Text of Plaschke's keynote available

If you attended the JEA/NSPA spring national convention about two weeks ago, you probably attended LA Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke's keynote speech on Saturday. And if you did, undoubtedly you walked away inspired and emboldened to carry out the mission of great journalism: To tell the stories of those around us.

If you didn't attend the convention, or did but somehow missed the most amazing keynote I've heard in my nine conventions, or you just want to relive the speech again, there's good news: Text of his speech is available at this link. I plan on using it in my class every year from here on out. It captures everything that we should aspire to as journalists and journalism educators.

Here's a preview to whet your whistle, or if you were there, to remind you how awesome it was:

I was a miracle. All because of my words. It was proof that words can take you place you will never imagine.

That can be you. Be that miracle. Your words can make you one. That’s why journalism is still the greatest equalizing business in the world. It doesn’t matter your color or your gender or your bank account or where you live or how you talk. If you can write, you can touch, and if you can touch, we will hire you, because that’s one thing newspapers still do better than anyone else, we can touch and be touched, the morning paper soggy from the milk and the tears.

Be the miracle.

And write the miracles.

Awesome. That's the only word I can think of.

Washington storms California, returns with plenty of hardware

It was a successful weekend for the Washington schools at the annual NSPA/JEA spring national convention in Anaheim, Calif., over the weekend, as seven different publications placed in Best of Show competitions and 94 students came back with individual awards.

The Best of Show competition was highlighted by the first place finish by The Peninsula Outlook in the newspaper of eight pages or less category, led by editor Taylor Buck, the 2008 WJEA Future Journalist of the Year, and adviser Derek Smith.

The other Best of Show placers:

• The Sound, Gig Harbor HS - Seventh Place, Newspapers 1-8 pages
  Arianna Thornton and Catherine Van Zimmerman, editor
  Ehren Gossler, adviser
• The Hawkeye, Mountlake Terrace HS - 10th Place, Newspapers 13-16 pages
  Ji Mun, editor
  Vince DeMiero, adviser
• Viking Vanguard, Puyallup HS - Fourth Place, Newspapers 17+ pages
  Matt Anderson, editor
  Sandra Coyer, adviser
• The Apple Leaf, Wenatchee HS - Fifth Place, Newspapers 17+ pages
  Claire Mueleman, editor
  Jeff Nusser, adviser
• The Academy Times, Charles Wright Academy - Seventh Place, Newsmagazines
  Emily Rome, editor
  Steve Matson, adviser
• WaWa, Wenatchee HS - Eighth Place, Yearbooks 275-324 pages
  Madeleine Warner, editor
  Jeff Nusser, adviser

As for individual awards, the following students earned superior ratings in their contests. Just 6 percent of all entries earned that designation:

• Dallas Welker, Emerald Ridge HS - Newswriting
• Megan Albert, Emerald Ridge HS - Sportswriting
  
• Alex Gratzer, Kentwood HS - Review Writing
• Maria DeMiero, Mountlake Terrace HS - Newsmagazine Layout
• Ji Mun, Mountlake Terrace HS - Advertising
• Kellen Ray, Wenatchee HS - Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports
• Elise Utterback, Franklin Pierce HS - Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports
• Laura Livingston, Charles Wright Academy - Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics
• Katie Wheeler, Deer Park HS - Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics
• Elsy Pawelak, Gov. John R. Rogers HS - Yearbook Layout: Theme
• Sara Chemodurow, Gov. John R. Rogers HS - Computer Design: Infographics
• Mike Ake, Puyallup HS - Computer Design: Photoshop Art
• Travis King, Peninsula HS - Newspaper Sports Photography
• Cody Gibbons, Wenatchee HS - Two Weeks' Work
• Rebecca Perry, Emerald Ridge HS - Video Commercial/PSA

The full results of the Best of Show can be found here, while the full results of the write-offs can be found here. Congratulations to all the winners!

Washington fares well at national conference once again

The NSPA/JEA spring (I hear that term was used loosely) national conference in Denver, Colo., wrapped up this past weekend, and, as usual, a number of Washington schools brought back plenty of hardware.

Here's a list of all of the honorees, according to the NSPA and JEA Web sites. (If I've forgotten anyone, please let me know ...)

NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker finalists:
Tenas Coma, Mt. Si HS
WaWa, Wenatchee HS

NSPA Best of Show winners:

• Wright in the Middle, Charles Wright Academy
  3rd Place, Middle School Newspaper
• The Phoenix, Peninsula HS
  9th Place, Literary Arts Magazine
• The Commoner, Gov. John R. Rogers HS
  8th Place, Newsmagazine
• The Sound, Gig Harbor HS
  1st Place, Special Edition
• The Apple Leaf, Wenatchee HS
  5th Place, Newspaper (17+ pages)
• The Peninsula Outlook, Peninsula HS
  7th Place, Newspaper (17+ pages)
• WaWa, Wenatchee HS
  4th Place, Yearbook (275-324 pages)
• The Sound, Gig Harbor HS
  2nd Place, Newspaper (13-16 pages)
• The Viking Vanguard, Puyallup HS
  5th Place, Newspaper (13-16 pages)
• Tenas Coma, Mt. Si HS
  3rd Place, Yearbook (225-274 pages)
• Cat Tales, Mt. Si HS
  8th Place, Newspaper (1-8 pages)
• InView, Auburn Mountainview HS
  10th Place, Newspaper (1-8 pages)

All told, 61 students came home with awards in the JEA Write-off competitions (remember, no more than 10 percent of entrants in a contest receive a superior rating):

• News Writing -- Excellent: Andrew Talevich (Mount Si High School), Jordan Dieckmann (Richland High School); Honorable Mention: Sharon McClintock (Mountlake Terrace High School), Natalie Bryant (Wenatchee High School)
• Editorial Writing -- Excellent: Sara Chemodurow (Gov J R Rogers High School), Katy Verwest (Kamiakin High School), Ashley Thompson (Puyallup High School), Matt Little (Richland High School); Honorable Mention: Alex Fisher (Timberline High School)
• Feature Writing -- Superior: Katie Potasky (Gov J R Rogers High School); Excellent: Mackenzie Helgerson (Auburn Mountainview High School), Jenny Draper (Kamiakin High School), Katie Webster (Richland High School)
• Sports Writing -- Honorable Mention: Chris Stocke (Gov J R Rogers High School), Jordan Gisler (Mountlake Terrace High School), Brittany Ward (Puyallup High School), Kara Mcmurray (Richland High School)
• Review Writing -- Excellent: Janelle Jordan (Oak Harbor High School), Ingrid Jans (Wenatchee High School); Honorable Mention: Mary Rose Breskovich (Peninsula High School), Kasey Eickmeyer (Richland High School)
• Editorial Cartooning -- Excellent: Megan Harris (Auburn Mountainview High School)
• Commentary Writing -- Superior: Taylor Buck (Peninsula High School); Honorable Mention: Quinn Hopkins (Mount Si High School)
• Copy Editing/Headline/Caption Writing -- Superior: Kristen Suver (Timberline High School); Excellent: Danny Serna (Puyallup High School), Tim Seguin (Wenatchee High School); Honorable Mention: Corina Cheever (Mountlake Terrace High School), Larissa Miller (Peninsula High School)
• Newspaper Layout -- Honorable Mention: Claire Meuleman (Wenatchee High School)
• Newsmagazine Layout -- Excellent: Kendra O'Halloran (Mountlake Terrace High School), Abby Williamson (Peninsula High School); Honorable Mention: Summer Yates (Emerald Ridge High School)
• Advertising -- Superior: Ji Mun (Mountlake Terrace High School), Nicole Pinto (Peninsula High School); Excellent: Danny Canham (Emerald Ridge High School); Honorable Mention: Stephany May (Puyallup High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports -- Excellent: Caylene Castagno (Mount Si High School), Naomi Lindsey (Peninsula High School); Honorable Mention: Caity York (Emerald Ridge High School), Tommy Lammert (Wenatchee High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics -- Superior: Bruno Shilot (Mount Si High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs -- Honorable Mention: Avery Hutcherson (Mount Si High School), Allison Bangs (Wenatchee High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life -- Excellent: Xandy Evans (Mount Si High School), Hannah Schultz (Wenatchee High School)
• Yearbook Layout: Theme -- Excellent: Kate Gruver (Emerald Ridge High School)
• Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages -- Superior: Daniel Langager (Wenatchee High School)
• Literary Magazine: Layout -- Honorable Mention: Hannah Leahy (Oak Harbor High School)
• Computer Design: Infographics -- Excellent: Sarah Hiraki (Peninsula High School)
• Computer Design: Advertising -- Superior: Patrick Renie (Peninsula High School); Excellent: Breanna Stanek (Oak Harbor High School)
• Newspaper Sports Photography -- Excellent: Elaine Olbertz (Peninsula High School)
• Yearbook Student Life Photography -- Superior: Brandon Knapp (Gig Harbor High School)
• Newspaper News/Feature Photography -- Honorable Mention: Mackenzie Knapp (Gig Harbor High School), Ian Ostericher (Peninsula High School)
• Photography Portfolio -- Superior: David Kasnic (Wenatchee High School)
• Video Feature Story -- Superior: James Luce (Peninsula High School), Travis King (Peninsula High School); Excellent: Caitlin Ulvin (Mountlake Terrace High School); Honorable Mention: Stephen Dold (Edmonds-Woodway High School)
• Video Commercial/PSA -- Honorable Mention: Kaytie Henson (Oak Harbor High School)
• Videography -- Excellent: Daniel Gilmore (Oak Harbor High School)
• Video Commentary -- Excellent: Nathan Yaffee (Edmonds-Woodway High School)

Congratulations to all of our winners!