Miller wins adviser scholarship

Katherine Miller from Central Kitsap HS in Washington earns Lester Benz Scholarship

May 19, 2023

Cougar Chronicle adviser Katherine Miller from Central Kitsap High School earned the 2023 Lester Benz Scholarship from Quill and Scroll.

Miller will use the money she earned to attend this year’s NSPA’s Boston convention, with an express focus on print and production sessions. Their publication will bring back a quarterly magazine this coming academic year.

“Based on her application it was apparent she would take and apply what she’s learned in the classroom,” said Lori Keekley, NSPA associate director for Quill and Scroll. “This will benefit the students at Central Kitsap for years to come. We’re so excited to name Katherine as this year’s Lester Benz scholarship recipient.”

Miller has been particularly happy with the past year, resulting in awards at state conventions for her students as well as a year that helped to build her publication’s brand.

“Katherine is a fantastically engaged and supportive teacher who has taken her expertise with effective instructional practices and applied them to the benefit of our journalism program,” said Craig Johnson, principal of Central Kitsap.

The Cougars’ district does not give them an annual budget, meaning the staff — and Miller — must fundraise to attend both their state and national conventions.

In her six years as an adviser, she has taken the program from a one-year class to creating a CTE-certified course offerings that, starting next year, can have running membership for all four years of high school.

“Katherine has continued to seek out professional development for herself and our journalism students,” principal of Central Kitsap, Craig Johnson, said. “The result of her work has increased the number of students interested in journalism; and it has also resulted in students who are highly skilled.”

Miller initially became an adviser after her school’s yearbook and newspaper adviser split the course in two. After taking on the role, Miller attended an adviser summer camp and also got her master’s in journalism.

“This is a really important opportunity for students. It’s a unique opportunity to be able to really learn what it means to exercise First Amendment rights, and I don’t want to see that go away,” Miller said. “That’s actually what helped find my home and my school community.”