Nationally recognized adviser Matthew LaPorte will be MIPA’s featured speaker at the 2019 Fall Conference on Oct. 31 in Lansing. Register now
LaPorte advises the Southwest Shadow online news site and The Howl yearbook at Southwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas. In the last 10 years, the staff of the Southwest Shadow has earned numerous awards, including CSPA Silver and Gold Crowns, NSPA Pacemakers and the Quill and Scroll Gallup Award, as well as the staff of The Howl earning NSPA All-American honors and CSPA Gold Medals.
“We’re excited to bring Matthew to Michigan so he can share his journalism tips and tricks to the thousands of students who attend our Fall Conference,” MIPA Executive Director Jeremy Steele said.
LaPorte is the recipient of the 2015 JEA Rising Star Award and the 2019 Youth Journalism International Adviser of the Year Award. He is also the past-president of the Southern Nevada Society of Journalists and current state director for the Journalism Education Association.
Planned sessions
But our school is so boring … (Finding the story)
If your school is boring, well, that might mean you aren’t looking at it the right way. In this session, learn to think about your school in a way that makes even the most mundane activities newsworthy.
You be Oprah, I’ll be your guest, GO! (Interviewing)
Most bad interviews start with, “Can I get a quote from you?” Really, they should be starting with, “How’s your day going?” and progressing into a natural conversation. Come learn how to sit back, talk, and gather all the information you need using conversational interviewing techniques.
The English Teacher/Journalism Adviser Conundrum (Advisers)
Teaching English, plus advising a publication, is quite possibly the most difficult job on your campus – even though no one probably knows that. Come commiserate and learn/share some strategies about how you are able to keep your head above water.
I’ll just buy it my senior year and other awful responses (Yearbook marketing)
There is nothing worse that hearing an excuse that you know just isn’t the real reason why someone isn’t buying their yearbook. That’s either because they don’t know about the product your program creates, or you aren’t using that persuasive language your English teacher taught you. Come for the laughs and sales techniques.