Matthew Smith, CJE
Treasurer
[email protected]

Fond du Lac High School; Fond du Lac, WI

Number of years advising: 10 years advising print and broadcast; 2 year advising yearbook

Brief Description of your program: The Cardinal Columns is a student newsmagazine published at least 4 times each year through classes. The staff is made up of students enrolled in Print Journalism 1, Print Journalism 2 and Print Journalism 3 (when third-year students exist). A total of 20-30 students are usually on staff any given year. Cardinal TV is a student broadcast news program produced once per week for airing throughout the school televisions as well as on YouTube. The staff is made up of students enrolled in Broadcast Journalism 1, Broadcast Journalism 2 and sometimes Broadcast Journalism 3. A total of 40-50 students are usually on staff any given year. Both Print Journalism 1 and Broadcast Journalism 1 are available for college credit though CAPP at the University of Oshkosh. The Cardinal Yearbook produces a yearbook of approximately 236 pages delivered to the student body on the last day of school each year. It is an extracurricular club and generally has a staff of about 20 students.

Best Advice or Hardest Lesson Learned:  Push high standards. Look at the best, most interesting and most powerful examples possible. Then make your students do all the work. And, when they fail to produce good results or complain or get lazy, continue pushing the standards. The mindsets that produce excellence are forming under the surface whether you can see it right away or not, and it’s the knowledge, confidence and experiences your students end up taking away from their time on the publication that matters most.

Smith is also a JEA Mentor and the JEA State Director for Wisconsin.