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CSMA Adviser Update

America needs journalists... and journalism teachers

CSMA AdviserUpdateAmerica needs journalists... and journalism teachers

First special Best of Colorado awards announced and in the mail

No one needs to remind you that time has become slippery -- it's going way too fast while simultaneously seeming endless... "Hey! it's SNOWING again... but isn't it mid-April?" and "Quick, what day of the week is it?"



Whether you and your students have been "remote learning" for a week or two or for a month, one thing is clear from our first round of special COVID-19 spring contests: there is a lot of great journalism going on in Colorado student media.


So, no time to waste, which is why we have chosen to honor some current work very quickly.


Today we announce our first batch of winners in our continuing Best of Colorado awards, and you can read the entire list here. You can see the top-ranked work in that post. Award certificates are going in today's mail to honorees, most of them heading directly to student home addresses.


Why not check out our plan for spring contests to supplement our traditional Best of Colorado individual awards? Please note that these Special COVID-19 Coverage Awards are in addition to our delayed BOC awards (now with a July 15 deadline -- we will keep you updated on any further changes with deadlines or procedures).


We know that each school and each program will be in a different place in terms of creating content now that we are all "remote learning/teaching," so we are offering FOUR different contest cycles. The second deadline is April 27, and one thing to remember is that work entered in Window #1 of our contests may not be submitted again. .


Entering is easy. Just go to our special contest post and scroll down a bit to find the four submission links for our second round of contests. Just for variety, we have created a review writing category (curbside restaurants) and a multimedia option on "the prom that wasn't." We can't wait to see the creative and insightful work our students produce.


Our goal is to recognize as much great student work as we can, as soon as we can. The last thing we want to do is add unwelcome pressure to do "one more thing" to anyone's plate. But if you are looking for some motivators for your students and perhaps for some new audiences for their work, please consider participating as much or as little as you want.

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Grand Junction HS earns national honor

The Orange & Black staff at Grand Junction (Colorado) H.S., advised by Megan Fromm, MJE, has been named the 2020 Impact Award winner. Read more about the important work from the O&B staff and about this award, which is sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and Quill and Scroll Honor Society for High School Journalists.


"I am so proud of the work my students did on this issue," wrote Fromm on Facebook, "and I am so thrilled for their hard-earned recognition. I'd be lying if I didn't say there are also some tears of sadness in this, as they so very much deserved to be recognized in style at our national convention this week. Thank you, JEA and Quill & Scroll, for making it special even now."


Read much more about the Impact Award here.


Congratulations to the Orange & Black editors and staff and adviser. We are so proud of your reporting and determination.

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JEA Adviser Institute goes online this summer

From JEA Executive Director Kelly Glasscock: I am excited to share the news about JEA Advisers Institute moving to an online conference experience July 6-9, 2020.


You can learn more about the shift in our news release here.


The great news is that you can now receive essential professional development, as well as connect with colleagues from around the country, from anywhere.


At a time when teachers are in need of more support, we wanted to bring JEA Advisers Institute to you.


We have an amazing lineup of faculty, which have been promoted on our social media. You can also find the list of faculty at JEA.org/ai. Look for an announcement next week to reveal our keynote speaker.


The reduced price to attend AI is $85 for members and $99 for nonmembers. And since there are no travel costs, the opportunity to learn and connect at JEAai has never been more accessible.


Registration for the online event is now open.

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SAW, reTHINK move to late July

Nothing beats the in-person summer workshop experience, though we highly recommend all the online workshops you can access, and CSMA has moved our summer workshops to July 27-29 to provide an energy boost for your staffs just before the new school year kicks off.


You can read the details on our site, under Summer Workshops, and registration is open (but the deadline is not until July 20, so you have plenty of time to plan).


We know that a lot of things need to happen to allow the 2020-21 school year to open on time, but our fingers are crossed and our workshop instructors will be there for you.


Bonus: reTHINK West returns to Grand Junction Aug. 22-23, focusing on our members on the Western Slope. Many more details will be coming your way.

Here for you, whenever you need us

Jack Kennedy is trying to post lesson ideas, inspirational examples, lists of resources, and more each day (a third podcast episode should be posted later today). We have a new Category on our site called Quick Hits and we encourage you to stop in regularly (and we would LOVE to use lessons and ideas you are having success with -- our members are eager to exchange practical advice). There are nine posts within this category right now, with more coming.


Adam Dawkins has added a Category on covering the coronavirus and COVID-19 on our adviser support site, and hopes to add more materials regularly. Again, he would love to be able to share YOUR ideas with a broader audience. He put out a request on the CSMA listserv last week with his contact information.


Adam and Jack (and, honestly, most every adviser in our association) can be reached directly by email or phone. You can find helpful contact information here.


Best wishes to you and your family as we take on the most chaotic educational and societal situation of our lifetimes. Our money is on you, among the most talented teachers and thinkers we know, to find a way.

Thanks for being an important part of our state association

Colorado Student Media Association memberships are by school medium, and we offer four options: print news, yearbook, online, and video media. A single membership is $65. We offer a convenient online membership form, and you can choose either to pay with a school credit card or ask to be invoiced.


Spring is busy for everyone, with lots of scholarship opportunities, individual contests, and much more. Watch for your weekly e-newsletter for details and be sure to check our website for the latest information.

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Connect with CSMA

Email: jpkjournalism@gmail.com
Website: colostudentmedia.com
Location: 9253 Sori Lane, Highlands Ranch CO
Phone: 303-550-4755
Facebook: facebook.com/coloradostudentmedia
Twitter: @ColoradoSMA