By Alexandria Swanger, communications and project manager, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – At a time when many public high schools face budget cuts and lack of resources for subjects such as journalism, Campbellsville University’s Mass Communication Department works to assist educators by offering workshops and awards each year through the Kentucky High School Journalism Association (KHSJA).
On Jan. 20, high school students from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky gathered in Lexington, Ky. to participate in the annual KHSJA Conference organized by Campbellsville University in conjunction with the Kentucky Press Association (KPA) Winter Convention.
Professors and media professionals from a variety of institutions, including Campbellsville University, Morehead State University, Western Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky, led workshops focused on topics including Photojournalism, Videography, Public Relations and Becoming a Better Writer.
In his second year of directing the program, Stan McKinney, associate professor of journalism and lead professor for mass communication at Campbellsville University, said he took on the responsibility of leading the program in 2018 because of the importance of the KHSJA mission.
“We have been working with KHSJA for two years. It has been a joy to work with high school students and their teachers to produce workshops that expand their view of journalism.
“After KPA decided it could no longer oversee the association and no one else stepped forward to do so, we took over the reins.
“It is too important I believe to just let the association die,” McKinney said.
The awards presented were for the work completed the prior school year and submitted by students and their teachers. The contest included 30 categories within three divisions to recognize individual sections of the overall media produced.
The divisions, with first places winners, were: Yearbook Division with categories in Cover Design, Butler County High School, Class A; and duPont Manual High School, Class C;
Writing Style, Butler County High School; and South Warren High School, Class C; Overall Design, Butler County High School; and Trinity High School, Class C; Theme Development, Butler County High School; and Bullitt East High School, Class C;
Photography, Clarksville High School, Class A; and South Warren High School; Advertising Section, South Warren High School;
Use of Graphics, Bardstown High School, Class A; and duPont High School; and Overall Coverage, Butler County High School; and duPont Manual High School;
Broadcast Division with categories in Newscast, South Oldham High School, Dragon News, Class C; News Package, Central Hardin High School, Westin King, Class C; Sports Package, Ballard High School, Class C;
News Magazine, Ballard High School; Special Category, Documentary, Ballard High School and Music Video, South Oldham High School, Liv Hill;
And the Newspaper Division with categories in Newswriting, Clarksville High School, Kelsey Pease, Class A; and Boone County High School, Morgan Daniels, Class C; Feature Writing, Clarksville High School, Kelsey Pease; Boyle County High School, Alaysia Ortiz, Class B; and Trinity High School, Cole Crush;
Editorial Writing, Boone County High School; Sports Writing, Clarksville High School, Summer Neal; and Boone County High School, Samuel Colmar; News Photography, Boone County High School, Bayleah Vogel; Feature Photography, Clarksville High School, Ana DeKorte; Trinity High School, Matt Gadd; and Trinity High School, Ethan Vanlandingham;
Sports Photography, Column Writing, Boone County High School, Autumn Jones; Editorial Cartoon, Boone County High School, Bailey Moore; Front Page Design, Clarksville High School, staff; and Bullitt East High School, Katie Huffman; and Overall Design, Clarksville High School; and Boone County High School.
Organized in 1997, The Kentucky High School Journalism Association was developed to assist Journalism teachers, advisers and their students to fill a critical need in Kentucky’s high schools.
The organization’s motto reads “Dedicated to preserving and enhancing scholastic journalism in Kentucky” and the practice of being involved in Kentucky high schools continues.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 14,000 students offering over 100 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The university has Kentucky based off-campus centers in Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville. Out-of-state centers include two in California at Los Angeles and Lathrop, located in the San Francisco Bay region. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.
Campbellsville University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award certificates, associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the status of Campbellsville University.