Here’s a quick look at 2012 convention details.
When: Opening starts 6 p.m. Thursday, May 3; Closing ends 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 5
Where: Wyndham Orlando Resort, 8001 International Drive, Orlando
Hotel Cost: Rooms are $119 per night; hotel registration info will go live soon
Convention Cost: $75 for students whose staff attended district workshops; $100 for those who did not (Prices increase after earlybird deadline)
Adviser Convention Cost: $25 (a reduction from last year!)
Registration: Will be held online again; and credit cards payment options will again be available
Contest details: Look for them soon.
We’ve already confirmed a few favorite speakers and we’re working on some fresh faces. If you have ideas for speakers or topics, let us know here in the comments field.
Florida advisers can earn their national certification through the Journalism Education Association. JEA offers tracks for becoming Certified Journalism Educators and Master Journalism Educators. One track to the CJE is through the completion of a comprehensive exam, which we plan to offer at the state convention May 3-5 in Orlando (Test will likely be Friday, May 4 at a time TBD). Visit the JEA website for info about the CJE and MJE options. FSPA members advisers who apply by March 1 and note “bill to FSPA” on their application will have the cost of their certification application covered (You must also be a member of JEA). This is one program we’re offering to recognize all the hard work you do!
The application process for our annual Todd C. Smith FSPA/JEA Student Journalist of the Year Award is now open for business. We want to find the Sunshine State’s best student journalist, who will be recognized at the state convention in May and will represent the F-L-A in the annual JEA Journalist of the Year Scholarship competition.
National winners get scholarships of between $2,000 and $5,000.
This year, you can find an application in .pdf format and instructions on the JEA website. (Ignore the “Applicant Requirement” that you already be a state winner.) Our postmark deadline for your application is Feb. 15, 2012. After you complete the full application packet, please mail it directly to:
Florida Student Journalist of the Year
c/o Bradley Wilson
306 Silk Hope Dr.
Cary NC 27519
The Florida winner not only represents our state in the JEA competition but receives a $500 award. Second and third place finishers in Florida receive $300 and $200, respectively.
Start the application process here.
From our good friends at Poynter:
Please spread the word! Poynter’s popular High School Writers Workshop is coming on Saturday, March 3. Roy Peter Clark, author of “Writing Tools” and “Help! for Writers,” and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and “Zoo Story” author Tom French will lead the workshop. Urge students (teachers welcome, too!) to register now!
Details are at www.poynter.org/highschoolwriters. A flier is attached. HSWritersWorkshop2012flyer
Please forward this email to other journalism teachers, language arts teachers, students, anyone you think might be interested. I have a few scholarships from the Bay Area Professional Writers Guild for students who need help with the $35 registration fee. Details are on the website.
Thanks for your help. This is always a fun day, so let’s fill the room!
Wendy Wallace
The Poynter Institute
