Over 750 students from 42 high schools attended this year’s Fall Conference. Keynote speaker Lucy Rohden, Sports Personalty at the Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz, opened the conference sharing her journey from a student dabbling in brand building to becoming a successful content creator in the new age of media. Rohden gradated from the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2020.
This year, there were new vendors for students to interact with during the conference including University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Drake University, Des Moines Area Community College, and our yearbook vendors – Walsworth, Jostens, and Varsity! Students were also able to get different badges to put on their press passes with the following options to choose from: editor, online staff, newspaper staff, and yearbook staff.
Student participants attended 52 breakout sessions during the three different session times. They learned skills and information they can bring back to their schools to help support their high school journalism work. The conference ended with the IHSPA announcements, awards ceremony, and announcements of the top awards given to 10 schools! Check out the full Fall Yearbook Contest Results Here!
Here’s the list of top honors and awards given at the 2024 IHSPA Fall Conference:
Teacher of the Year:
Maureen Dyer, Pleasant Valley High School
Stratton Award:
Kyle Phillips, SNO
Administrator of the Year:
Dr. Andy Miehe, Waterloo West Principal
News Team of the Year Winners:
Iowa City, City High – The Little Hawk
Iowa City West – West Side Story
Liberty – The Live Wire
Waterloo West – Wahawk Insider
West Branch – The Bear
Yearbook of the Year Winners:
Webster City – Torch
Pella – The Duchess
Bettendorf – The Beacon
Mount Vernon – The Centaur
West Delaware – The Hawk
