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Six scholastic and two professional recipients honored for their contributions to CSPA

With the Gold Key, CSPA recognizes educators and members of the professional press primarily for their service to the Association. Through their contributions to CSPA, Gold Key recipients have demonstrated their support for excellence in teaching journalism and in advising student publications.

Col. Joseph Murphy began the tradition of awarding Gold Keys in 1929, more than 75 years ago, shortly after the Association was founded in 1925.

The Gold Key Award citations state:

"In recognition of the outstanding devotion to the cause of the school press, encouragement to the student editors in their several endeavors, service above and beyond the call of delegated duty, leadership in the field of education, and support of the high ideals from which the Association has drawn its strength and inspiration."

Gold Keys were presented to their recipients during a special Adviser Awards Luncheon on Friday, March 16, 2007 at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Kathleen Zwiebel, immediate past president of the Columbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association and chair of the CSPAA’s Honors Committee, read the citations for each recipient while Edmund J. Sullivan, executive director of the CSPA, presented the award to each recipient.

The luncheon was part of CSPA’s 83rd annual Scholastic Convention held from March 14-16, 2007 at Columbia University in the City of New York.

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The following are the citations for the Gold Key awards, presented on March 16, 2007 at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Each citation was written and presented by Kathleen D. Zwiebel, publications adviser at Pottsville Area High School (Pottsville, PA) and immediate past president of the Columbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association.

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Bridget Colabello

Bridget describes herself as "lucky" in having a career that merges two of her passions - teaching and journalism.

After 15 years at the high school level, Bridget became a publications adviser and teacher at the Soule Road Middle School in Liverpool, NY. She advises the yearbook, created The Orange and Blue Book Review publication and expanded it to include "on air" book talks during the daily student news show. This spring her students will publish the school’s first school-wide literary magazine.

Her principal, Robert Sheitz, said, "Bridget is a teacher whose ability and dedication are simply unsurpassed."

Bridget has served as a judge for CSPA for several years.

Denise Baez, CSPA assistant director for awards, wrote, "Judging is not an easy task to undertake - it takes time and patience. Bridget always gives 100%. Her critiques are all done on time with thoughtful and thorough comments."

Bridget wrote, "Serving as a publications adviser is a rewarding experience. The joy comes from working with students throughout the entire process. We begin with a clean slate and end with a tangible product of which they can be proud."

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association proudly bestows its Gold Key on Bridget Colabello.

Erin Coggins

Erin Coggins has a B.A. in communications, a B.S. in Language Arts Education and a masters in school counseling. She is a director of the Alabama Scholastic Press Association and was named their Adviser of the Year twice.

At Sparkman High School, she has established a nationally recognized journalism program with an award winning yearbook and newspaper. She wrote the curriculum to create a Journalism I class.

Pat Newcomb, an editor at the Huntsville Times, wrote "Erin is an exceptional advocate for student journalism. She encourages her students to take on challenging issues at the school and stands behind her reporters when they are writing about something that needs examination."

CSPA assistant director Denise Baez wrote, "As a CSPA judge you can tell she cares about what she is doing."

Erin explained her philosophy of journalism as, "I love the nit and grit of scholastic journalism. Nothing is more satisfying to me than to see my passion for journalism become the passion of one of my students after he has had his own journalistic encounter of chasing down a good story."

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association takes pride in honoring Erin Coggins with its Gold Key.

Rosalie Cooper

After teaching science, and health and physical education for several years, Rosalie Cooper decided to expand her subject area.

As Matt Bromme of Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education (and Rosalie’s former principal and superintendent) said, "She believed that our middle school children would benefit from a curriculum on Publications for early childhood. The program [she developed] allowed her students to write their own books and class newspapers."

Rosalie then requested to add the teaching of computer technology to her assignment which she continues to do today at the Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School in Queens where she also advises the award-winning yearbook.

In addition, her work for CSPA has been invaluable. "Rosalie Cooper is always willing to take on critiques even in the busiest time of her teaching season," Denise Baez said.

Rosalie explained why she enjoys doing publication critiques, "As a judge and adviser I know the trials and tribulations of having a staff and being in charge of a yearbook. When I critique, I always keep that in mind. I find that the critique process is very rewarding because there are numerous schools with publications that present a positive image to the public."

Rosalie Cooper, you are most deserving of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Gold Key.

 Pete LeBlanc

Sports writer. Football coach. Newspaper and yearbook adviser. This isn’t the usual description of a publications adviser; but then, Pete LeBlanc isn’t your usual adviser.

Among Pete’s many honors are the Journalism Education Association 2006 Adviser of the Year and Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Distinguished Adviser. The publications he advises have received a combined total of 13 Crowns and 13 Pacemakers.

Paul Ender said, "Interactive coverage, content driven design, alternative copy, true maestro teams where reporters, designers, editors and photographers really plan together; these are all areas where Pete’s influence on publications nationwide can be seen."

Pete wrote, "Student journalism changed my life, defining me as a professional. When I stared teaching 15 years ago, I had dreams of coaching varsity basketball and football. I have since become the head freshman football coach so I can speak from experience when I say that advising a journalism program that produces a yearbook and newspaper is like coaching six sports teams. I work with my students for the equivalent of three sports seasons, and the teaching is very much the same as coaching athletes. Break down the larger tasks into smaller, knowable and teachable skills. Help students find their place on the team and then let them play the game. There are no dittos or scantrons in the publications program - it’s all about authentic assessment."

Pete LeBlanc is 100% authentic and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association is proud to bestow its Gold Key on him.

 Diana Mitsu Klos

According to Scott Bosley, executive director of the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE), Diana, as the ASNE Senior Project Director, has been the driving force in creating summer institutes for journalism advisers, providing monetary grants to high schools to start or invigorate publications in partnership with local newspapers, creating an electronic newspaper to highlight student work around the country, and developing the go to source web site for high school journalists and teachers.

Diana’s work enables high school journalists to understand the value of quality journalism, and to assure the continuance of the informed dialogue that keeps our democracy strong.

In the words of Mark Goodman, executive director of the Student Press Law Center (SPLC), "Diana has been the kind of spokesperson and ally that the student press so desperately needs. Whenever we at the SPLC learn of a particularly notorious censorship conflict in a community where the support of local professionals could make a difference, it only took a call to Diana for her to search out a local editor who would cover the incident and sometimes even editorialize against the school’s actions."

Goodman continued, "Diana Mitsu Klos represents something so important to the scholastic press yet so rare: a representative of an association of professional journalists who has worked tirelessly to encourage the growth of student journalism and full participation in and understanding of a free press by young reporters and editors around the nation."

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association proudly recognizes this champion of scholastic journalism, Diana Mitsu Klos, with its Gold Key.

Kathleen Neumeyer, Harvard-Westlake, North Hollywood, CA;
Mike Taylor, Taylor Publishing Company , Dallas, TX;
Ray Westbrook, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Dallas, TX.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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