  ___________________________________________________________ 2011 Fall Workshop Ezell Center, Lipscomb University Monday, Nov. 21, 2011
Approximately 380 students and advisers attended THSPA's Fall Workshop on Nov. 21. They selected from 37 sessions throughout the day. The keynote speaker was Phil Williams, the chief investigative reporter for NewsChannel 5 in Nashville. Williams' work has earned him journalism's highest honors, including two duPont-Columbia University Awards and two George Foster Peabody Awards -- both considered to be broadcasting's equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.
Watch his speech above!
Schedule of sessions
BLOCK ONE 10:20-11 a.m. Please select one session to attend... q CULTIVATING A LITERARY JOURNAL IN YOUR SCHOOL This session follows one teacher’s experience with starting a high school literary journal from scratch. Information on all parts of the process will be shared, from gathering administrative support all the way to celebrating the accomplishments of the authors. This session is geared toward current sponsors or students who want to make a difference in their schools. Carrie Abood, Lipscomb University q DO THIS, NOT THAT! If you’ve seen the popular books about what to order in a restaurant called “Eat This, Not That!” you’ll have a sense of what this session is about. Here you’ll be shown how to improve the look of your publication with specific examples of what to do and what not to do. You’ll learn basic rules of layout and design and see bad examples of copy, captions, headlines, photos and so on. More importantly, you’ll learn how to make everything look better really easily. Come to this session if you are new to laying out your newspaper, yearbook or literary magazine and just don’t know where to start. Denise Croker, Harpeth Hall School q INTERSCHOLASTIC ONLINE NEWS NETWORK (ISONN) Want to start a news website for your school? The Interscholastic Online News Network has everything you need to get going – a content management system, server space and training. All for no cost. Your site can be up and running almost immediately, and your students can start learning the basics of online journalism. Jim Stovall, University of Tennessee q MOVING PAST THE FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Many high school newspapers (and even yearbooks) tend to privilege coverage of prep football games that took place a month ago over Tuesday’s gymnastics meet. Likewise, in some schools, young women are still pushed out of the sports department. This session would discuss strategies to avoid stereotypical images of athletes and to create an inclusive atmosphere in the sports room. Likewise, we would provide tips to move past the Friday Night Lights and to ensure that your sports page isn’t dry and stale--like a month-old loaf of bread. Amber Roessner, University of Tennessee q MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING There’s more than one way to tell a story in this multimedia world. This session will focus on creating narrated slide shows that will add a splash to your website. Leon Alligood, Middle Tennessee State University q NEWS GATHERING AND WRITING This session explores ideas for gathering news stories, giving each story a school angle within the context of the community and world, and interviewing important news sources, both within and outside of your school. We will discuss how to effectively organize and write a powerful news story using compelling leads and strong quotes. Joy Oettel, newspaper adviser, Hume-Fogg Academic High School q PHOTOSHOP EFFECTS Learn to use brushes and create incredible effects, textures and backgrounds. You’ll learn how to load and modify brushes, create your own brushes and paint like an art teacher. We’ll show you how brushes and layers combine to unleash the power in Photoshop to bring style and life to your yearbook. Buz Watson, Bill Stoess and Jackson Stoess, Walsworth q PICTURING PEOPLE Associated Press photographer Mark Humphrey has spent years photographing people from all walks of life. He’ll talk about making the most out of what are often less-than-ideal situations. Mark Humphrey, Associated Press q STAFF ORGANIZATION AND MOTIVATION This session, for advisers and editors alike, will explore ways to best manage a staff’s resources – both human and financial. Jan Little, adviser, Brentwood High School q “THERE IS NO NEWS HERE!” Learn where to find those stories that are out there hiding. After this session, you will no longer be able to use the excuse, “There is nothing that ever happens here.” Clay Scott, Volunteer State Community College q THINKING FAST WHEN THINGS GO WRONG “3-2-1…..Go!” How do you prepare yourself for going live on television? Even when things keep to a script, it’s a bit nerve-wracking, and things most often don’t stay as scripted. Whether you’re in front of the camera, behind a camera, in the director’s booth, editing the video or producing the show, you’ve got to be able to think fast and roll with changes. We’ll look at five things that’ll keep you ready when the show is falling apart. Jamey Tucker, reporter/VJ, WKRN-TV q THIS YEAR(BOOK)’S STORY – ARTICLES FOR YEARBOOKS In this session, we discuss how students can tell this year’s unique story, and not a story that could be used for any other year. We will examine several articles from yearbooks and other sources, and we will discuss words that should be banned from your publication. Heather Nagel, yearbook adviser, Christ Presbyterian Academy
