ABOUT US/JOIN ASPA
The Alabama Scholastic Press Association seeks to empower K-12 newspaper, yearbook, newsmagazine, literary magazine, website and broadcast staffs in Alabama. To join us, fill out our membership form!
ASPA hosts The Long Weekend, a summer journalism camp in Tuscaloosa, Alabama each year, holds a State Convention in Tuscaloosa, Alabama each spring, and presents a series of Fall Regional Workshops in various Alabama cities each September. ASPA also works in conjunction with and in support of the Multicultural Journalism Program and its summer workshop.
ASPA participates in events with the Southern Interscholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Elementary School Press Association, and the Journalism Education Association, as well as coordinates an annual critique of publications and broadcasts and offers individual contests and on-site competitions. ASPA stands ready to assist K-12 journalists and advisers.
ASPA Board of Directors, 2021-2023
Vice President: Gina Aaij, LAMP High School, Montgomery
Secretary: Jacy Douglas, Parkside High School, Baileyton
Immediate Past-President: Capri Day, Brookwood High School, Tuscaloosa
ASPA Schools
Below is the list of schools ASPA partners with across Alabama. We wipe the slate clean each school year and start over. Don’t see your school on our list or want to become an ASPA member? Fill out our membership form!
2021-2022 members
Bayside Academy, Azimuth Circle, literary magazine, Daphne
Bob Jones High School, The Eclectic, literary magazine; Patriot Pages news website, Madison
Brookwood High School, Panther Talk, broadcast, Brookwood
Clay-Chalkville High School, CCN-TV, broadcast; Legacy, yearbook, Pinson
Clements High School, The Corral, yearbook, Athens
Cullman High School, The Highlight, newspaper, Cullman
Daphne High School, Palladium, yearbook, Daphne
Hillcrest High School, PATS TV, broadcast, Tuscaloosa
Lee High School, Harmoniouslee, literary magazine
Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) High School, The Torch, yearbook, Montgomery
McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, Vespidae, yearbook; Ingenium, Literary Magazine, Mobile
Mountain Brook High School, Spartan 2 News, broadcast; Sword & Shield news magazine, Mountain Brook
New Hope High School, The Indian, yearbook; The Arrow News, online website, New Hope
Parkside School, Panther Pride, yearbook, Baileyton
Pelham High School, Panther Playback, broadcast, Pelham
Pike Road High School, The Revere, Pike Road
Sparkman High School, Silhouette, literary magazine; The Senator, yearbook; The Crimson Crier, newspaper; Crimson Crier, online website, Harvest
St. Clair County High School, St. Clarion yearbook
Thompson High School, THS-TV, Alabaster
Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy, BCN-TV, Broadcast, Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa County High School, Cats-TV, broadcast, Tuscaloosa
Past ASPA Directors and Coordinators
1958-80 James L. Nisbet, director, High School Service, Division of
Continuing Education
-1976 William F. O’Connor, director, Field Services, School of
Communication
1976-81 Charles Arrendell, chair, Program in Journalism/AHSPA-AJEA
liaison
1980- John K. Conroy, director, Office of Campus Programs
1981-82 Rita Oates, professor of journalism/AHSPA-AJEA liaison
1981-85 Charles Self, chair, Journalism Department, AHSPA liaison
1982-84 Marian Huttentine, professor of journalism/ASPA coordinator
David Heggem, Office of Campus Programs
1984-92 Marie Parsons, graduate assistant and journalism
instructor/ASPA director
1985-87 David Sloan, acting chair, Journalism Department
1987-91 Jay Black, chair, Journalism Department
1991-92 Ed Mullins, chair, Journalism Department
1992-94 Kathy Lawrence, director, Student Media Programs/ASPA
director
1992-93 Suzanne Cambell, graduate assistant/ASPA coordinator
1993-94 Jimmy McCollum, graduate assistant/ASPA coordinator
1994-01 Monica Hill, external relations specialist, Division of Student
Affairs/ASPA director
2002-04 Andy Duncan, assistant director, Office of Student
Media/ASPA
director
2004-05 Deidre Stalnaker, assistant director, Office of Student
Media/ASPA
coordinator
2005-07 Amanda Al-Betar, program coordinator, UA College of
Continuing Studies
2007 Marissa Reeves, instructor, journalism/public relations, liaison
2006-07 Loy Singleton, acting chair, Department of Journalism
2007 Jennifer Greer, chair, Department of Journalism
2007-2008 Marie Parsons, emeritus, ASPA interim director
2008-present Meredith Cummings, senior journalism instructor, ASPA director