CSPA Summer Journalism Workshop

CSPA chairman Welborn receives prestigious award

CSPA chairman and president Larry Welborn has been recognized by the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice with their prestigious Award for Journalistic Integrity.

In honoring Welborn — the presentation will be made Dec. 13 in San Francisco — the CACJ described him as ”a giant among men” and ”the beat reporter of a nearly bygone era who got it right and true.” The CACJ noted that its Award for Journalistic Integrity is not given annually, but only to someone highly deserving.

Welborn recently retired after a 43-year career as the legal affairs reporter for the Orange County Register, in which he covered many high-profile cases but showed a high level of enthusiasm and dedication in every story he covered.

The CACJ further noted that Welborn ”brought level, correct, fair reporting where others sensationalized. From his first day to his last, Larry was excited to work in the tiny, windowless courthouse bureau office to report on some new trial.”

Since 1981, Welborn has been the chairman and president of CSPA, which is preparing for its 64th-annual high school journalism workshop on the campus of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

CSPA welcomes 26 graduates to family

The 63rd-annual California Scholastic Press Association Journalism Workshop ended July 25, when all 26 students participated in the graduation ceremonies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and celebrated 13 days of work and fun.

Jose Contreras of South Mountain High School in Phoenix, Ariz., received the Ralph Alexander Award while Katherine Chavez of Cleveland High in Reseda received the Millie Alexander Award. The awards, voted on by workshop instructors and counselors, annually honor CSPA’s founders.

Jessica Spitz of Harvard-Westlake High accumulated the most points, as she and her classmates completed approximately 30 workshop assignments. Julia Poe, Trevor Sochocki, Chavez, Michelle Leung and Zach Klamann were also in the top six in total points.

During the workshop, students took classes in news writing, editorial writing, sportswriting, reviews, column writing and other aspects of print journalism. They learned about public relations and how to access public records. They shot photos, produced a four-page newspaper, taped a television broadcast and maintained their own blogs. They took trips to the local television station and newspaper office and enjoyed an afternoon at the beach.

Most importantly, the students learned skills that will benefit them for decades to come, and made lifelong friends.

Welborn talks `Notorious’

Larry Welborn, CSPA chairman and legal affairs reporter for The Orange County Register, appeared on the KOCE-TV news program “Real Orange” on Aug. 2 to discuss his new e-book, “Notorious OC.”

The Register’s first-ever e-book, ”Notorious OC” chronicles the most notorious criminal happenings in Orange County since its incorporation in 1889.

Welborn has covered the Orange County Courthouse, as a reporter or editor, for 34 years and is widely recognized as the region’s best and most-trusted courts reporter. The “Notorious OC” e-book is available through Amazon.com at this link.

Click below for Welborn’s interview with KOCE-TV.

Continue reading “Welborn talks `Notorious’”

CSPA adds 26 to family

The 61st-annual California Scholastic Press Association Journalism Workshop ended July 27, as all 26 students participated in the graduation ceremonies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and celebrated 13 days of work and fun.

Alec Lautanen of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach received the Ralph Alexander Award while Jess Faunt of Cleveland High School in Portland received the Millie Alexander Award. The awards, voted on by workshop instructors and counselors, annually honor CSPA’s founders.

Lautanen also accumulated the most points (2,409) as he and his classmates completed approximately 35 workshop assignments. Matthew Chow (2,401), Joyce Kim (2,396), Elana Zeltser (2,389) and Faunt (2,388) were also in the top five in total points.

Most importantly, the students learned skills that will benefit them for decades to come, and made lifelong friends.

(photo by Larry Welborn)

CSPA grads, now authors

Notorious OC by Larry Welborn A selection of books by SSA and CSPA grads (high school, year of workshop in parentheses):

Agarwal, Priya (Chadwick High, 1986 workshop), “Passage from India: Post-1965 Indian Immigrants and Their Children,” pub. by Yuvati Co., 1991.

Bruns, Bill (San Dieguito, 1960), “Winning Is Everything and Other American Myths” (co-author), MacMillan, 1976. Also: “Teaching Children Tennis the Vic Braden Way,” Little Brown & Co. (co-author); several other books.

Daley, Ken (Cypress, 1982), “This Year Is Different: How the Mavs Won It All” (editor), Diversion Books.

Eastman, Janet (1975), “Simple Indulgence—Easy, Everyday Things to Do for Me,” Andrews McMeel, 1999.Continue reading “CSPA grads, now authors”

CSPA Blogger – Feb. 2012

Ralph and the Oscars

Since this is the time of the year when the Oscars are in the news, let’s talk about the CSPA’s Academy Awards winners. Or, more specifically, the Oscar winners who began as high school members of the Scholastic Sports Association, the predecessor to the CSPA.

FRED ROOS (Hollywood High, 1952) went on to win an Academy Award for producing “The Godfather, Part II.” You may recall that Roos showed his appreciation for the SSA by giving founder RALPH ALEXANDER a cameo in the movie (as a reporter, of course). Ralph used to tell the story of how, when a scene showing the reporters was about to be shot, the movie’s director told them, “All right, light up,” meaning light their cigarettes. The director was shocked when Ralph told him he didn’t smoke.

Ralph and the Oscars

Ralph and the Oscars, Part II:Continue reading “CSPA Blogger – Feb. 2012”