SAC SPJ chapter turned 18 on Oct. 6

2009-11-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

The SPJ mission's emphasis on "freedom of speech" has meaning at San Antonio College as the chapter and the Journalism program sponsor Chalk Day each year during National Newspaper Week.

Students crouch, hands dusty with chalk, ready to exercise the right to free speech by drawing, quoting or writing poetry on the mall, Ranger managing editor Zahra Farah writes. Chalk Day, which celebrates freedom of speech and assembly, ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 9. The event started in 2004 after former student Gabriel Garza left a bucket of chalk on the mall to see what his friends would do while he went to class, Irene Abrego, journalism instructor, said. “They used it and wrote all over the pavement. A staff member saw them and complained, because one, they did not have permission, and two, who was going to clean that up? “I thought it was ridiculous for them to get in trouble. It’s chalk; it will wear off,” Abrego said.

Bam! Chalk Day was born, an event sponsored by The Ranger and the Journalism program. Read Farah's full story here

History of the student chapter

The chapter received its SPJ charter on Oct. 6, 1992, as the first two-year college chapter in the United States.

National president Georgianna Fry Vines, then an assistant managing editor at The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee, spoke at the charter presentation, and Mayor Nelson Wolff declared Oct. 5-9 to be National Newspaper Week in San Antonio to celebrate the charter presentation.

The Ranger was recognized as the Best Non-daily Newspaper in 1989 in the national Mark of Excellence competition, and The Fourth Write received Best All-around Magazine in 1992. Charter sponsors were Dub Daugherty, Chet Hunt, Marianne Odom (left) and Jerry Townsend, and 19 students were charter members. Media Communications Chair Odom was among community college leaders who spoke out at the SPJ national meetings for students in two-year institutions to be members.

Former students spread the word

Former Ranger illustrator Vincent T. Davis, a reporter at the San Antonio Express-News, believes an interest in journalism starts early. He visits Gardendale Elementary School four times a semester to encourage the youngsters. He tells the children that they're learning in school the things he uses every day, such as grammar, punctuation and figures of speech. Davis also stresses the seamless path to a career in journalism — taking journalism in middle and high school, attending the Urban Journalism Workshop at SAC, studying journalism here, earning a four-year degree and going to work at the Express-News.

Paul Zoeller, a former journalism and photography student at this college, is a freelance photographer based in Charleston, SC, shooting editorial, commercial and architectural photographs. The Z Project is Zoeller's new endeavor. In between commercial and editorial shoots, Zoeller looks for ways to give back to the community, educate others on non-profit groups and encourage others to give in their own ways. Zoeller returns to San Antonio College each summer to work with high school journalism and photography students attending the Urban Journalism Workshop.

San Antonio College publications have won national recognition this year. The Ranger and The Ranger Online stood out in Associated Collegiate Press competition. The Ranger Online was the only two-year publication chosen as an online Pacemaker Finalist in competition with 21 four-year college publications.

Media organizations / The Exchange / Other college newspapers / Region 8 SPJ / Mark of Excellence Awards / SPJ publications / SPJ Blogs on numerous topics / Ethics / Resources for students

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SAC SPJ chapter turned 18 on Oct. 6

History of the student chapter

Former students spread the word