Reflections On A Successful School Year

As we sprint or claw our way to the finish line, it’s a good time to share some information from the IHSPA epicenter.

Although business is down on a global scale, IHSPA has had a good year with a boost in attendance at the fall convention and the best crowd ever at for First Amendment Symposium. Those of you who can mark dates on your school’s master calendar for the 2009-10 school year can list Oct. 22-23, 2009, for the annual convention at Franklin College and March 3, 2010, for the First Amendment Symposium at the Indiana Statehouse.

As we continue to plan those programs over the next few weeks, advisers and students are welcome to suggest speakers or topics for sessions. Positive feedback from the double and triple session intensives at the 2008 convention encourage us to offer them again in addition to traditional choices.

Another plus for the past year was a partnership with J-Ideas to offer regional workshops at Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Crown Point. A regional workshop is already planned for the new school year at I.U. Southeast on August 28. Anyone who would be interested in attending that workshop or suggesting a site for 4-8 schools in another location is encouraged to contact me for program possibilities.

I have enjoyed visiting schools and attending awards banquets to meet the students who produce the publications that arrive in the mail. Indiana has much to celebrate.

As we continue to work together to share support and ideas, remember that I am eager to help disseminate news about honors, events, and job openings. (Several 2009 graduates are available to fill vacancies.)

Hoosier Star finalists for both yearbook and newspaper will be posted as a group as soon as I receive newspaper critiques from all the judges.

The Harvey Awards newspaper deadline is June 1, and the yearbook Harvey Awards deadline is September 15. Information about the Harvey competition can be downloaded from the IHSPA Web site:

http://ihspa.franklincollege.edu/