October 2005 Stet

Stet

October 2005 Vol. 33, No. 1

Michigan Interscholastic Press Association

Inside Why Journalism?

3

Workshop Wrap-Up

5–10

What do you make for advising publications?

11

Cover photo by Tiffany Gaston of Cass Technical HS at the MIPA Summer Journalism Workshop

Stet The President’s Column

Teachers get summers off? Yeah, right.

M Brian Wilson Waterford Kettering HS

y friends were right when they told me how great teaching would be because we get the summer off. After all, I left Michigan for the University of Southern Mississippi at 4:00 on June 15, approximately five hours after giving two final exams that morning. I spent seven weeks getting 12 masters credits and writing 129 pages worth of papers (I counted). On July 30, I drove the 16 hours back to Michigan, spent a grand total of 10 hours in my own home, and left to teach at MIPA’s summer workshop for a week. Six days later we had 800 yearbooks to sell at our high school’s registration.

And now, I’m teaching language arts again, talking to editors about finalizing our theme again, and brainstorming story ideas for the first issue of the newspaper (again!). Yeah, they were right on the money, my lawyer and accountant friends, about this piece-of-cake teaching gig. I feel like such a slacker.

I think my problem is that there are too many different things I enjoy doing. I love advising yearbook and newspaper, I love to coach baseball and the spirit week powder-puff football team, I love (OK, maybe like) being a class sponsor, I love helping the school’s photography club, I love reading and dissecting the literature that is part of the eleventh grade English curriculum. In fact, if this job could somehow get done without me having to read a zillion essays and research papers, I believe this might be as close as you could get to a perfect

MIPA Officers 2004-2005 President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President Secretary Trustee Trustee Trustee Newspaper Chair Legislative Chair Workshop Chair Middle School Chair Broadcast Chair Yearbook Chair Hall of Fame Chair Executive Director MIPA Office

Brian Wilson, Waterford Kettering HS Rod Satterthwaite, Dexter HS Sandra Strall, Carlson HS Kim Kozian, L’Anse Creuse HS North Jeremy Van Hof, Grand Ledge HS Cheryl Braford, Portage Central HS Nikki Schueller, North Farmington HS Julie Price, Haslett HS Gloria Olman, retired, Utica HS Betsy Pollard Rau, H.H. Dow HS Vacant Diane Herder, Laingsburg HS Lynn Strause, East Lansing HS Jeff Nardone, Grosse Pointe South HS Cheryl Pell, Michigan State University Penney Aiken, MSU Student Ashley Watkins, MSU Student

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occupation.

The problem lies in the fact that there isn’t enough time to do all of these things. I’m sure many of you feel the same way. Not only do we have too much on our plates already, but we also are continually adding more. Most days, in addition to thinking about the things I’m currently doing, I’m thinking about all the cool things I’m not doing. At various times, I’ve thought that it would be cool to have a book club, teach a film class, advise video productions, put together a killer slide show for the senior class, develop an on-line newspaper, go to the JEA spring conference, teach at some workshops in other states, help students create a school sports publication, instruct desktop publishing courses at the community college, take some photography classes, freelance for a newspaper, and write the great American novel. All I have to do is not ever sleep. Also standing in the way of these dreams is my decision, for the first time ever, to actually cut down on my involvements.

You see, starting this fall, I have implemented the Extra-Curricular Activity Reduction Plan (ECARP). I started out by making two decisions: one was to not coach and the other was to not be a class sponsor. I was thinking that somehow I would have more time to, you know, just goof off. Of course, I broke the first rule of ECARP (“stop agreeing to do stuff”) when I willingly offered to help run the photography club, Please see PRESIDENT’S COLUMN, page 4

Stet

Stet is the official newsletter of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, an agency of the School of Journalism at Michigan State University. Stet is published four times a year by the MIPA executive director and MSU students.

Send letters to the editor and advertising inquiries to mipa@msu.edu. The MIPA Web site is maintained by Josh Tacey and Cheryl Pell.