BLOCK TWO 11:10-11:50 a.m. Please select one session to attend... q BEING A PRODUCER MEANS BEING A LEADER IN THE NEWSROOM Learn about the challenges and fun involved in being a newscast producer, from motivating people to knowing what is really news to creating award-winning shows. Alan Griggs, Lipscomb University q ENRICHING THE YEARBOOK EXPERIENCE WITH QR CODES Learn what all the buzz is about QR (Quick Response) codes and how they are enriching the print yearbook experience. Find out how to generate excitement and revenue using these popular and informative squares. Josh Houston and Kristen Jobe, Balfour Yearbooks q EXTREME YEARBOOK THEME & DESIGN This session will be some of the latest and greatest yearbook themes and designs. We will focus on purposeful, powerful design, where form follows function of the elements of dominance, variety and graphics. Becky Nichols, Jostens q FEATURE WRITING Don’t let your feature stories be simply “This year’s new teachers”! This session will give advice on searching for feature ideas, the importance of listening, and crafting your “raw materials” into an engaging story. Tim Ghianni, journalist in residence, Lipscomb University q SETTING THE ALARM: USING DESCRIPTIVE WRITING TO WAKE UP YOUR READERS We’ll discuss how description can make your stories more genuine, and we’ll examine the five W’s and the H of description, including when you should use it, why it’s important and how it’s done. Neil Ralston, Western Kentucky University q SHOOTCAMP, PART 1 Professional photographer Justin Wright will teach you how to use your DSLR camera to its full potential by breaking down the basic elements of the camera. Students will learn how to control shutter speed, aperture, ISO and lighting and shoot in manual mode. Take control of your camera, and use it to create the images you envision. (Obviously, bring your camera to this session! You are encouraged to take pictures during lunch and return for Part 2 of ShootCamp at 1 p.m.) Justin Wright, Justin Wright Photography q STUDENT NEWSPAPERS, IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS This session will focus on how student newspapers can use Twitter, Facebook and other social media avenues for reporting, promotion and publication. Joey Strawn, social media strategist, Paramore | the digital agency q THE BEST SEAT IN THE STADIUM Associated Press photographer Mark Humphrey has covered 14 Super Bowls, seven Final Fours, five Olympics, the Stanley Cup Finals and years of regular and post-season professional and college sports. He’ll talk about what goes into shooting sports for the world’s largest news agency. Mark Humphrey, Associated Press q WE KNOW THE SCORE, SO TELL US MORE Technology has changed the face of sports coverage on all levels. The scores and highlights of games are only a click away. Sports reporters have to go beyond the score and the play-by-play. In this session we will talk about how to bring sports alive through profiles, trend stories and general features. Mark McGee, Lipscomb University q WHEN BAD QUOTES HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE Have you ever read a quote in your publication and cringed? Cheesy, boring, and vague quotes happen to even the best journalist sometimes. See examples of some of the best and worst quotes used by student journalists and learn how to ask better questions to get better quotes. Stephanie Crichton, yearbook adviser, Hardin Valley Academy q WHY STUDENT POETRY NEEDS TO BE PUBLISHED: INCORPORATING LITERARY MAGAZINE Are you the editor of a student newspaper or yearbook? Former editor-in-chief of Lipscomb University’s student literary journal Exordium shares why poetry has an important place in student publications beyond the literary magazine and how the publication of student poetry can help change the world we live in. Kayla Bowen, Lipscomb University q WRITING A NEWS STORY OK, you’ve been on assignment, you’ve got your notes…now what? How do you know where to begin? How do you craft a lead? This presentation will give you pointers to remember on deadline. Leon Alligood, Middle Tennessee State University q WRITING FOR THE WEB: FROM INVERTED PYRAMID TO NUTSHELL The speed and immediacy of the web demands a new structure of writing for breaking news stories. Learn about what’s being called the Nutshell and how your students can take advantage of the web’s acceleration of news and information – and still write in a journalistic form. Jim Stovall, University of Tennessee BLOCK THREE 1-1:40 