Columbia Scholastic Press Association

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) will honor six advisers with its Gold Key in 2011.

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 will be presented to their recipients during a special Adviser Awards Luncheon on Friday, March 18, 2011 at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Mary Kay Downes, immediate past president of the Columbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association and chair of the CSPAA’s Honors Committee, will read the citations for each recipient while Edmund J. Sullivan, executive director of the CSPA, will present the award to each honoree.

Limited seating is still available for the FREE Adviser Awards Luncheon on Friday, March 18th. While the luncheon is free to attend for all advisers registered for the Convention, each person must reserve their seat in advance. We can only accommodate the first 150 people who reserve for the luncheon. Please reserve your luncheon seat only if you are sure you will be able to attend.

The luncheon is part of CSPA’s 87th annual Convention, held from March 16-18, 2011 at Columbia University in the City of New York.

2011 Gold Key Honorees

Renee Burke 
Journalism adviser
William R. Boone High School, Orlando, FL 

Michele Dunaway
Journalism adviser
Francis Howell High School, St. Charles, MO 

Valerie Kibler
Newspaper adviser
Harrisonburg High School, Harrisonburg, VA 

Barbara Ann Milch
Yearbook adviser
Riverside High School, Riverside, NJ 

Wayna Polk
Yearbook adviser
Abilene High School, Abilene, TX 

Bretton Zinger
Journalism adviser
Chantilly High School, Chantilly, VA 

Please note: school and organization affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.