Web site: www.mipa.jrn.msu.edu

MIPA Calendar Oct. 3, 2005 Fall Conference Nov. 3, 2005 Junior High/Middle School Conference Nov. 10–12, 2005 JEA convention in Chicago Nov. 15, 2005 Fall yearbook deadline Dec. 15, 2005 Late fall yearbook deadline Feb. 24, 2006 Deadline for contests

MIPA 305 Communication Arts Building Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824-1212

March 4, 2006 Judging at MSU

Phone: 517-353-6761 Fax: (517-355-7710

April 25, 2006 Spring Conference

Stet

WHY

JOURNALISM? In this era of school budget cuts, do you find yourself forced to justify having journalism in the curriculum?

Bobby Hawthorne is sending you some ammunition . . .

By Bobby Hawthorne

I

f you hang around any place long enough, you too can become an expert or at least, like me, what passes for one.

The last few years, I’ve been interviewed first regularly by university students who think they want to teach journalism in public schools or who for whatever reason need information about Texas public school journalism.

It’s very flattering. Like everyone else, I love being interviewed, if but for the opportunity to feign outrage at being misquoted, knowing it’s better to be interviewed and misquoted, than never to have been interviewed at all.

So I’ll put just about anything on hold to wax philosophic, even if it’s on a topic as arcane as scholastic journalism. I’m never asked about art, politics, religion, music— the juicy stuff—even though I possess extraordinary knowledge and quite quotable opinions about each.

Their loss.

This summer, a delightful young woman dropped by to interview me for a paper she was writing on— what else?—high school journalism.

Here’s what I told her:

Certain administrators see student publications as an extension of the school’s public relations effort. As such, content consists of how proud the students are of their school, how successful certain kids were in this, that or the other, and, in general, how happy everyone is just to be there.

It’s full of compulsory enthusiasm. Kind of like a pep rally.

No one reads these publications.

Students scan them, looking for their names or the name of a friend. If they’re a member of the Spanish Club, they may read the Spanish Club article, if only to see if they were mentioned (The Spanish Club met and et. Members of the Spanish Club include...). These publications adhere to the “names are news” philosophy of journalism, which means they’re written with all the panache of the a telephone book.

One theory of communication states that the media do not tell people what to think. They tell people what to think about. If that’s the case, these publications suggest to readers that nothing worth thinking about has happened, is happening or will happen.

Certain other schools and communities expect more from their journalism programs than public relations. They expect the journalism programs to be a vital part of the school’s basic educational mission, which should be to teach students to think. I assume that is why we have schools, although I must admit that I felt wildly exhilarated that first day of class. So far as the first few weeks of class are concerned, I’m just glad my daughter, a third grader, is out of my hair.

Even if parents pray for a quick end to summer vacation, they still want their schools to be more intellectual than janitorial. And

few taxpayers honestly believe the most challenging challenge facing American education is bad PR. Most suggest that too many high school graduates can’t read, write, cipher and/or, in general, think.

So how does journalism figure in here?

• First, a journalism-based publications program is firmly committed to basic language arts skills, but goes one step farther. The school’s journalists publish their work, and the value of this cannot be understated. Publication is one of the key proponents of a successful writing program, and in most schools, the newspaper or yearbook are the only outlets for student writing.

Also, journalistic writing is meant to be read by an audience of peers, the most critical audience of all. This writing is powerful and visually compelling, as opposed to what most of what students write in schools—reports, essays, research papers—which are intended to fulfill a requirement for a grade. It’s not expected to be read by anyone other than the teachers— and in some cases, not even by them.

Unfortunately, too many high school publications read as if they are written to satisfy some textbook standard of journalistic correctness. I can always tell publications that are written for the teacher, and those written for students. The former are merely correct—kind of a “if you enjoy reading textbooks, you’ll love our newspaper” approach.

They publish lots of information—data— but contain precious little news. The stories require minimal thought and effort. For example: “The honor roll was released last week. Students who

Bobby Hawthorne recently retired from his nearly 30-year career at the Interscholastic League Press Conference in Texas. He is author of The Radical Write, the ever-popular scholastic journalism textbook.

Please see HAWTHORNE, page 4

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Stet Hawthorne, cont. from page 3 made the honor roll include...”

Or “This year, the Science Club explored the world of science and learned many fascinating things.

Members of the Science Club include . . . ” Or “It’s volleyball season again!

Members of the team include...”

Or “Halloween is next week.

Halloween began in the Middle Ages. Students who plan to go trick or treating include...”

While such stories may consume 10 column inches on a newspaper page or yearbook spread , they can’t be confused with “writ-

“. . . a journalism-based publications program is firmly committed to basic language arts skills . . .” ing.” Instead, think of it as data processing.

