additional support from The Poynter Institute for Media Studies and The Wall Street Journal . Since 1960 , 59 high school educators have been honored .
“ It ’ s an incredible honor to follow in the footsteps of so many great educators — many who are friends — who ’ ve earned this award ,” Gayda said . “ I ’ m excited at the opportunities this presents and will do my best to continue to bring honor and respect to this recognition . I am thankful to all of my current and past students who ’ ve helped me get to a place where I could earn such an honor .”
Edmund Sullivan , executive director of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association , said , " Tom Gayda ' s superb record as a student journalist in both high school and college , as well as his outstanding teaching and advising career , have qualified him as the best journalism teacher in today ' s America ' s high schools . He knows his subject inside and out . The CSPA is delighted to recognize his talent as the National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year for 2018 ."
Linda Shockley , DJNF managing director , said she was pleased Gayda was chosen because he has been an exemplary adviser during a distinguished career . “ Tom Gayda is a consistently excellent adviser guiding responsible journalists in a school where administrators support student press rights .”
Gayda has been teaching and advising for more than 16 years . He pinpoints his success to letting his students take charge and try new things . Each year students are given the opportunity to design from scratch and chart their own course .
“ I allow students to fail and then dust them off and send them back on their way ,” Gayda wrote . “ It ’ s fun that each year is unique and the staff comes up with ways to do things that might be different than the year before .”
He advises The Northern Lights student newspaper , The Northerner yearbook , NCHS Live ! website , the senior publication “ Finale ” and all the social media platforms . He teaches beginning journalism , yearbook and print and online media .
As the 2018 Teacher of the Year Gayda will receive a plaque and be the featured speaker at the CSPA Spring Convention on March 15 during the Advisers Luncheon . In addition , a graduating senior at North Central High School will receive a $ 1,000 scholarship in Gayda ’ s honor . He will receive a laptop computer for the student newsroom , will have access to 12 webinars from Poynter and a one-year subscription to WSJ . com .
In addition to the Teacher of the Year , CSPA named four Distinguished Advisers and one Special Recognition Adviser .
These honored Distinguished Advisers will award $ 500 scholarships to graduating seniors and receive WSJ . com subscriptions .
Erin Castellano of Clayton ( Missouri ) High School is in her ninth year teaching newswriting , video production and photojournalism and her seventh year advising The Globe newsmagazine and chsglobe . com website .
Advising a student-run publication allows Castellano to empower her students to cover challenging topics such as Ferguson , Syrian refugees and LGBTQ issues – without fear of censorship or prior review . In 2017 , her students won a Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association and a Silver Crown Award from CSPA among many other awards .
Castellano was named the 2017 Missouri Journalism Education Association Teacher of the Year and was a 2015 JEA Rising Star . She is also the Missouri JEA state director .
Mark Harrison is a teacher and media adviser at T . C . Roberson
High School in Asheville , North