Columbia Scholastic Press Association

CSPA is an international student press association, founded in 1925, whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges, textbooks, critiques and award programs.

Honoring People

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and its affiliate for teachers, the Columbia Scholastic Press Advisers Association, offer awards to celebrate contributions by distinguished people in education, the media and public life. These awards are given in recognition of assistance and encouragement to student editors and faculty advisers working with them on student newspapers, magazines, yearbooks and online media in schools and colleges.

If you are looking for awards for student print or online media click here.

Through their contributions to CSPA, Gold Key recipients have demonstrated their support for excellence in teaching journalism and in student press advising.
The Charles R. O'Malley Award for Excellence in Teaching is given by the Association for sustained achievement by a teacher of student editors or faculty advisers.
The Joseph M. Murphy Award is given by the CSPA for outstanding service to the Association over many years. Named for the CSPA's founding director, the Murphy Award is generally given only once per year.
The CSPAA honors state or regional school press association officials who have distinguished themselves in the field with an award named for the late James Frederick Paschal.
The Edmund J. Sullivan Award is given by the CSPAA for student journalists who have fought for the right to speak their minds while in pursuit of the truth on behalf of their audiences. The award may be given to an individual or to a group of...
Each year, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, along with the Dow Jones News Fund selects one National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year based on their work during the previous academic year.