Record Turnout for Publication Workshop; HMA Sweeps Newspaper Awards

Academy students from across the western states learned tips from design and editing professionals September 6-8 at PUC’s annual Publication Workshop. This year’s crowd was the largest in the 21-year history of the program, with 26 schools in attendance. Publication Workshop provides invaluable experience for high school yearbook, video yearbook, and newspaper publishers, and for many students is a first step into a lifelong career in publishing or journalism.

“PUC does an amazing job at providing support through the workshops and especially the opportunity to network with each other,” said Stanley Matsuda, yearbook sponsor at Redding Adventist Academy in Redding, Calif.

This year’s program instructors included professors from PUC’s communication and visual arts departments, working professionals in the public relations and student life offices, and upper division design students—some in their first teaching experiences. The program also tapped resources from off campus, including keynote speaker Donna Rooney, who has been a writer for a variety of TV shows and websites; Jesse Duarte, a reporter for the local newspaper St. Helena Star; and John Tagamolila, an assistant director with credits including The Fighter and Dear John, and an adjunct professor in PUC’s visual arts department.

“Publication Workshop was a great mix of intelligent academy students, gifted instructors, supportive sponsors and engaging worship,” says program co-director Patrick Vogelpohl, a professor of communication and journalism at PUC. “With enrollment up nearly 40 percent from last summer, Publication Workshop brought great energy to PUC right before most students return to campus.”

Following the workshop sessions on Wednesday, each academy showcased its publications from the previous year, and a panel of workshop presenters evaluated their work and gave awards in several categories. Hawaiian Mission Academy in Honolulu took home the most awards, sweeping all four newspaper categories: excellence in publishing, photography, writing, and layout and design. The local Angwin, Calif. academy Pacific Union College Preparatory School claimed the second most, with awards for yearbook photography and yearbook layout and design.

The remaining awards went to Thunderbird Adventist Academy in Scottsdale, Ariz., for excellence in yearbook publishing; South Bay Junior Academy in Torrance, Calif., for excellence in yearbook publishing for an elementary school or junior academy; and Redding Adventist Academy for yearbook writing. Ukiah Junior Academy in Ukiah, Calif., earned an honorable mention.