About Us

The Alabama Scholastic Press Association seeks to empower K-12 newspaper, yearbook, newsmagazine, literary magazine, website and broadcast staffs in Alabama. To join us, fill out our membership form!

ASPA hosts The Long Weekend, a summer journalism camp in Tuscaloosa, Alabama each year, holds a State Convention in Tuscaloosa, Alabama each spring, and presents a series of Fall Regional Workshops in various Alabama cities each September. ASPA also works in conjunction with and in support of the Multicultural Journalism Program and its summer workshop.

ASPA participates in events with the Southern Interscholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Elementary School Press Association, and the Journalism Education Association, as well as coordinates an annual critique of publications and broadcasts and offers individual contests and on-site competitions. ASPA stands ready to assist K-12 journalists and advisers.

ASPA Board of Directors, 2021-2023

President: Barbara Bateman, Daphne High School, Mobile

Vice President: Jody Evans, Tuscaloosa County High School, Tuscaloosa

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Secretary: Gina Aaij, LAMP High School, Montgomery

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Immediate Past-President: Capri Day, Brookwood High School, Tuscaloosa

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ASPA Schools

Below is the list of schools ASPA partners with across Alabama. We wipe the slate clean each school year and start over. Don't see your school on our list or want to become an ASPA member? Fill out our membership form!

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2020-2021 members

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Bayside Academy, Azimuth Circle literary magazine, Daphne

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Clay-Chaklville High School, CCN-TV broadcast, Pinson

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Clements High School, The Corral Yearbook, Athens

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Daphne High School, Palladium yearbook, Daphne

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Hillcrest High School, PATS TV, Tuscaloosa

Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) High School, The Torch yearbook, Montgomery

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McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, Vespidae yearbook; Ingenium literary magazine, Mobile

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Pike Road High School, The Revere, Pike Road

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Sparkman High School, Silhouette literary magazine; The Senator yearbook; The Crimson Crier newspaper; Crimson Crier online website, Harvest

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St. Clair County High School, St. Clarion yearbook

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Thompson High School, THS-TV, Alabaster

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Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy, BCN-TV broadcast, Tuscaloosa

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Past ASPA Directors and Coordinators

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1958-80                 James L. Nisbet, director, High School Service, Division of 

                                Continuing Education

-1976                     William F. O’Connor, director, Field Services, School of

                                Communication

1976-81                 Charles Arrendell, chair, Program in Journalism/AHSPA-AJEA 

                                liaison

1980-                     John K. Conroy, director, Office of Campus Programs

1981-82                 Rita Oates, professor of journalism/AHSPA-AJEA liaison

1981-85                 Charles Self, chair, Journalism Department, AHSPA liaison

1982-84                 Marian Huttentine, professor of journalism/ASPA coordinator

                                David Heggem, Office of Campus Programs

1984-92                 Marie Parsons, graduate assistant and journalism 

                                instructor/ASPA director

1985-87                 David Sloan, acting chair, Journalism Department

1987-91                 Jay Black, chair, Journalism Department

1991-92                 Ed Mullins, chair, Journalism Department

1992-94                 Kathy Lawrence, director, Student Media Programs/ASPA

                                director

1992-93                 Suzanne Cambell, graduate assistant/ASPA coordinator

1993-94                 Jimmy McCollum, graduate assistant/ASPA coordinator

1994-01                 Monica Hill, external relations specialist, Division of Student

                                Affairs/ASPA director

2002-04                 Andy Duncan, assistant  director, Office of Student

                                Media/ASPA

                                director

2004-05                 Deidre Stalnaker, assistant director, Office of Student

                                Media/ASPA

                                coordinator

2005-07                 Amanda Al-Betar, program coordinator, UA College of

                                Continuing Studies

2007                      Marissa Reeves, instructor, journalism/public relations, liaison

2006-07                 Loy Singleton, acting chair, Department of Journalism

2007                      Jennifer Greer, chair, Department of Journalism

2007-2008            Marie Parsons, emeritus, ASPA interim director

2008-present        Meredith Cummings, senior journalism instructor, ASPA director