EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Interscholastic Press Association today honored Krishnan Anantharaman as the recipient of its 2014 John V. Field Award. The award recognizes a person who is not currently a student media adviser for their significant contributions to scholastic journalism in Michigan.
The award was first given in 1972 to John Field, who served as the executive director of MIPA for more than 20 years.
“Mr. A., as the kids call him, has been a vital part of our middle school’s newspaper since it’s beginning,” wrote West Hills Middle School teacher Janice Seaton, in nominating Anantharaman. “He not only volunteered his time and knowledge, but he also convinced our PTO to commit funds for our fledgling newspaper, so that every student in our school could have a copy of our newspaper. He also sought out grants with his employer.”
Anantharaman served as managing editor of the Wall Street Journal Classroom edition from July 2000 to April 2013, when he joined Crain Communications as news editor at Automotive News.
Seaton said his job change made it more difficult to spend time at the West Bloomfield school, but he “still takes time out of his schedule on weekends to help layout our newspaper.”
Anantharaman also works with journalism students at the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies.
“Professional journalists like Krishnan Anantharaman are helping to raise the next generation of journalists in our state,” said Jeremy W. Steele, executive director of MIPA and a faculty member in the Michigan State University School of Journalism. “We’re so thankful for this commitment to young people and to journalism, which can have a tremendously positive impact on the learning experiences of these students.”
ABOUT THE MICHIGAN INTERSCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1921 and housed in the Michigan State University School of Journalism, the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association is a nonprofit organization composed of scholastic journalism teachers and publications advisers and their students. MIPA is committed to promoting and recognizing excellence in scholastic journalism at all levels through education, training and support of student journalists and their advisers.