MIJA History

In 2022, the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association (MIJA) became the merger of two state organizations: the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association and the Missouri Journalism Education Association.

MIJA is a state organization working in association with the Missouri School of Journalism; Journalism Educators Association, JEA; and the National Scholastic Press Association, NSPA; for advisers in the state of Missouri.

MIJA is a newly merged organization, but we’ve been an integral part of scholastic journalism for nearly a century, serving journalism programs across the state. Below is the history of our organization as MIPA, before merging with MJEA and adopting a name change:

MIPA was founded in 1923 by Missouri School of Journalism Dean Walter Williams and E.W. Tucker with the Kemper Military Academy.

Letters in our files indicate MIPA was placed on the drafting board in the fall of 1922. The first organizational meeting was held on May 5, 1923. According to a statement by Walter Williams, Dean of the School of Journalism, the purpose of the group “shall be to further the interests of preparatory school journalism in Missouri and to stand for the highest standards of journalistic effort and achievement among preparatory school students.”

“1923 – Walter Williams, with the help of E.W. Tucker of the Kemper Military School in Boonville founds MIPA. Promotes journalism to middle and high school students and teachers, a mission the organization still serves today., By 1929, representatives from approximately 300 schools belong to MIPA,” according to the “The J-School Commemorative Book 1908-2008,” copyright 2010.

For decade upon decade, the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association has been there — there to serve the smallest of the high school journalism programs, as well as the largest of the programs. SERVICE is the key.

MIJA (formerly MIPA) Executive Directors:

T. C. Morelock (1931)
…
H.R. Long (1944-1945)
T.C. Morlock (1946-1947)
H.R. Long (1947-1949)
Dean Earl F. English (1949-1953)
Dr. James Markham (1953)
Dr. Granville Prince (1953-1954)
Dr. Otha C. Spencer (1954-1955)
N.S. Patterson (1955-1959)
Ken Starck (1959-1961)
Dr. Bryce W. Rucker (1961-1963)
Leon W. Lindsey (1963-1965)
Dr. Robert P. Knight (1966-1992)
Doris Barnhart, Interim Director (1992-1993)
Dr. Ann Brill (1993-1995)
Anna M. Romero (1996-2018)
Suzette Heiman (2018-2021)
Ron Kelley (2018-2024)
Amy Simons (2024-present)

Former Executive Director Suzette Heiman

E.W. Tucker Lecture & Keynote Speaker

From the early days through the late 1990s, the Annual E. W. Tucker Lecture took place during the High School Journalism Awards Day at the Missouri School of Journalism on University of Missouri – Columbia campus. Later, the annual Journalism Day evolved to feature a Keynote Speaker.

