The Weekly Scroll for April 6, 2018

News, tips and advice from the Quill and Scroll International Honor Society
Compiled and written by Quill and Scroll journalist Caitlyn Martin

The Lede:

Oil spill protests hold government accountable

In the wake of a marine oil spill spanning seven square miles off the coast of Borneo, four fishermen are dead and hundreds of Balikpapan residents are ill from oil smoke. On Wednesday, Balikpapan fishermen protested the Indonesian government and oil conglomerate Pertamina for their accountability in the spill. Lasting effects of the contamination remain uncertain.

Indian journalists fight fake-news-era censorship proposal

Forty-eight hours after its introduction, a proposal aimed at eradicating fake news in India was shelved. Indian journalists were quick to speak out against the measures, which would limit information flow by giving government the power to strip publications of their accreditation based on rumors of fake news. Censorship and restricted media is a growing concern throughout the world as hard-right governing styles gain popularity, especially in Asian countries.

Teachers follow suit in push to earn fair wages

Inspired by the success of West Virginian teachers, Kentucky and Oklahoma teachers are calling in sick and closing down schools to rally for better pay. Educators in these states make among the lowest wages in the country. Local teachers are protesting insufficient wages and insufficient funding for public districts, in hopes of improving the educational experience of the students.

Slovakian Prime Minister resigns due to “crisis of truth”

Prime Minister Robert Fico resigned from office in response to Slovakia’s largest protest since 1989. Protestors sought justice for the killings of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his wife. Threatening freedom of press and demonstrating clear corruption, the couple was thought to be murdered because Kuciak investigated Fico’s ties to the Italian mafia.

It’s an Honor:

Digital-only magazine ready

The spring 2018 issue of Quill and Scroll: The Magazine is ready. This is the first digital-only version of the magazine in its 92-year history. We’re also sharing several of the stories online:

Several Missouri high schools work together to create a website for the U.S. Women’s Sled Hockey Team.
The Quill and Scroll executive director discusses the importance of truth, not just in journalism, but in the professions.
Learn a little bit about the first Quill and Scroll Student Advisory Board.

We have winners!

So many winners. The Quill and Scroll 2018 Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest received 2,065 entries this year from across the U.S. and South Korea. In all, 259 winning entries and 321 students were chosen national winners in the 23 categories. Find them all at this link. McCallum High School in Austin, Texas won the Blue and Gold Award for Staff Excellence. Other overall winners:

Visual Excellence

Shawnee Mission East HS, Prairie Village, Kansas
Iowa City West HS, Iowa City, Iowa
Johnston HS, Johnston, Iowa
McCallum HS, Austin, Texas

Writing Excellence

Francis Howell North HS, St. Charles, Missouri
Iowa City West HS, Iowa City, Iowa
McCallum HS, Austin, Texas

All individual student winners (more than 200) are eligible to apply for Quill and Scroll scholarships. Deadline is May 10. Read about them and apply here.

Adviser scholarships available

Advisers in active Quill and Scroll chapters have until April 15 to apply for the Lester G. Benz Memorial Scholarship for College Journalism Study. All high school journalism teachers, and newspaper and yearbook advisers who have had at least six semester hours of journalism courses; a minimum of four years teaching experience and advising school publications; currently teaching a journalistic writing class; and a definite commitment to return to the high school classroom and publication advising next year to apply the information gained in the coursework taken as a result of this scholarship. The scholarship program’s objective is to identify and reward experienced journalism teachers and publication advisers (as defined above) who seek the opportunity to upgrade their journalism skills, teaching methodologies and advising techniques.

News Media Evaluation service

New forms are now available for the News Media Evaluation service. Quill and Scroll has re-evaluated its News Media Evaluation over the past two years, and with the help of its Board of Directors and members of the Journalism Education Association, has re-vamped its evaluation forms.

Videos, Photos?

Quill and Scroll would love to see some video or some photos of your induction ceremonies. If you have any you’d like to share for our website and for a Q&S video, please forward them to Executive Director Jeff Browne.

What’s Viral?:

National park entry fee rise to be re-evaluated

National Park Service and Interior Department officials are restructuring a proposed park entry fee hike after receiving thousands of angry responses to the website posting in less than a month. Increased revenue is needed to cover a growing maintenance backlog at the parks, but citizens argue that a $7o park entry fee is simply outlandish and infeasible.

Parkland teen journalists tackle yearbook challenge

Creating a thoroughly encapsulating, visually pleasing, and wholesome yearbook is difficult. Creating a good yearbook in the wake of a school shooting is a whole new level of challenging. Read here about how Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students are coping with the tragedy and developing a yearbook that is sensitive, accurate, and complete.

Trans Visibility Day

Transgender Visibility Day was last Friday, March 31, 2018. Here’s a Teen Vogue story that might help eliminate ideas that we know what transgender people look like. It’s written by a staff member at Teen Vogue, and it highlights zir experience of being a trans person of color.

Just a Thought:

Facebook to publish background information on news feed article writers

In response to criticism of Facebook’s news feed for its usage to spread propaganda, Facebook announced a new feature that will display article publisher’s information and credibility with each article posted on the news feed. The feature will also include links to other relevant articles, so users may research and pursue truth more easily.

Name usage plays major role in transgender individual health

A recent study by the Journal of Adolescent Health revealed transgender youth allowed to use chosen names at school, work, and home have lower rates of depression and suicide. The study was published in advance of Trans Day of Visibility, a day set aside to raise awareness and educate the public on transgender perspectives, issues, and representation.