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.

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.

(photo by Larry Welborn)

CSPA grads, now authors

Notorious OC by Larry WelbornA 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

Close-up of Oscar awardRalph 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, Part II:Continue reading “CSPA Blogger – Feb. 2012”

CSPA continues six-decade partnership with Cal Poly

Cal Poly is home to the CSPA WorkshopThe story of the California Scholastic Press Association journalism workshop was shared on the Cal Poly website.

Said Cal Poly journalism professor Bill Loving: “This program shows why journalism will always be a vital part of society.”

To read the complete story, visit Cal Poly’s website.

Celebrate 60 years of CSPA

CSPA is 60Did you stay in Heron Hall? Lassen Hall? Walk to the theatre with Ralph? Lose to Larry in softball? Spend 13 days eating Poly burgers? Cover the Glenn Ellis O’Conner trial?

If you attended the CSPA (or SSA/IPA) Workshop or volunteered as an instructor, you’re part of the family, part of six decades’ worth of memories and success stories. To celebrate our 60th anniversary, the CSPA is having a reunion picnic during this year’s workshop, on Saturday, July 23, in San Luis Obispo.

The picnic, to be held from 2-6 p.m. at Cuesta Canyon County Park — slightly southeast of the Cal Poly campus — will include a full catered meal. More importantly, it’s a chance to reconnect with the instructors and classmates who have helped make CSPA special.

Continue reading “Celebrate 60 years of CSPA”