• Second, journalistic writing requires that students deal with issues that are relevant and timely to a student audience, that tell the readers something new.

Student journalists achieve this by isolating a theme, finding an angle, interviewing, observing, listening—then writing. The purpose of the story is to inform, entertain, lead. It serves as an educational tool for both the writer, who must go through the writing process, and the reader, who learns some-

thing new by reading something interesting, even entertaining.

• Third, student journalists are forced to grapple with the consequences of their actions. If the content is unfair, unbalanced, inaccurate, incomplete, then student journalists must answer for it.

If content is controversial, they must defend it, even if it is accurate, balanced, fair and complete.

Either way, they learn something, if but that certain people think they know more about journalism than journalists, and that those same certain people generally believe the press only behaves responsibly when it muzzles itself.

• Fourth, student journalists must display some command of current events. They must see how global issues and events have local implications. For example, this summer, the Supreme Court handed down several interesting rulings that’ll have an impact on education. The ban on graduation prayers comes to mind. In addition, the U.S., Canada and Mexico signed a free trade agreement. Will, and if so, how will it affect the local community? Who are students, teachers and administrators supporting in the presidential election, and why?

Journalistic publications attempt to show a relationship among international, national, state and local issues and events without rehashing the obvious.

Students don’t need to be told that George Bush is running for re-

election and will face Bill Clinton in the November election. Those who do, don’t read the student newspaper anyway.

• Fifth, journalistic publications reflect the latest trends in design and graphics. They don’t look like a 1950 issue of Grit magazine. And they don’t just slap type and photographs on a page. They balance complex spatial relationships to achieve visual clarity and appeal.

Many districts have invested in desktop publishing as a way of updating the look of their publications, as well as teaching computer literacy.

• Finally, journalistic publications are committed to the welfare of society at large and their community in particular. They seek the truth, knowing that it changes daily and that one person’s truth may not be another’s.

There are risks to associated with journalistic publications. Articles sometimes raise troublesome questions or touch on sensitive issues. Students are more prone to question authority, to ask why and how and, perhaps most importantly, so what? Stories challenge the entrenched elites.

No one ever complains to the principal about silly or trivial content in student publications. No parent ever calls to ask, “Why doesn’t the newspaper run fewer horoscopes, crossword puzzles and stories about SAT test dates and more stories on what it’s really like to be a teenager today?”

President’s column, cont. from page 2 so admittedly, this is sort of a work-in-progress. And I already feel guilty about powder-puff because news of my resignation is beginning to leak out. Every day one of the girls on the team approaches me in the hallway and says “I’m mad at you.” I suppose it’s possible that I’ll feel an increased level of guilt when baseball season gets here, but to be honest, I think the program will be able to absorb the tragic loss of my 11-32 record as coach. Interestingly, though, my .250 winning percentage is actually slightly higher

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than that of Detroit Lions’ President Matt Millen, and he just got a five year contract extension. Maybe I should stick with it. But I digress...

I guess the conclusion I’ve come to is that most of us are involved with these activities because, well, they’re fun. And I’ve realized that dropping one in order to have more time is never going to happen; something else will just take its place. Besides, I’ll have plenty of time to relax during the summer. The summer of 2028.

Stet

Chelsea LaForge, Kenowa Hills HS; Eniye Odigie, Pearson Education Center; and Alanoia Lewis, Southfield-Lathrup, perform their Karaoke act. All three were in Kim Kozian’s Editor in Chief class.

500 students attended the 23rd year of the MIPA Summer Journalism workshop July 31–Aug. 4, at MSU. Although the week was one of the hottest of the summer, students and their teachers still accomplished a lot and had some fun while doing it.

Peggy Morton from Texas works individually with a student in her Feature Writing Class.

Chad Sanders, assistant director of the workshop, dressed up in a frilly, meloncolored tux for his role as MC for Karaoke.

Classes had the chance to come up with a song related to the theme of the workshop and compete on Wednesday night.

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A student asks a question of one of the speakers on the plagiarism panel, which took place on Monday evening. Students also had the opportunity to attend a press conference with two MSU hockey players.

Stet

ABOVE: Students show off their Betsy Bucks during a class break.

