As student journalists and school media advisers brace for the end-of-semester crunch, take a few minutes to reflect on why scholastic journalism matters.
I
n his acceptance speech, Jim McGonnell,
Dow Jones National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year, lists five reasons why after 30 years he continues to teach high school journalism. Money makes the list, but there's more.
The speech, from a Nov. 10 awards lunch at the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association convention in Philadelphia, may remind teachers why they got into the business. It might help students understand what motivates their advisers to invest the time and the intellectual and emotional energy that they do.
Congratulations, Jim. We at Poynter look forward to having you attend a seminar here, courtesy of the Newspaper Fund. See you then.
