The Michigan Interscholastic Press Association today honored Grand Ledge High School Principal Steve Gabriel as its 2015 Administrator of the Year. The award recognizes a school administrator who has shown strong interest in and support for scholastic journalism.
Gabriel was recognized at MIPA’s Spring Awards and On-Site Contests in Lansing, along with nearly 2,500 contest winners in the organization’s statewide scholastic journalism contest.
“I know there are moments at each school that make an administrator stand out … but Steve doesn’t need that moment to shine,” Grand Ledge High School newspaper and yearbook adviser Sara-Beth Badalamente wrote in nominating her principal. “Steve has told my students time after time that his favorite time is when he spends third hour in the journalism room for his monthly press conference. He constantly praises my newspaper and yearbook students for their work and pushes them to be even better than they are.”
Gabriel has helped the journalism program grow, Badalamente said. He hosts monthly press conferences with newspaper students; helps secure funding for training, equipment and other needs; and has encouraged the creation of higher level journalism classes at the school.
“No matter what the circumstances, I know that I can count on my principal to help me and the staff of The Comets’ Tale succeed. He is always going above and beyond for us,” said Bryanna Leach, news editor of The Comets’ Tale newspaper. “If there were a principal deserving of the Administrator of the Year, it is Mr. Gabriel, who never fails to support the journalism program at his school.”
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.