LEFT: Sparty and Betsy Rau, workshop director, enjoy a moment during the opening session.

Tiffany Gaston of Cass Technical HS concentrates on her contact sheets in her photo class. Tiffany won a Sparty Award for the photo on the front of this issue of Stet.

Working on yearbook layouts are two students in the Editors in Chief class.

Drew Miller (left) and Colton Fretter (right), members of the MSU hockey team, answer questions from students during the press conference.

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Sandra Birdiett, MSU School of Journalism faculty, shares stories of plagiarism at the issues seminar.

Steveie Watson of Ithaca HS hugs her adviser, Claudia McLoughlin, at Adviser Day on Tuesday.

Stet

WORKSHOP STUDENTS WHO

MADETHEGRADE We had some awesome workshop students this summer at Camp MIPA! We think all students are special, but the ones on this page and next stood out among their peers. A Sparty is the top award given at the workshop, and a Classroom Excellence Award is another high honor. Congratulations to all winners!

Sparty Winners

Name Vinny Baldiga Helen Battersby Laura Bodien Laura Cavanagh Laura Corser Kate Cowger Allison Fifolt Chelsea Fogwell Marian Fukuyama Tiffany Gaston Shauna Guellec Jake Holmes David Hopper Maegan Houang Jessica Kilgore Heather Leek Lisa Luo Janet Ma Anna Malicke Colleen Maxwell John Monaghan Maria Nuccilli Anna O’Connor Brendan O’Donnell Alexandria Phillips Brittney Rhem Jamie Ritzer Robert Rotell Melina Rozzisi Jonathan Sheets Sang Shin Ashley Smith Maria Srour Nicole St. Pierre Michelle Svetkoff Jessica VanFleteren Kara Vidakovich Sally Vonder Heide Anna Weiland Morgan Wilson Courtney Young

School Wayland Union HS Mercy HS Mercy HS Rochester HS St. Johns HS Fenton HS Grand Haven HS Lansing Catholic Central Adlai E. Stevenson HS Cass Technical HS Waterford Kettering HS Pioneer HS Plymouth HS East Lansing HS Goodrich HS Waterford Kettering HS Troy HS Rochester HS Mercy HS Mercy HS Grosse Pointe South HS Grosse Pointe South HS Haslett HS GR Catholic Central HS Richmond HS H.H. Dow HS H.H. Dow HS Central York HS North Farmington HS Sylvania Southview HS Okemos HS Goodrich HS North Central HS Dexter HS Dexter HS Waterford Kettering HS Waterford Kettering HS Hinsdale Central HS East Lansing HS H.H. Dow HS Seaholm HS

Class Bus. Management PageMaker Entertainment Writing Beg YB Writing/Design PageMaker InDesign Adv Descriptive Writing Journalistic Writing Feature Writing Beg Photo CP Adv YB Design News Writing Journalistic Writing NP Editor in Chief Theme Dev Adv Photo Intro Digital Page/Section Editors Adv NP Design Sports Writing Leadership NP InDesign YB Editor in Chief Rethinking Your Pub Covering Controversy Adv NP Design Adv Photoshop Journalistic Writing YB Editor in Chief Video Adv YB Design Theme Dev Opinion Writing Journalistic Writing NP Editor in Chief Interm Photo Darkroom Interm Digital Adv YB Writing/Reporting NP Editor in Chief Adv NP Design Section Editors

Award Title Business Management and Design Newspaper Design Entertainment Feature Yearbook Writing and Design Yearbook Design Outstanding Design Best Writing Ethical Issue Interview Feature Writing Beginning Photo-Commercial Processing Advanced Yearbook Design Best News Feature Story Journalistic Writing Newspaper Editors in Chief Theme Development “Gonna be like James Nachtwey” Introduction to Digital Photo Personality Profile Advanced Newspaper Design Excellence in Writing Exemplary Leadership Best Designer Excellence in Design Rethinking Your Publication Controversial Reporting Advanced Newspaper Design Advanced Digital Imaging Personality Profile Editorial Excellence Video Production Advanced Yearbook Design Theme Development Outstanding Performance in Opinion Writing Journalistic Writing Newspaper Editors in Chief Darkroom Photography Intermediate Digital Photo Advanced YB Writing/Reporting Newspaper Editors in Chief Advanced Newspaper Design Best Overall Performance

