Iowa High School Press Association

Iowa High School Press Association
Name	Iowa High School Press Association
Formation	1921
Type	Scholastic journalism association
Headquarters	Des Moines, Iowa
Region served	Iowa
Membership	High school newspapers, yearbooks, broadcast programs
Leader title	Executive Director

Iowa High School Press Association

The Iowa High School Press Association serves as a statewide scholastic journalism organization linking high school newspapers, yearbooks, broadcast programs and journalism advisers across Iowa, and interacting with national and regional bodies. It provides professional development, adjudication, standards, and student opportunities, connecting local programs to networks in Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., and major university journalism schools. The association’s work touches communities from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids, Sioux City to Davenport, and partners with institutions such as the University of Iowa and Iowa State University.

History

Founded in the early 20th century, the organization grew during periods marked by the influence of the Smith Act era of the 1920s, the expansion of scholastic organizations paralleling groups like the National Scholastic Press Association, and the rise of radio and television in the Golden Age of Radio. Early leaders included advisers who trained under programs at the University of Iowa School of Journalism and who participated in conferences with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Missouri School of Journalism. During the mid-20th century the association adapted to legal developments influenced by cases such as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and debates reflected in publications like The New York Times and Time (magazine), while later aligning standards with national organizations including the Journalism Education Association and the Associated Press.

The association’s archival records document interactions with state education agencies and landmark civic events including visits by figures associated with the Kennedy administration, the Reagan administration, and policy debates in Iowa City and Ames. Notable milestones coincided with national conventions held in locales like Chicago, Minneapolis, and St. Louis, and with educators who later contributed to programs at Northwestern University Medill School and Syracuse University Newhouse School.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises secondary school staff advisers, student editors, and media program coordinators from public and private schools across counties such as Polk County, Iowa, Linn County, Iowa, and Scott County, Iowa. Institutional partners include departments at the University of Northern Iowa, community colleges like Iowa Central Community College, and statewide bodies comparable to the Iowa Department of Education (as a point of coordination). The association liaises with national entities including the College Media Association, the Student Press Law Center, the Associated Collegiate Press, and the National Association of Broadcasters.

Advisory boards and committees feature representatives connected to professional organizations such as the Iowa Newspaper Association and media outlets like the Des Moines Register, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Quad-City Times, Sioux City Journal, and public broadcasters including Iowa Public Radio and PBS NewsHour affiliates. Member schools range from large districts like Des Moines Public Schools and Cedar Rapids Community School District to smaller districts in towns such as Ames, Iowa, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Dubuque, Iowa, Waterloo, Iowa, and Burlington, Iowa.

Activities and Programs

The association organizes summer workshops, regional clinics, and student media camps modeled after programs at Medill Summer Journalism Program and university-run institutes such as Poynter Institute sessions. Professional development includes sessions on ethics informed by cases like Near v. Minnesota and reporting techniques comparable to curricula at Columbia Journalism Review seminars. Programs promote multimedia skills—print, broadcast, photojournalism, and digital storytelling—mirroring training available at Reuters Institute, BBC Academy, and Nieman Foundation fellowships.

It sponsors guest speakers drawn from outlets like the Associated Press, CNN, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, and facilitates student internships with organizations such as Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, and local broadcast stations affiliated with ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX Broadcasting Company. The association partners with civic groups including the Iowa Press Association Foundation and participates in statewide initiatives tied to events like the Iowa State Fair and legislative forums at the Iowa State Capitol.

Competitions and Awards

The association runs annual contests for newswriting, feature writing, opinion, photography, design, yearbook pages, and broadcast packages, analogous to competitions by the National Scholastic Press Association and the Quill Awards. Judges often include professionals from the Des Moines Register, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and faculty from the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and Drake University. Student winners advance to regional and national contests sponsored by groups like the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and the CSPA.

Awards recognize excellence with named honors honoring journalism educators and alumni connected to institutions such as Grinnell College, Cornell College, and Coe College. Special recognition has been given for investigative projects that mirror work recognized by the Pulitzer Prize and for broadcast packages in styles similar to Peabody Awards winners.

Publications and Resources

The association publishes style guides, ethics codes, and adjudication rubrics used by advisers and student staffs, comparable to the AP Stylebook and materials from the Student Press Law Center. It produces newsletters, conference proceedings, and online resources hosted in collaboration with university programs at Iowa State University Greenlee School and the University of Iowa Center for the Book. Resource libraries include exemplar issues from award-winning high school publications and archives shared with repositories such as the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Digital tools and webinars draw on platforms and training practices from organizations like Google News Initiative, Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, and Final Cut Pro tutorials used by college media programs at Syracuse University and University of Missouri.

Governance and Funding

Governance is typically vested in an elected board of directors made up of advisers, educators, and media professionals with ties to institutions such as Drake University Law School, media partners including the Des Moines Register and broadcasters affiliated with Iowa Public Television. Funding sources include membership dues, entry fees for contests, workshop registration, sponsorships from media companies like Gannett, Lee Enterprises, and philanthropic grants from foundations modeled after the Knight Foundation and Carnegie Corporation. Additional support comes through in-kind partnerships with universities such as Graceland University and corporate underwriting reminiscent of arrangements with Hewlett-Packard and technology vendors.

Category:Organizations based in Iowa