1973 – Senator Thomas Eagleton (D-Mo.). “The News Source Protection Act.”
1974 – Harvey Jacobs, editor, The Indianapolis (IN) News. He had been active in support of scholastic journalism, especially in his previous role as chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at News Mexico State University, Las Cruces, and had received the Carl Towley Award, highest honor of the Journalism Education Association. “What Scholastic Journalism Can Learn From the Indianapolis News and Vice Versa.”
1975 – Dr. DeWitt C. Reddick, former director of the School of Communications at the University of Texas-Austin, and founder of the Texas Interscholastic League Press Conference (University of Missouri Ph.D. in Journalism, 1941). “#P’s in Journalism’s Pad, or, a Few Challenges for Tomorrow’s Newswriters.”
1976 – Sherry Ricchiardi, prize-winning reporter for The Des Moines (IA) Register and former MIPA assistant when a graduate student in education at MU. She received the Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1986. “Covering Sensitive Issues in the ‘Real World.’”
1977 – William D. Downs, Jr., executive secretary of the Arkansas High School Press Association and chair of the Journalism Department at Ouchita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR. UMC Ph.D. in Journalism. “Student Publications: Good, Better, Best.”
1978 – Ron Clemons, Truman High School, Independence, MO. 1977 Dow Jones Newspaper Fund National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year (and later national president of the Journalism EducationAssociation). UMC MA in Journalism, 1963. “Excellence Is the Way.”
1979 – H.L. Hall, Kirkwood (MO) High School, 1973 Missouri Journalism Teacher of the Year (and later in 1982 Dow Jones Newspaper Fund National Journalism Teacher of the Year, 1979 Missouri Teacher of the Year,National secretary and president of Journalism Education Association). “Anybody Out There Listening?”
1980 – Dr. Robert P. Knight, director of the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association from 1965 – 1992 and professor in the MU School of Journalism. “A Personal Statement After 15 Years at UMC: America Longs for World Class Journalism.”
1981 – Dr. William H. Taft, associate dean for graduate studies, UMC School of Journalism and longtime yearbook judge and supporter for MIPA. (Note: Dr. Taft retired October 1977)
1982 – Wayne Brasler, University of Chicago Lab School and 1981 Dow Jones National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year. UMC BJ, 1962.
1983 – E.W. Tucker, founder of the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association. “MIPA at 60: An Area, State and National Partnership.” (Note: At the conclusion of his lecture, Mr. Tucker donated $100 to help a student attend MIPA’s Summer Media Workshop.) ( Note #2: At his death, MIPA Inherited $10,000 for the advancement of the E.W. Tucker Lecture on J-Day.)
1984 – Steve Weinberg, executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc., based at the MU School of Journalism and a person who Began his career as a journalism reporter for the Highland Park (IL) High School Shoreline. “The Three Most Important Things a Young Journalist Should Know.” UMC BJ, 1970; MA, 1974.
1985 – George Pica, director of the 25-year-old Penney-Missouri Journalism Awards Program at the MU School of Journalism and a prize-winning Editor for 10 years. “The Relevance of Relevance.”
1986 – Nancy Ruth Patterson, administrator of CITY School, a special “storefront”-type school in Roanoke, VA, a city in which she had become known as one of the best yearbook advisers in the country. Also an officer of the Columbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association at Columbia University and head of Ball State University Workshop yearbook Section in Indiana. “The Enduring Values of Scholastic Journalism.”
1987 – Dr. Jack Dvorak, Associate Professor of the High School Journalism Institute, Indiana University School of Journalism, Bloomington, IN. “Scholastic Journalism: The Road Not Taken.”
1988 – Richard P. Johns, Quill and Scroll Society, University of Iowa “Excellence After Hazelwood”
1989 – Molly Clemons, Administrator, Truman High School “On Being Sensitive.”
1990 – Linda Putney, Executive Director, Journalism Education Association (former high school journalism teacher in Missouri) “The Best Yet”
1991 – George Curry, New York Times “The Challenge of High School Journalists”
1992 – Mark Goodman, Executive Director, Student Press Law Center Washington, DC “Celebrating the Bicentennial of the First Amendment Through Scholastic Journalism”
1993 – Elizabeth Lockhart, Sales and Service Representative, Walsworth Publishing Co., 1979 Missouri Journalism Teacher of the Year, previous Adviser at Central High School, Cape Girardeau. “It’s Your Turn Now”
1994 – Byron Calame, Deputy Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal “From the High School Newspaper to the Electronic Newspaper”
1995 – Katherine Lanpher, columnist, St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch
1996 – Jack Kennedy, 1994 National Journalism Teacher of the Year
1997 – Larry Moore, News Anchor, KMBC-TV, Kansas City
1998 – Gregory Freeman, Columnist, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
1999 – Dr. William H. Taft (his second time to be keynote speaker), Professor Emeritus, MU
2000 – Lisa Frazier, The Washington Post
2001 – Jacqi Banaszynski, Knight Chair in Journalism and ME /Sunday & Senior Story Editor, The Seattle Times
2002 – Bev Chapman, KMBC9 News, Kansas City
2003 – Lee Hill Kavanaugh, Reporter, Kansas City Star
2004 – J.B. Forbes, Photographer, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
2005 – Dave Helling, KCTV5, Kansas City
2006 – Jennifer Reeves, KOMU-TV NBC8, Columbia, MO
2007 – Roger F. Fidler, Director of Technology Initiates, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute
…..
2015 – Greg Miller, co-creator of Kinda Funny
…..
2017 – John Beaudoin, president of KC Communication & Media Matters, “Avoiding Bias: Politics or Journalism – Because you can’t do both”
2018 — Katy Bergen, education reporter at The Kansas City Star, “Starting a Career in Journalism Using Modern Media,” graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 2012
2019 – Brian McGill, Multimedia Editor for Politics and Policy at The Wall Street Journal, “Modern Story-Telling via Infographics and Interactive Graphics,” graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism
2020 – no speaker, due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 – no speaker, due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 – Major Garrett, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, “The Importance of Journalism Today” (virtual), graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 1984
2023 – Art Holliday, news director at 5 On Your Side, “Diversity in the Newsroom,” graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 1976
2024 – Hannah Wise, Assistant Managing Editor for Engagement & Experimentation at the Kansas City Star, “Audience Engagement (Taylor’s Version)”

