Iowa journalism students and advisers know Chris Snider.

He is good with gadgets. When drones first trickled down to common folk, Snider introduced students to them.

When high school students need to hear someone besides their advisers telling them something, Snider reaffirms what their advisers told them.

As an associate professor in Drake University’s School of Journalism, Snider conducts workshops for high school students, teaches college students digital media and coaches advisers during IHSPA’s professional development day.

For his service to scholastic journalism in Iowa, he will receive IHSPA’s Stratton Award Oct. 19 at the state conference in Iowa City where he will also be presenting sessions.

The Prize Patrol surprised Snider during one of his Friday afternoon multimedia classes. Drake journalism faculty including Associate Professor Jennifer Glover Kronfrst, herself a winner of several IHSPA yearbook awards back somewhere in the 1990s, several students not in the multimedia class, Drake Career Specialist Timm Pilcher, IHSPA President Leslie Shipp and Snider’s wife, Laura, and his three children all joined in the fun.

The Stratton Award is named for Kenneth Stratton, a long-time Des Moines East adviser and IHSPA legend.