journalism organizations

The ODYSSEY Media Group belongs to several high school journalism organizations. Participation ranges from attending annual events and summer workshops to submitting numerous items for judging and evaluation. A summary of these organizations follows:

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY’S JOURNALISM DAY (JDAY) brings middle and high school students and teachers to Ball State University’s campus in Muncie, Indiana once a year to learn about different aspects of journalism. The conference, hosted by Ball State’s College of Communication, Information and Media, provides sessions that cover many different journalistic topics and contests that take place throughout the day. Ball State University first started offering journalism workshops in 1966 which have continued to grow and develop over the years. This year the conference was held on April 29th.

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (CSPA), founded in 1925, unites student editors and faculty advisers--working with them to produce student newspapers, magazines, yearbooks and online media. Students come from public, private and church-related schools and colleges throughout the United States and from overseas schools. The association is owned by Columbia University and operates as a program affiliated with its prestigious Graduate School of Journalism. A few ODYSSEY staff members have enjoyed attending CSPA summer workshops in New York.

THE GEORGIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (GSPA) assists Georgia high school journalism programs and students by encouraging their production of quality publications through instruction and contests. GSPA was organized in 1928 by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, which has continued to direct its activities, providing information through the newsletter and instruction through convention sessions, judging, speakers upon request and fall workshop sessions. This year the GSPA conference was held at UGA and most of our students were able to attend.

THE INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION (IMCA) is a hybrid scholastic media marketing organization built for the 21st century headquartered at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media. The IMCA that seeks to help high school students blend together the previously-siloed functions of public relations, marketing, social media management, creative design.

THE NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (NSPA) is a nonprofit membership organization exclusively for high school and other secondary school publications--yearbooks, newspapers, magazines, broadcast programs and online publications. Since 1921, NSPA has offered its members resources to help their publications improve, including national high school journalism conventions, prestigious contests and scholarships, a publication service and much more.

THE QUILL AND SCROLL SOCIETY is a high school honor society devoted to fostering interest and excellence in the field of journalism. It has member chapters in all 50 states and in 44 countries around the world. Quill and Scroll fulfills its mission by awarding scholarships and sponsoring contests.

THE SOUTHERN INTERSCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (SIPA) is a nonprofit organization of public schools, including middle, junior and senior high schools. Its purpose is to encourage a high degree of professionalism in scholastic journalism and mass communications in the Southeast. Founded at Washington and Lee University in 1926, SIPA moved to the University of South Carolina in 1972. Members are from District of Columbia and 15 states- Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. CCHS was well represented in Columbia, SC with most of our students in attendance.

Scan the QR code to view awards garnered by the ODYSSEY during the last 20 years.

ODYSSEY Booster Club Donations

Celebrate 20 years of the ODYSSEY by donating $20 to support the continuing education of journalists at Clarke Central High School. Your donation will go toward educational enhancement opportunities such as attending state conferences, paying for critiques and evaluations to help us grow, and supporting our annual end of the year banquet. All donations are tax deductible.

ODYSSEY Subscriptions

Continue your support of the ODYSSEY, and help us continue to provide top-notch experiences for our students, alumni, staff and community members by subscribing to the 2022-23 ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School.