Two state journalism groups honor Walsworth yearbook sales reps
Written by Marketing Staff
Kansas City, Mo. (May 13, 2009) – The state scholastic press associations of Florida and Missouri honored two veteran Walsworth yearbook sales representatives with prestigious awards.
Missy Green received the Gold Medallion, the highest award the Florida State Press Association bestows, during the group’s April convention. Only three are given each year to honor service to scholastic journalism. One of the criteria to be nominated is that the person must have improved journalism in Florida for high school students. Nominees come from the FSPA’s executive board and former recipients.
“Missy is a natural for this award. She should have had it years ago,” said Jill Maassen, who is in charge of the award for FSPA. “I’ve been involved in FSPA since high school and when I think of the people who have truly made a difference in journalism for Florida’s high school journalists, Missy is one of the top three.”
“I was sort of dumbfounded. It was one of the nicest awards I’ve received,” Green said. She said she enjoys working with FSPA since the organization is great at helping youth.
Green, who has been in the yearbook business for 33 years, earned the Friend of Scholastic Journalism Award from the Journalism Education Association last fall. It was the first time JEA gave the award to a yearbook sales representative.
John Kelley was awarded the Taft Award by the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association during its J-Day 2009 in April. The Taft Award is given to one individual each year for continuing outstanding service in furthering high school journalism education.
“It is not given lightly, and some years the organization has not awarded it to anyone,” said Marc Russell, MIPA president.
While Green was totally surprised by her award, Kelley was asked to attend J-Day because he was told he would be receiving an award. He just didn’t know it was MIPA’s top award.
“First of all, it’s special because of the other people in the past who have won it,” Kelley said. “Also it’s special to me because it tells me that all the things I do for schools in the state of Missouri, they really appreciate it.”
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