For Students

Foundation Scholarships

Emerging Young
Journalist

Todd C. Smith
Student Journalist
of the Year

For Advisers

Morty Schaap Journalism
Teacher of the Year

Julie E. Dodd
Scholarship

Webb-Stapler
Scholarship

Gold Medallion

Lifetime Achievement

Silver, Gold and
Platinum Keys

SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS FOR STUDENTS

FSPA Foundation Scholarship - Download 2008 Application
Five $150 scholarships are awarded to need-based students to enable them to attend the state convention.
Emerging Young Journalist - Download 2008 Application
FSPA and the St. Petersburg Times Fund are proud to announce the EMERGING YOUNG
JOURNALIST AWARD, for freshmen and sophomores who show promise in journalism. The award is open to freshman and sophomore students in FSPA member programs whose work demonstrates a bright future in scholastic and, perhaps, professional journalism.
TODD C. SMITH STUDENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR - Download 2008 Application
Outstanding senior staff members may submit a portfolio for consideration for this award. A committee evaluates each portfolio and selects a student journalist of the year for each category: yearbook, newspaper, newsmagazine, literary magazine and broadcasting. The committee then selects the FSPA Student Journalist of the Year, who becomes Florida's nominee for the Journalism Education Association's High School Journalist of the Year.The FSPA Student Journalist of the Year was established to recognize the exceptional contributions of student journalists in Florida high schools. To be eligible, a senior submits a portfolio of work that is reviewed and evaluated by Florida media professionals and journalism educators. The winner becomes FSPA’s entry in the Journalism Education Association’s National Student Journalist of the Year competition. In 2002 the award was named in honor of Todd Carper Smith. Smith participated in FSPA in high school and after college wrote for the Tallahassee Democrat, St. Petersburg Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Tampa Tribune. He was killed by Shining Path guerrillas while working on a story in Peru. While his tragic death ended his own journalistic pursuit of truth, it continues to inspire others.

SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS FOR ADVISERS

JULIE E. DODD SCHOLARSHIP FOR ADVISERS - Download 2008 Application
This award was started in 2001 to honor Dr. Julie Dodd, FSPA's longest serving Executive Director of FSPA. Dr. Dodd was the FSPA Executive Director from 1989 - 2000. She continues to be very supportive and involved in Scholastic Journalism at the national and state levels. This $500 scholarship is to be awarded to an adviser to attend a summer media workshop.
WEBB-STAPLER SCHOLARSHIP FOR ADVISERS - Download 2008 Application
Named after former FSPA executive directors John Webb and Harry Stapler, this scholarship is awarded to advisers to support their training and improve scholastic journalism in Florida.
MORTY SCHAAP JOURNALISM TEACHERS OF THE YEAR - Download 2008 Application
The Morty Schaap Journalism Teacher of the Year was established to recognize outstanding FSPA advisers. At the fall workshops, the seven districts select an adviser to be the district’s nominee. Each teacher submits a portfolio and letters of recommendation. The overall winner is selected by the adult members of the executive board and by representatives of Florida college and university mass communications programs. The award is named for Morty Schaap, a former newspaper adviser and FSPA president. The state winner becomes FSPA’s nominee for the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund’s National Journalism Teacher of the Year Award.
Gold Medallion
Individuals who have made outstanding contributions to high school journalism in Florida for a minimum of five years may be nominated for FSPA's highest award. The first Gold Medallion was presented at the 1979 convention to Allen Neuharth, who was the president of Gannett Florida at the time. The award was designed to honor journalism professionals who started their careers in high school journalism. Later the award criteria was changed to recognize individuals who made significant contributions to scholastic journalism and, in particular, FSPA.
Silver, Gold and Platinum Keys
Advisers who have been FSPA members for five, ten and twenty years are awarded keys. Advisers should check the appropriate information on their convention registration form to receive a key at convention.
Five years - Silver Key
Ten years - Gold Key
Twenty years - Platinum Key
Lifetime Achievement
Advisers and others who have made significant contributions to scholastic journalism may, upon retirement, be selected for this award.