Classroom Excellence Awards Name Jordan Angott Vinny Baldiga Ben Bauer Lydia Belanger Katie Bickley Hillary Bok Ashley Bonem Markeese Booker

School Waterford Kettering HS Wayland Union HS Grand Ledge HS Traverse City East JrH Adlai E. Stevenson HS East Grand Rapids HS H.H. Dow HS Holt HS

Class YB Editor in Chief Bus. Management Adv NP Design Journalistic Writing Adv YB Writing/Reporting Journalistic Writing Entertainment Writing Covering Controversy

Award Title Theme Development Excellence in Business Management & Design Excellence in Newspaper Design Ethical Issues Interview Enthusiasm and Persistence in Participation Journalism Excellence Entertainment Writing Excellence in Reporting Controversy

Please see EXCELLENCE AWARDS, page 8

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Stet Excellence Awards, cont from page 7

Name Brooke Bowen Brittany Braudo Emily Briskey Mike Carson Ellen Chamberlin Jeffrey Chenoweth Samah Choudhury Emily Christensen Sara Colunga Will Cook Alexandra Cornwell Samantha Dawson Robin Dennis Katherine DeVoursney Nick Dingeldein Colleen Duffy Sara Durkee Emily Erickson Lisa Ermak Simone Fabiilli Lauren Fifolt Robbie Fisher Spencer Fort Zellia Fossett Ben Frothingham Katie Gargalino Megan Geyer Kendall Goode Beth Grayeski Sarah Grether Sophie Hartman Carrie Heidlebaugh Darcy Hofmann Kelly Howard Jonathan Ismail Elise Kaufmann Matt Kownacki Olivia Kozlowski Chelsea LaForge Danielle Leone Kati Lhotka Jessica Lipowski Amie Maday Ashley Madejczyk Anna Malicke Christina Maruna Ashley McAlpine Sara McDaniel Kayla Miller Lauren Moran Becky Murphy Emberley Neidhardt Andrew Nicholls Eniye Odigie Carol Park Casey Parmerlee Ashley Partlo Bridgette Peltier Kelley Peters Sarah Pohl Maya Reeves Marta Robertson Erin Robison Nicole Rotondo

School Plainwell HS North Farmington HS Warren Woods Tower HS Adlai E. Stevenson HS Grosse Pointe South HS Plymouth HS Portage Central HS City High/Middle School East Lansing HS Fenton HS Okemos HS Alpena HS Lake Orion HS Mona Shores HS Lakota East HS Troy HS Lakeview HS Novi HS H.H. Dow HS Shelby Jr High Grand Haven HS Grosse Pointe North HS North Central HS Cass Technical HS Waterford Kettering HS Lakeview HS Adlai E. Stevenson HS Dexter HS Holt HS H.H. Dow HS Plainwell HS Findlay HS L’Anse Creuse HS-North Berrien Springs HS Grosse Pointe North HS Traverse City East JrH Plymouth HS Waterford Kettering HS Kenowa Hills HS South Lake HS Lakeshore HS Troy HS Waterford Kettering HS Lakewood HS Mercy HS Hinsdale Central HS Stoney Creek HS Okemos HS Alpena HS Grand Ledge HS City High/Middle School Garden City HS Waterford Kettering HS Pearson Education Center Adlai E. Stevenson HS Muncie Central HS H.H. Dow HS Richmond HS Okemos HS St. Johns HS Grosse Pointe South HS Sturgis HS Waterford Kettering HS Mercy HS

Class Entertainment Writing Adv Photo Intro Digital Sports Writing InDesign News Writing Opinion Writing Adv YB Design InDesign Intro Digital News Writing Adv YB Design Interm Digital Opinion Writing Adv Photo Adv Photoshop Rethinking Your Pub InDesign Sports Writing Beg YB Writing/Design Adv Descriptive Writing Page/Section Editors Leadership NP Journalistic Writing Adv Photoshop Adv YB Writing/Reporting YB Editor in Chief Adv NP Design Rethinking Your Pub Covering Controversy Sports Writing News Writing Rethinking Your Pub Leadership NP Bus. Management Page/Section Editors InDesign News Writing NP Editor in Chief Opinion Writing Adv NP Design NP Editor in Chief Intermediate Photo DR News Writing Adv NP Design Theme Development PageMaker YB Editor in Chief NP Editors in Chief Covering Controversy Interm Digital PageMaker Bus. Management NP Editor in Chief Leadership NP Adv Photo Interm Digital Journalistic Writing NP Editor in Chief Beg Photo CP Adv Descriptive Writing NP Editor in Chief Section Editors Feature Writing

