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We will going back to the future this year with an in-person convention! The University of Alabama’s Department of Journalism & Creative Media will host ASPA’s annual state high school journalism convention on Feb. 11. Join hundreds of other middle and high school students from around the state to learn more about journalism and creative media in all of its forms. The deadline to register is Friday Feb. 4.

Our convention will offer advanced and basic skills tracks for media students in literary magazine, newspaper, yearbook, broadcast, podcast, creative media and multimedia sessions. 

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If your administrator is on the fence about ASPA field trips, check out our guide for administrators, parents and teachers: Why Conventions Matter (will download automatically). As always, email ASPA if you have any questions.

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With careful thought and planning by the ASPA Board Officers, we will forge ahead with our 2022 convention. This year’s convention will be a nice adjustment back to what we love so much: seeing each of you once again! We are working overtime to bring you the best convention experience ever! The theme, Back To The Future, refers not only to this unique period we've been in, but also reflects on the progress we've made in the last year in reference to high school media programs around the state, which have become more merged and efficient than ever.

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We are so happy to be back! 😌

 

Don't miss it!

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State Convention Pricing

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Staff/Class size and price:

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ASPA membership (must be paid to register for the convention): $25 per publication or media staff.

 

• $30 per ASPA Student

• Teacher without a journalism/media class or club: $50

• On-Site Competition: $10 per student (students can only enter one category)

• Carry-in Competition: Entries are $10 each

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On-Site Competition Categories:

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• Sports writing

• Yearbook copy and caption writing

• News writing

• Feature writing

• Editorial writing

• Editorial cartooning

• Broadcast stand up/package

• Newscast (anchor)

• Sportscast (anchor)

• Yearbook layout

• Newspaper layout

• Photography

• Literary magazine fiction writing

• Literary magazine poetry writing

• Literary magazine illustration

• Literary magazine layout/design

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Carry-in Categories:

 

Carry-in Competition participants: Entries are $10 each. Entries must follow the guidelines listed here.

 

Since overall and individual critiques category entries are due in December, we want to give you a chance to enter more recent items you have created (or items you forgot to enter) for competition. See carry-in categories below.

 

When you register for State Convention you will let us know how many carry-in entries you will have in each category. This helps us make sure we have enough judges. Carry-in winners will be announced at State Convention the night of Feb. 11. The categories are:

 

• Editorial cartoon

• Illustration

• Public Service Announcement

• Broadcast anchor

• Broadcast human interest/feature story

• Broadcast news story

• Broadcast sports story

• Videography

• Editing

• Directing

• Literary magazine cover

• Newspaper front page

• Newspaper center spread

• Newspaper entertainment page

• Newspaper feature page

• Newspaper sports page

• Newspaper op-ed page

• Newspaper headline writing

• Photography portfolio No more than 7 photos, please

• Yearbook academic spread

• Yearbook club spread

• Yearbook people spread

• Yearbook sports spread

• Yearbook student life spread

 

Schedule:

Each person who registers will receive an email with a link to access State Convention.

 

9 a.m.: Convention kicks off and sessions begin. Sessions are 30 minutes each (a few are an hour each).

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Noon: Senior awards, mail-in awards and new ASPA officers are announced.

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1 p.m.: Sessions resume

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4 p.m.: Administrator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, carry-in and timed competition awards announced.

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