Description
Membership in MIPA runs the academic year and is open to student media outlets at public, private and parochial high schools, middle schools and junior highs. These media outlets should be under the direction of an adviser or a teacher who is associated with the school’s media or journalism program.
Benefits for Student Media Outlet Members
MIPA provides a host of services for advisers and students, including:
- Fall and spring conferences with top-notch speakers for students to learn practical information they need to put out great publications and to learn about issues and careers in journalism, plus a middle school conference with sessions designed specifically for younger student journalists.
- A summer workshop for students featuring specific courses in online, newspaper, yearbook, broadcast, design, writing and photography.
- Hands-on workshops where students can learn the latest journalism techniques.
- A “hotline” for legal problems student media outlets may face.
- A mentorship program for new and inexperienced advisers.
- A liaison between Michigan’s longest continuously accredited journalism school and middle/high schools.
- A full-time executive director to coordinate professional development activities for advisers, including summer credit courses and special programs throughout the year.
- A website and newsletter to keep the membership informed, plus email messages throughout the school year.
- An occasional advisers’ retreat where teachers can relax, exchange ideas and attend informative work sessions.
- An evaluation/contest service for newspapers, yearbooks, broadcast programs and websites for the Spartan Award, the highest award MIPA presents to student media outlets, plus an individual category contest for newspapers, yearbooks, broadcast productions and online student media.
- Hall of Fame for student media with longstanding traditions of excellence.
- An honor cord program to recognize graduating seniors for academic achievement and superior work in journalism or school media.
- Reduced fees for all MIPA events, including conferences and workshops.