CWU Alumna, Pasco Instructor named State Teacher of The Year

 

 

Laura Jones, a marketing educator and instructional coach at Pasco High School, has been named the 2008 Washington Teacher of the Year. Jones graduated from CWU in 1991 with a degree in public relations, and a minor in Japanese. Through credits earned at Central, Jones received her Career and Technical Education Certificate in 1999 and her Career and Technical Education Directors Certification in 2006. She has spent her entire eleven-year teaching career at Pasco High School.

 

As a mentor to new teachers, Jones provides guidance and support, while, as an instructional coach, she suggests practical solutions to teachers' 'problems; and, as a career and technical education teacher, she helps students connect to the world through business and marketing programs.

 

Jones is also involved in Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), an association of marketing students that uses classroom and outside experiences to learn about marketing and business, as well as leadership and communication. Under her leadership, the DECA chapter in Pasco has consistently been one of the largest in the state.

 

School employees, parents, and students are eligible to participate in the state Teacher of the Year program by nomination made at local school district. Through the educational service districts (ESDs) selection process, nine regional finalists were selected for the 2008 award, including three other CWU alumni. They were: Warden High School teacher Ruth Lucero, a 1993 foreign languages graduate; Toppenish Middle School teacher, Brenda Marler, a 1999 elementary education graduate; and Stevens Elementary School (Aberdeen) teacher Dana Persson-Zora, who received her Master of Education in 1984.

 

Jones is now in the running to become national Teacher of the Year, which is awarded by the Council of Chief State School Officers. President George W. Bush will announce that winner during a special ceremony at the White House next spring.

 

In addition, as the Washington Teacher of the Year, Jones will serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession while continuing her teaching responsibilities.

 

 

 

CWU Students Earn Top Broadcast Awards

    

December 11, 2003

 

Contact: Robert Fordan (509-963-1066/fax 509-963-1060/e-mail: fordanr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Christmas came early for 13 Central Washington University students, and former students, who received a total of 17 broadcast journalism and video production awards and honors, in the National Broadcasting Society's Western Regional competition. The CWU honorees won in 12 of 15 categories, including seven first place finishes.

 

"These awards reflect how hard our students have worked this past year," Robert Fordan, CWU communication professor, says. "Also, keep in mind that the judges were not students, but broadcast journalism and video production industry professionals. So, it's nice that our students were able to impress those who make a living in the video field."

 

Walker Anderson, of Seattle, a 1998 graduate of Eastside Catholic High School, who graduated last summer in broadcast journalism, placed first in the News Package Category for "Cop Camera," a story about Ellensburg police cameras in patrol cars.

Anderson and broadcast journalism major Gwen Escobar, senior, Grandview, took third place for "English Deployed," the story of a CWU student called up for National Guard duty.

 

Individual studies major Daniel Fergus, senior, Zillah, was first in the Instructional/ Industrial/ Promotional Program category for "CWU Lab Safety." He also took third place in the Commercials/Promos/PSAs category for his PSA, "Domestic Violence."

Stephanie Tokola, a spring broadcast journalism graduate from Brush Prairie, and Stephen Allwine, senior broadcast journalism major from Enumclaw, placed first in the Sports Package category for "Local Fencers," a story about the CWU fencing team.

Tokola won solo first place honors in the Music Video category for "Color of Your Soul."

 

Allwine and Kevin Tighe, a broadcast journalism senior from Maple Valley, were first in the Magazine Program category for their entry "Avalanche Go Boom."

 

Tighe claimed first in the Music/Variety/Special Program or Segment category, for his entry "Cribs with Mark" and for Show Open category for "Ellensburg Extreme." His Newswatch introductory segment also placed second. And, Tighe took third place in the Comedy Program or Segment category for "Secret Asian Man."

 

Allwine took second place in the News Program category for "Newswatch Action Weather." He and Tighe both placed third in the News/Sports/Feature Segment for a weather segment.

 

Duane Shimogawa, a broadcast journalism graduate from Lihue, Hawaii, won second place in the Sports Package category for "Katie Hart," the story about the Kittitas High School athlete's contribution to her basketball team.

 

Two individual studies/film and video students, Katrina Gross, senior, Port Orchard and Landon Salyer, senior, Ellensburg, placed second in the Commercials/Promos/PSAs category for "Just Passing By," a public service announcement promoting a more inclusive society which gives the disabled an opportunity to participate.

 

In the Experimental Video category, individual studies film and video studies major Louis Staples, junior, Ellensburg, won second place for "I Think."

 

Finally, in the Sports Play-by-Play category, video communication studies senior Obie O'Brien, Ellensburg, teamed up with public relations senior Scott Iwata, Bellevue, and James Crockett, an online journalism senior from Silverdale, to win honorable mention as producers of the "Ellensburg vs. Prosser" football game.

 

The first place winners will now automatically be entered in the national competition. Finalists will be announced in February, and the winners, in turn, will be announced at the national convention in Miami in early March.

 

The National Broadcasting Society has a stated purpose of enhancing the development of university students involved in broadcasting, cable, telecommunications and other electronic media. It consists of some 130 colleges and universities throughout the U.S.