p.m. Please select one session to attend... q ARE YOU CURIOUS? KNOWING HOW TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS Curiosity is a journalistic trait that cannot be taught, but everyone in communications can do a better job of obtaining information. Interesting interviews are basic to writing strong and entertaining stories. In this session students will learn what types of questions to ask and when to ask them. Mark McGee, Lipscomb University q BLOGGING BASICS Blogging is a relatively new and evolving form of journalism and one that’s here to stay. But the relative ease of starting a blog means that everybody’s blogging now, which makes it tough for yours to get noticed. This session takes a look at the role of blogging in journalism and offers tips on how to make your blog interesting...and unique. Chris Lee, founder and publisher, VandySports.com q CLEAR, CONCISE AND CONVERSATIONAL – WRITING FOR THE EAR It seems easy enough: write the way you talk. But even for young writers who haven’t had decades to develop bad habits, using simple sentences and active verbs can be a challenge. For all future broadcasters, podcasters and who-knows-casters, learn the do’s and don’ts of good writing for the ear. Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio q GOOD THINGS IN SMALL PACKAGES – SECONDARY COVERAGE FOR YEARBOOKS This session is about developing content and design for secondary coverage (or modules) on each DPS. We will examine many magazines and yearbooks in our quest to discover what makes a module so interesting and reader friendly, and we will explore how you can use them in your publication. Heather Nagel, yearbook adviser, Christ Presbyterian Academy q IMPROVING YEARBOOK SALES Would you like to sell more yearbooks? Energize your sales with innovative marketing techniques. Learn the power of promotion and watch your sales soar. Buz Watson, Bill Stoess and Jackson Stoess, Walsworth q IN THE BEGINNING… GOING FROM CHAOS TO COMPLETION ONLINE Thinking of starting a website to accompany your newspaper or literary magazine? Wondering how to begin? Or have you begun, and you’re wondering how to make it better? This session will be led by four students and their adviser, who started an online news site in 2010. In its first year, the website earned Best in State, and we have improved the site since then. We’ll tell you about lessons we’ve learned along the way and skills we’re still learning. After our presentation, there will be time for you to ask questions, get advice and share resources. Denise Croker and students, Harpeth Hall School q JOURNALISM IN A BACKPACK The future of journalism will fit in your backpack. If you want to be a journalist, pack your backpack and explore the “new” world in this session. Clay Scott, Volunteer State Community College q NEWSCAST REPORTING The life of a reporter can be very exciting, rewarding and, yes, even glamorous sometimes, but only if you approach it equipped with some important attributes. We’ll talk about those and what you need to do to acquire them in this informative and entertaining session! Alan Griggs, Lipscomb University q NO MORE DARK AND STORMY NIGHTS: FINDING FEATURE LEADS THAT WORK We’ll talk about some of the tricks professional writers use to craft feature leads that grab their readers. And we’ll figure out some of the traps you need to avoid if you want to show off your best stuff. Neil Ralston, Western Kentucky University q READING BETWEEN THE LINES: MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS ABOUT Is censorship an issue in your school? Are you and your staff finding it challenging to provide a place for honest student expression without pushing the limits? Former editor-in-chief of Lipscomb University’s student creative arts publication, Exordium, discusses the role of censorship in student publications and how to make content decisions without compromising artistic freedom, especially in less literal material such as poetry. Kaya Bowen, Lipscomb University q REDUCTION, GRIDS AND TYPE Graphic designer Logan Hartline will teach a broad overview of the current best practices of design: specifically print, web, digital and interactive. This lecture will present examples of graphic design, newspapers, magazines, on-air graphics, etc., and how reduction, grids and type help all work together to communicate great design. You will also learn tangible ways to begin implementing some of these practices into your work. Logan Hartline, freelance graphic designer q SHOOTCAMP, PART 2 Professional photographer Justin Wright will use his six years of portrait/wedding photography experience to teach you how to create images with strong composition and use natural light to its full potential. The second half of this class will be spent putting these techniques to use outside. It is highly recommended that students attending this class also attend ShootCamp Part 1 at 11:10 a.m. Justin Wright, Justin Wright Photography
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