MIJA Newsletter

Even early in MIJA’s history, the organization helped its members by offering connectivity and community through a newsletter. Here is a brief history of the manifestations of that newsletter:

1931-1946: The MIPA Editor (publications between 1931 and 1946 are missing)

T.C. Morelock, 1931, editor

1944-October 1950: Monthly Service Letter

1946-47—Jenny Bennett, editor
1948—Lyman S. McKean, editor
1949— Tourtelot, editor

1950-April 1953: Bulletin

1950—Edward F. Owen, editor
1950-53—Joann Bell, editor

1953-April 1960: MIPA Newsletter

1953—Tom W. Campbell, editor
1954—Charles Runyon, editor
1957—Martie Oder, editor
1959, 1960—Ken Starck, editor

1960-October 1971: MIPA News

1960—Ken Starck
1961-62— Bolton (Dr. Bryce W. Rucker)
1962-63—Mary Lu Dickey (Dr. Rucker)
1963-64—Johnny Malone (Leon W. Lindsay)
1964-65—Alice Samuels (Leon W. Lindsay)
1966—Arnold Porsch; Harvey Saalberg (Dr. Robert P. Knight)
1967—Mike O’Brien; Jim Shaner
1969—Jim Holberg
1970—Joe Macey & John Geldmacher

1971-2008: MIPA News-gram

1971—Robert Elliott; Robin Silberman
1972-75—Robin Silberman; Jim Gregory
1978—Veita Jo Hampton (former H.S. teacher at St. Charles High School)
1981—John Gravois
1981-1983—Dan Morris became editor and stayed until 1983
1983—Mark D. Grimm
1984—Kevin Goodman
1985—Steve Visser
1987-91—Steve Gutierrez
1991-92—Jani Benson
1992-93—Matt Reavey
1993-96—The notebook containing the News-grams from 1993 – May 1996 disappeared.
1996-97—Cliff White
1998-2000—Robin Stover, Rock Bridge High School, Columbia
2001—Marci Pieper
2002—Marc Russell/Karla Thompson, Lee’s Summit High School
2003-05—Aaron Manfull, Francis Howell North High School, St. Louis
2006-08—Christina Geabhart, Oak Park High School, Kansas City

2014- present: Thursday’s Tips

2014-2016- Michelle Turner, Washington High School
2016- 2017 – Michelle Turner, Washington High School and Donald Johnson, Webster Groves High School
2017-2021 – Michelle Turner, Washington High School; Donald Johnson, Webster Groves High School; Christina Manolis, Washington High School; Leigh Rogers, Herman High School
2021-2022 – Donald Johnson, Webster Groves High School; Justin Ford, Park Hill High School & Park Hill South High School; Christina Manolis, Washington High School; Leigh Rogers, Herman High School
2022-2023 – Donald Johnson, Webster Groves High School; Beth Eggleston, Nixa High School
2023-present – Donald Johnson, Webster Groves High School