Three CHSPA board members, along with our first honoree from the middle school ranks, were named Rising Stars in San Diego by JEA, part of the organization’s effort to encourage young, talented advisers to stay in the profession. Below you will find the remarks that were read during the adviser luncheon on Saturday, April 12, 204
Adam Dawkins, CJE, Regis Jesuit HS
Over the past five years, Adam has a) discovered that teaching journalism and advising student media is his passion; b) become a board member of the Colorado High School Press Association… he’s currently president-elect; c) nearly completed his MFA in Journalism Education from Kent State University; d) created and developed the CHSPA Press Law and Ethics course for advisers; and e) grown the media at Regis from an occasional newspaper to two newsmagazines (in male and female flavors), plus a school magazine, plus RJ Media online website, plus the school broadcast program and an off-shoot: RJTV Sports Broadcasting.
Karen Wagner, adviser at Eaglecrest High School and a former Rising Star herself, wrote: “From the beginning, Adam had the right approach to becoming an adviser. He attended workshops, studied the material, asked questions, and sought help when he needed it.”
Candace Perkins Bowen, director of the Center for Scholastic Journalism at Kent State, wrote that Adam was outstanding in the online Opinion Writing class she taught, and she looks forward to his final master’s project. As she wrote: “I have never seen Adam teach, but I have enough knowledge to know Adam is the kind of teacher we want in the classroom, modeling what teachers can and should be.
Back to Karen Wagner. She wrote: “Adam is a rising star, although he would never admit it. He is constantly saying there are people out there doing a better job than he is, but I think it is time Adam finally realizes that he is one of the best and brightest new advisers out there.”
JEA couldn’t agree more. That hiding your light under a bushel thing won’t cut it anymore for Adam Dawkins, and we congratulate him on being named a Rising Star.
Melissa Larson, Mesa MS
She teaches 7th and 8th grade digital media and multimedia classes, while advising the yearbook and student website. She was a fellow at the 2012 ASNE Reynolds Institute, and was a mentor for middle school girls given the opportunity to report on the 2012 NCAA Women’s Final Four, hosted that year in Denver. Somehow she finds time to coach cross country and track at Mesa, as well.
Rebecca MacLean, mother of Emily, an 8th grade yearbook staff member a year ago, wrote that Melisssa will go down as Emily’s most influential teacher, and that Emily still goes to every school event she can with her camera. Melissa lit a fire in Emily, and she now sees photojournalism as her preferred career.
It turns out that Emily’s high school wasn’t able to travel to Boston last fall. Melissa took her along with her group from Mesa, and Emily’s mom will never forget that.
Kurt Pritts, assistant principal at Mesa, wrote that Melissa is a person who leaves a part of herself wherever she goes. “She is one of only a few,” he wrote, “who makes everyone around her better at what they do.”
Herff Jones sales rep Nicole Arduini wrote that Melissa is one of her all-time favorite advisers and people. “She has a constant desire to learn and make her program better each and every year.”
“When I think of role models in scholastic journalism,” wrote Jed Palmer, a fellow middle school adviser in Colorado, current CHSPA Adviser of the Year, JEA Distinguished Yearbook Adviser, (it’s Jed’s world, by the way, and we live in his gravitational pull), “Melissa Larson instantly comes to mind. I would not hesitate to put my own child in her program. She’s a stellar example of what a journalism adviser should be.”
As usual, Jed is correct. We are honored to present her with a JEA Rising Star award.
Jessica Leifheit, CJE, Castle View HS
She began her advising career in 2010, along with teaching English and Spanish. She has been a CHSPA board member for nearly three years, currently serving as the Education Coordinator. She is also a Colorado Language Arts Society board member and is leading a program strand on student media for the state conference this October.
Karen Wagner wrote that “as a new teacher at a relatively new school, Jess was able to build a yearbook program in a short amount of time that is easily one of the best in the state and quickly becoming a standout in the nation… Her students love the freedom she affords them in creating the book, but they also know that what they create has to live up to her standards.”
Her supervising teacher during student teaching, Kristi Rathbun of Rock Canyon High School, calls Jessica “a gem. She sparkles and shines with her enthusiasm and charm. Near the end of her observation requirement,” Kristi went on, “When my dad passed away. Jess was there to cover classes, grade papers and help the yearbook staff finish up spring duties.”
Or, as Karen Wagner put it: “No matter what it is, Jess has the attitude to just dive right in. From presenting at national conventions to serving on state boards to asserting her students’ rights to ask the superintendent tough questions… Jess knows how to make things happen.”
And JEA is glad it decided to make this happen: Congratulations to Jessica Leifheit, a 2014 Rising Star.
Cory Morlock, Academy School District 20
He is Channel 20TV producer and adviser. He instructs students in broadcast filming, writing, editing and anchoring, and helps them produce weekly live sporting events airing on local access and on the local FOX website. He is just finishing his first year as Digital Media Coordinator on the Colorado High School Press Association Board.
Cory was a news producer and videographer prior to taking his current position in ASD 20, and still works as a producer for a variety of Air Force Academy sporting events. Cory is not a licensed teacher, but Michael Doub, director of information technology education services for the school district, attests to his skill in guiding individual students as well as small groups as they explore all aspects of television production.
He has been the consistent presence in the program over the past five years, working several licensed teachers in the 20TV program. “Cory has a natural talent for working with young people,” Doub wrote, “which combines with his real-world television experience to provide students with a depth of experience they just couldn’t get otherwise.”
The CHSPA All-Colorado ranking is our highest, and 20TV is the only broadcast program in the state to earn that rating over the past two years. I have admired Cory’s work from afar for some time, but over the past two years I have seen him as a creative thinker on the board of CHSPA and as a gifted instructor at our state conference. Last October he drove his program’s production trailer to our conference, making it available for tours and hands-on work. He oversaw production and final editing on the Denver convention promotional video you will see Sunday morning. Cory says YES a lot.
Colorado student broadcast programs are not particularly strong, which makes me unhappy. That we have Cory Morlock and his combination of experience, personality and generosity on the job, trying to help multimedia producers all over the state… that makes me happy.
And I’m happy JEA has chosen him as one of its 2014 Rising Stars.
