Q and A with the Pros: Shahla Farzan

Matthew Amlong, WHS Blue Jay Journal TV staff member Washington, Mo.

July 18, 2018

Shahla Farzan works currently as a general assignment reporter and weekend newscaster for St. Louis Public Radio. She didn't take the "direct route" to journalism; instead she spent six years studying bees and earned her Ph.D. in ecology. She is a self-proclaimed "friend and admirer of native bees." Her...

Q and A with the Pros: Jonathan Ketz

June 24, 2018

Television was in his blood from the very beginning, anchor Jonathan Ketz chose to follow the generations of broadcasters and story-tellers in his family -- even starting at the same station as his father and grandfather. SJ: When and how were you bit by the journalism bug? Ketz: "I was hit with the jou...

Q and A with the Pros: Derek Byrne

June 10, 2018

As he builds his career in communications, Kansas City-native Derek Byrne found learning every skill he can and his strong writing skills have been essential tools for moving from high school yearbook to a Texas university to New York City and back home to the Midwest. Today, Byrne works in social media at ...

Minarets HS wins First Amendment PSA contest

May 8, 2018

SchoolJournalism.org’s second annual First Amendment Matters PSA contest had many great entries. States represented in this contest included; South Carolina, Kentucky, California, New Jersey, Missouri, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Idaho, Utah, Michigan, and Texas. Choosing a winner was not an easy...

Service Points in Yearbook Generate Motivation

Leigh Rogers, Hermann, Mo., yearbook adviser

April 24, 2018

Last year came to a rough close with large chunks of the yearbook incomplete; a team exhausted and frustrated, struggling to work together; and a lack of knowing how to institute work in a class with such a complex grading criteria. When I asked staff members to complete a task, there was not much repercussion for doing a poor job other than a loss of points from their ...

SchoolJournalism.org First Amendment Video PSA Contest 2018

April 1, 2018

Multiple surveys and studies have shown that Americans remain unaware of the five freedoms the First Amendment guarantees. When more Americans can name characters from an animated television series than the freedoms outlined by the First Amendment, that is a clear indicator the time for education is...

Q and A with the Pros: Kelly Renkemeyer

Zach Batson, WHS Blue Jay Journal TV staff member, Washington, Mo.

April 1, 2018

As a child Kelly Renkemeyer watched her father create paintings at home. Through grade school and especially into high school her interest in art increased. Her experiences with her high school art teacher, Karen Dawson, inspired Kelly. She took as many art classes as possible and decided to major in...

Transforming to a Coach When Teaching Photography

Leigh Rogers, Hermann, Mo., yearbook adviser

March 21, 2018

Each year, I find photography is a challenging concept to teach my new yearbook staffers. I orchestrate a variety of activities and lessons throughout the year on how to use manual settings, as well as how to recognize photographic elements: emotion, background, lighting, rule of thirds, leading lines,...

Q and A with the Pros: Ryan Delaney

Matthew Amlong, WHS Blue Jay Journal TV staff member, Washington, Mo.

March 9, 2018

Ryan Delaney is currently an education reporter at St. Louis Public Radio. He covers higher education and the many school districts in the St. Louis region. He's also won multiple reporting awards for his work, which has aired on NPR, "The Takeaway," and WGBH's "Innovation Hub." You can lea...

Q and A with the Pros: Wanda Parsons

Michelle Turner, Washington, MO, and JEA 2016 Broadcast Adviser of the Year

February 12, 2018

After a career in real estate, Wanda Parsons now works with marketing, graphic design, and photography in her position with the City of Union, Missouri. Beyond those endeavors, she’s established herself as an award-winning photographer in the region. She sat down recently with SchoolJournalism to share...