Award Title Entertainment Writing Overall Excellence Excellence in Digital Photo Excellence in Sports Writing Best Newspaper Design Commitment to the Craft of Journalism Excellence in Opinion Writing Advanced Yearbook Design InDesign Feature Page Excellence in Digital Photo Most Likely to Make a Difference Advanced Yearbook Design Vision Award Excellence in Opinion Writing Overall Excellence Creative Imaging Award Rethinking Your Publication All-Star Most Persevering Designer Excellence in Sports Writing Award of Excellence Excellence in Writing Personality Profile Excellence in Teamwork Personality Profile Creative Imaging Award Artistry and Bravery Editorial Leadership Student’s Choice Excellence in Newspaper Packaging Excellence in Reporting Controversy Excellence in Sports Writing Best Work Ethic Excellence in Newspaper Nameplate Redesign Excellence in Risk-Taking Excellence in Business Management & Design Ethics Policy InDesign Feature Page “Most Improved Writer” Above and Beyond Excellence in Opinion Writing Excellence in Newspaper Design Excellence Award Outstanding Portfolio Award Most Likely to Get the Story Overall Design Karaoke Queen Page Design Excellence in Design Excellence in Leadership Excellence in Reporting Controversy Print Quality Page Design Excellence in Business Management & Design Most Improved Life Commentary Column Writing Overall Excellence Outstanding Single Image Profile Excellence Award Excellence in Composition Excellence in Writing Best Editorial Excellence in Leadership Award of Excellence

Please see EXCELLENCE AWARDS, page 9

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Stet Name Hillary Ruffe Spencer Ryan Jayna Salk Sarah Schrader Christina Schuessler Mike Schultz Zach Schupbach Karen Seif Tiffany Shepherd Abbey Sherrard Holly Simon Haley Sizen Kathryn Smith Ben Solomon Gabriella Stern Branden Stewart Katie Strang Steve Thompson Robert Thorson Amanda Vander Meulen Jessica VanFleteren Lisa Venable Calvin Walds Mike Walton Jenny Wang Brianna White Morgan Wilson Jennie Wood

School Loy Norrix HS Dexter HS Waterford Kettering HS Bellaire HS Hinsdale Central HS Algonac HS Fenton HS GR Catholic Central HS Renaissance HS Seaholm HS St. Johns HS Bellaire HS Adlai E. Stevenson HS Ladue HS Pioneer HS Plainwell HS Lakeview HS H.H. Dow HS Grand Ledge HS Portage Central HS Waterford Kettering HS Hinsdale Central HS Pearson Education Center Grosse Pointe North HS Novi HS Waterford Kettering HS H.H. Dow HS Rochester HS

Class Adv NP Design Adv Photoshop NP Editor in Chief YB Editor in Chief Journalistic Writing Video Intro Digital Beg Photo CP YB Editor in Chief YB Editor in Chief PageMaker Adv YB Writing/Reporting Section Editors Video Page/Section Editors Adv NP Design Feature Writing Adv Descriptive Writing Theme Development Feature Writing Interm Photo DR InDesign NP Editor in Chief Adv Descriptive Writing InDesign YB Editor in Chief Adv NP Design Beg YB Writing/Design

Award Title Best Nameplate Design Creative Photography Award Excellence Award Editorial Leadership Reporting Excellence Excellence in Video Production Excellence in Digital Photo Excellence in Assignment Shooting Theme Development Editorial Leadership Page Design Motivation to Improve Most Prolific Excellence in Video Production Opinion Column Excellence in Newspaper Design Award of Excellence Excellence in Writing Most Prolific Designer Award of Excellence Outstanding Portfolio Award Best Theme Development Most Improved Excellence in Writing InDesign Feature Page Theme Development Student’s Choice Award of Excellence

Excellence Awards, cont from page 8

EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER Ashley Partlo, H.H. Dow HS, took this photo for her Intermediate Digital class. Students in several of the photo classes go to the Ingham County Fair every summer to shoot. Her instructor was Brian Roberts.

