IHSA Tournament Changes for 2016
IHSA JOURNALISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE’S APPROVED CHANGES FOR 2016
Minutes of the committee’s May 7, 2015, meeting
The IHSA 2015 Journalism Advisory Committee met May 7, 2015, and recommended the following seven changes to the Terms and Conditions for next year’s tournament. The IHSA Board of Directors approved all of the changes in June.
1. Item VIII-A – 1: Feature Photography
Recommendation: Change category name to “Photo Story Telling.” Replace current event description with the following language:
Photographers will submit a series of three photos with a common theme to collectively tell a story. Photoshop can be used to enhance the images but not alter the content. The submission must include a brief written summary to provide context for the photo story, although the written portion will not be scored.
NOTE: Subsequent judging standards would also change:
-Current standard #10 eliminated.
-Current standard #1 rewritten to read: “Do photos help tell a story?” and moved to #8.
-Current standard #5 moved to #1.
-Text added: “The provided summary will not be judged and is only provided for context.”
Rationale: The advisers feel like the current category is too vague and doesn’t distinguish if the intent for the competitors or the judges is photojournalism or artistic feature photography. The change will allow competitors to capture different types of photos that work together to tell a story, instead of three shots that may not share a connection. It provides clearer guidelines, without the limitation of forcing all competitors to photograph a single event or requiring that each of their three photos feature a commonality.
APPROVED.
2. Item VIII-A – 9: Info Graphics
Recommendation: Add following language to current event description:
Adobe Creative Suite programs can be used in this event.
Rationale: There have been questions about whether Illustrator can be used in this category and this would clarify that it can be.
APPROVED.
3. Item VIII-A – 6: Yearbook Theme Development
Recommendation: Edits following italicized language below to current event description:
Entries will be judged on basic design principles, creativity and originality.
NOTE: Subsequent judging standards would also change:
-Rewrite judging standard #1 to read “Is the concept original?”
Rationale: It is important for the submissions to be original.
APPROVED.
4. Item VIII-A – 7/14: Newspaper Design/Yearbook Layout: Double Page Spread
Recommendation: Add following language to current event description:
Only the elements provided at the contest site may be used.
NOTE: This language would also be added to the prompt.
Rationale: Clarifies that elements not provided at the site cannot be used in either category.
APPROVED.
5. Item VIII-A – 8: Yearbook Caption Writing
Recommendation: Edits following italicized language below to current event description:
Captions should be two sentences, but no more than three sentences, and must fit within a caption box provided on the computer program without changing size, font or spacing.
Rationale: Adding a caption box provides a real world limitation that a yearbook caption writer would have to work within.
APPROVED.
6. Item VIII-A – 7: Newspaper Design
Recommendation: Add following language to current event description:
Adobe Creative Suite programs can be used in this event.
Rationale: There have been questions about whether Illustrator can be used in this category and this would clarify that it can be.
APPROVED.
7. Item VIII-A –14: Yearbook Layout
Double Page Spread Recommendation: Add following language to current event description:
Adobe Creative Suite programs can be used in this event.
Rationale: There have been questions about whether Illustrator can be used in this category and this would clarify that it can be.
APPROVED.
For the complete minutes of the May 7 meeting of the advisory committee, click here.
MEMBERS OF THE 2015 IHSA JOURNALISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Each year, usually a week after the journalism state final, an advisory committee meets at the IHSA headquarters in Bloomington to assess the most recent tournament and to recommend changes for future competitions. The committee consists of high school journalism educators from around the state. The 2015 committee recommended the changes listed above. The committee members were:
Keith Carlson
Newspaper Adviser
Naperville Central High School
Naperville (DuPage County)
Term Expires 2016
Dana Donovan
Newspaper Adviser
Okawville Jr./Sr. High School
Okawville (Washington County)
Term Expires 2016
Brittany Glidden
Newspaper Adviser
Rockford East High School
Rockford (Winnebago County)
Term Expires 2015
Michael Gudwien
Newspaper Adviser
Williamsville High School
Williamsville (Sangamon County)
Term Expires 2016
Timothy Lee
Activities Director
Oakwood High School
Fithian (Vermilion County)
Term Expires 2015
Patrick Levins
Newspaper Adviser
William Howard Taft High School
Chicago (Cook County)
Term Expires 2015
Alissa Prendergast
Newspaper Adviser
Elk Grove High School
Elk Grove Village (Cook County)
Term Expires 2016
Jennifer Reiser
Newspaper Adviser
Washington Community High School
Washington (Tazewell County)
Term Expires 2017
For members of the 2016 IHSA Journalism Advisory Committee, which will meet May 5, 2016, click here.