Pictured above are previous DJNF Teachers of the Year at the 2016 JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Indianapolis (L-R): John Bowen, Mitch Eden, Jim McGonnell, Dow Tate, Lori Keekley, Karl Grubaugh, Valerie Kibler, Candace Bowen, Jim Streisel, Robin Sawyer, Aaron Manfull and Ellen Austin. Photo by Bradley Wilson.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Dow Jones News Fund and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association are pleased to announce CSPA will administer and sponsor the National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year Program. The News Fund will become a co-sponsor.

The Dow Jones News Fund established the program in 1960 to select one outstanding high school media teacher or adviser each year as Teacher of the Year. Today, the award recognizes a high school educator who teaches innovative media techniques, mentors students to produce award-winning journalism and encourages students to consider media careers. In addition to the Teacher of the Year, DJNF also names eight high school journalism teachers and media advisers who go beyond the call of duty as Distinguished Advisers and Special Recognition Advisers.

Fifty-eight teachers have been honored with the highest distinction while more than 250 others have been selected as Distinguished Advisers and Special Recognition Advisers. Click here for a complete list.

CSPA has been a valued co-sponsor of the program for decades, featuring the Teacher of the Year at an advisers luncheon during its spring convention, providing accommodations, promoting the program and inviting honorees to present sessions.

Linda Shockley, managing director of the Dow Jones News Fund, said, “We value this enhanced partnership where CSPA will draw upon its extensive connections with some of the best scholastic journalism teachers in the nation. We believe the association with Columbia University and CSPA adds to the prestige of the honor.”

“We welcome this historic opportunity to continue this preeminent national recognition program for talented faculty advisers to high school student media,” said Ed Sullivan, executive director of CSPA. “It will be available to advisers, whether their publications are members of the CSPA or not.”

Panelists from DJNF and CSPA, other scholastic journalism organizations, college-level media and professional journalists will evaluate applications and make recommendations based on teachers’ responses to questions about curriculum, diversity, journalistic ethics, First Amendment rights, service to scholastic journalism and the quality of student media they advise.

The honorees will be recognized at CSPA’s fall convention and the Teacher of the Year will present sessions and be featured at a luncheon during the spring convention. The teacher’s media program will receive a laptop computer and the chance to teach peers during the college journalism educators’ convention.

Additional benefits include free webinars from the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal and $3,000 in college scholarships for students of the five top-ranking teachers.

Guidelines and application forms are available on the CSPA website. Deadline to apply is November 27, 2017.