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SPARTAN AWARD WINNER Kara Vidakovich, Waterford Kettering HS, won accolades for this fun photo taken at the fair. She also took the photo of the police officer, bottom left.

SPARTAN AWARD WINNER Jamie Ritzer from H.H. Dow HS created this collage in Advanced Photoshop. Jamie’s instructor was Ike Lea.

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Stet

PAID? HOW MUCH ARE YOU GETTING

By Cheryl Pell MIPA director

N

o one advises a publication for the money. We all know that. We do it because we love kids, and we love to see them excel, grow, learn and become. We do it because we believe in the creativity that our students possess and we believe they have important things to share with their peers . . . and with us.

We do it because we love words. We love photos. We love documentaries.

We love well-designed pages. Hey, we do it because we simply love doing it.

But once in awhile, it makes sense to stop and assess the situation we find ourselves in. We know that we work a longer season than the football coaches, but does our pay reflect that?

The question came up this summer at the Adviser Workshops when a teacher asked what her counterparts at other schools were making.

We ran to the MIPA office, created a survey, passed it out to our audience at hand and grabbed some instant feedback. Some folks chose to put down their school name; others chose not to.

Now my research colleagues down the hall would scoff at the unscientific way we did this, and it’s nearly impossible to compare apples and oranges. After all, schools are all different, but we do hope our little informal survey will yield some benefit for you—maybe take you up a notch on the payscale or maybe make you feel more valued and more appreciated than you thought you were.

After all, you love what you do, and you deserve it.

Yearbook

1a. Is your yearbook produced in a classroom setting during the school year? 25/26 1b. If yes, do you get extra pay for doing the yearbook? 21/26 1c. How much? .0875% of pay–Sterling Heights HS 2% or 5% of base pay 2%–Kalamazoo Central 5% of salary step increases each year 5% of contract–Fraser HS 6% of $35000=$2100 7% of base–Plainwell HS 8% of base pay–Dexter HS 10% of base pay–Holt School District 10% of base salary $1000 $1150 $1200–Traverse City $1200–Southfield Lathrup $1200–Athens HS $1200–Armada HS $1200 $1300–Orchard Lake MS $1800–Huron Valley School District both yearbook and newspaper combined was $5000 (I make more for yearbook) 2. If your yearbook is an extra-curricular activity, how much do you get paid? 1/26 $2000/year (half in Nov; half in May)

Newspaper

1a. Is your newspaper produced in a classroom setting during the school day? 23/24 1b. If yes, do you get extra pay for doing the newspaper? 14/24 1c. How much?

1% of base pay 2% of base salary 2% of base–Ithaca HS 3% of $35000=$1050 5% of contract–Fraser HS $585 $1200–Southfield Lathrup $1200 $1200 $1200 $2700 first year $3500 both yearbook and newspaper combined was $5000 (I make more for yearbook) 2. If your newspaper is an extra-curricular activity, how much do you get paid? 2/24 $1400/year 90% tuition decrease for 2 children (University Liggett School)

“I’m lucky. I make money and I like it.”

Comment from an adviser, Summer 2005

Comments: ■

Two years ago my school (Southfield-Lathrup HS) discontinued forensics, both class and extracurricular, and gave the money to sports.

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We have one publications class that must produce both the yearbook AND newspaper. (Athens HS)

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Pay is much too low.

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Love my job but there is definitely a lot of after class work. (Kalamazoo Central HS)

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We have established one class which produces both publications. We have called it applied journalism.

(Huron Valley School District)

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It’s a class, but some kids do work after school occasionally. I do have to supervise photographers and reporters after school. It is a class during school hours but considered extra-curricular as well because some of the work is done outside of class. (Menominee HS)

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Both the yearbook adviser and I put in a fairly large amount of our own time and effort into the production of our publications (outside of any contractual school time). There is no monetary compensation.

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I have approached administration about making newspaper a club. It is under consideration. If so, I may be paid as an adviser.

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SPARTY AWARD WINNER Photo taken by Jessica Vanfleteren, Waterford Kettering HS, in her Intermediate Darkroom class at the MIPA Summer Journalism Workshop. Dan Trommater was her workshop instructor, and Brian Wilson is her high school adviser.

Stet MIPA/School of Journalism 305 Communication Arts Building Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824-1212

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