On Thursday, May 1, Alaska Professional Communicators announced the results of the professional communications contest, the high school journalism contest, and the scholarship award winners.

2008 Communications Contest:
Winners included Sheila Balistreri, Kalei Brooks, Diana Haecker, Therese Harvey, Mary Katzke and Deborah Schildt, Beth Leffingwell, Steven Levi, Chuck Maas, Ginny Mahar, Rhonda McBride, Amy Murphy, Dianne O’Connell, Elise Patkotak, Yereth Rosen, Aliza Sherman Risdahl, Sherrie Simmonds, Alan Sorum, Dana Stabenow, Kathy Tarr, Linda Kay Thompson, Steve Wolfe

Complete list of award winners.

2008 High School Journalism contest:

Check back soon for a complete list.

2008 Scholarship Winners:

Katie McCraw, a sophomore at Alaska Pacific University majoring in Liberal Studies, is currently a reporter and the photo editor of the school newspaper, the APU Journal, and excels in creative writing.

Todd Walker, a sophomore at the University of Alaska Anchorage majoring in Journalism and Public Communications, works as a reporter at KRUA radio and is a web writer and weekend newscast producer at KTUU-TV.

Author of Sarah to speak at May 1 luncheon.

Kaylene Johnson, author of the new biography “Sarah,” which details the life of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, will introduce her new book to APC members and friends on Thursday, May 1.

Award winners in the student and professional communications contests will also be announced.

Luncheon Information
11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 1
Golden Lion Hotel, 1000 East 36th Avenue, Anchorage

Lunch: members $16; guests of members $18; others $20

Reservations:
1. RSVP and payment through PayPal.

2. Email: thetus at gci dot net by noon Tuesday, April 30.

3. Call 274-4723 and leave a message, including a phone number where you can be reached. When calling or sending an email, please include how many people are coming and their names.

More about Johnson’s new book Sarah

Sarah Palin, then 39, a hockey mom and former mayor of Wasilla, thought her dream of making a difference in the male-dominated realm of Alaska politics was over in 2004 when she clashed with the state chairman of her Republican party and fell out of favor with Gov. Frank Murkowski over issues related to ethics and openness in government.

Yet, the former high school basketball star and one-time TV journalist could not shake the feeling that she was destined for something bigger. Two years later, she became a long-shot candidate for governor, promising openness and a higher ethical standard.

Then, fate intervened. Her populist reform message suddenly became front-page news when a major political scandal rocked Alaska politics. Alaskans began listening to her. And they liked what they heard.

In “Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment Upside Down,” scheduled for May 1 release by Epicenter Press (Hardbound First Edition, $19.95) author Kaylene Johnson reveals that as a young girl, Sarah Heath was ambitious, competitive, and—at times—stubborn. She never backed down from a fight. She devoured newspapers and preferred nonfiction books to Nancy Drew. When her college roommates put up posters of Madonna and Metallica, the future Alaska governor looked up to a different sort of heroine—Libby Riddles, first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Read the first chapter at Epicenter Press.

More about Kaylene Johnson

Kaylene Johnson is a professional writer and long-time Alaskan who makes her home on a small farm outside Wasilla, Alaska. Her books include Portrait of the Alaska Railroad and Trails Across Time: History of an Alaska Mountain Corridor. Her award winning articles have appeared in Alaska magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Spirit magazine, Parish Teacher and other publications. She holds a BA from Vermont College and an MFA in Writing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Alaska Press Club’s J-Week 2008 journalism conference kicks off on Thursday, April 17 and runs through Saturday at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 East 19th Avenue.

To see the impressive list of presenters and workshops and the full schedule, including workshop times, visit Alaska Press Club online.

Schedule overview:

Thursday, April 17. 6:30 p.m. Opening Reception. Refreshments and panel discussion on the state of Alaska journalism.

Friday, April 18. Daytime and Evening. Registration: 8:00-9:00 a.m.; Workshops: 9:00 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Reception: 6:00-7:00 p.m.; Panel discussion: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 19. Workshops: 8:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.; Awards Banquet: 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Workshops are free to all members of the Alaska Press Club and members of the senior center. An associate membership in the Alaska Press Club is available for $35.00, which is less than paying the daily rate for non-members of the Press Club. Daily Rate: $25 a day for non-members. $5 for students enrolled in high school or college.

Keynote Speaker Jenni Schaefer will bring the issue of eating disorders to the forefront during the 15th annual Alaska Women’s Show. This year’s show is scheduled for Friday, April 18 through Sunday, April 20 at the Sullivan Arena. Admission and parking is free and the show runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. all three days.

“Each year, a relevant issue seems to rise to the top at the Alaska Women’s Show. “This year, we’re tackling eating disorders because we know it’s something Alaskan women need to, but have been hesitant to talk about,” said Steve Shepherd, president of Aurora Productions, Inc.

Schaefer struggled for more than 20 years with food and her body image, but recovered from anorexia and bulimia. She is the author of Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence From Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too. Schaefer, who is being brought to the Alaska Women’s Show by Anchorage Women’s Clinic, will challenge Alaskan women to respect their bodies, to believe in themselves and to join in the battle against eating disorders.

More than 250 vendors will have booths featuring health information and services, as well as beauty, fashion, arts and crafts, business advice and collectible products. Dozens of free seminars will cover everything from cancer and women’s risks to successful gardening and job hunting and travel advice tailored to women. The Alaska Women’s Show Main Stage is the place for ongoing entertainment including fitness demonstrations, fashion shows and a fundraising auction where women can bid for four hours of handyman services, with all proceeds going to benefit Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC).

More information:
Alaska Women’s Show
Jenni Schaefer

The following job opportunity has been forwarded to Alaska Professional Communicators. Please respond to Jeff Jones if interested:

Please respond to:

jeff.jones@morris.com

301 Arctic Slope Ave., Ste. 350
Anchorage, AK 99518
fax: 907-275-2176

Description
Serve as Managing Editor for weekly publication with a distribution of approximately 5,000 that has served the Chugiak, Eagle River, Peters Creek, Eklutna, Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base communities for over 30 years.

Technical Skills

Provide weekly editorial content

Assign story leads

Assign, gather and prioritize story leads with newsroom and freelance staff

Problem solve with newsroom staff

Edit stories and photographs

Proofread content to comply to grammatical and AP standards

Assist composing department with layout and page design

Work to develop user contributed content including photography

Work with local organizations such as the school district, police department and military Public Affairs office to gain news ideas and content.

Education/Qualifications
The successful applicant has a college degree, 3-4 years of publication experience (print or online) and the following skills:

Strong story sense and a track record of developing original, insightful story ideas

Proficiency at line editing and a graceful writing style

Proven ability to cultivate contacts and industry sources

Commitment to journalistic excellence and to serving readers’ needs and interests

Ability to communicate effectively with freelance writers and to develop new contributors

Enjoyment of working collaboratively on a collegial, cooperative staff; willing to pitch in as needed

Opportunity
We are a small weekly associated with Morris Communications. We are looking for the right person who will ensconce themselves in the local community with vigor and industriousness. The right candidate cannot be afraid to pitch in around the office with everything from answering the phones to producing a column while managing a small staff of employees and freelancers.