie Wood, Jackie Choucair Cornerstones, Hockaday School, Dallas, Texas

Dulce Arellano Pleiades, Fullerton Union HS, Fullerton, Calif.

Fall 2011 | Blend Magazine | 31

National Scholastic press association 2221 University ave Se, Suite 121 minneapolis, mN 55414

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Blend is published by the Secondary Educational Services office at Ball State University.

NSPA is mailing complimentary copies of Blend to its members as a benefit of membership.

Since 1921

We help your staff improve.

Feedback:

Critiques for publications and websites are a valuable teaching tool for both the new and veteran adviser or student.

Exposure to trends:

Through our annual Best of the High School Press book, and the NSPA View online gallery, students see and learn about the best work being done by their peers throughout the country.

Competitions:

Participation by students in NSPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national competitions for staffs and individual students promotes intellectual growth, academic excellence and a healthy, competitive spirit.

Networking with peers:

By attending an NSPA convention or workshop, participating in our Facebook fan page or following us on Twitter (@nspa) youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll gain a network of like-minded students and advisers whose ideas and opinions are at your disposal.

Honors and recognition:

Receiving an All-American rating, a Pacemaker, an NSPA scholarship or other national award boosts staff morale, builds selfesteem, fosters pride in the school and helps recruit new staff members.

Join or renew online at nspa.studentpress.org