The Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno has organized the first statewide association to promote excellence in journalism in Nevada's secondary schools, Dean Jerry Ceppos announced.

Ceppos' comments were delivered during a Nevada Press Association conference Sept. 27 in Mesquite, Nev.

"This is a pivotal time to support Nevada education," Ceppos said. "The Reynolds High School Journalism Association will promote networking and professional development among teachers, high journalistic standards among students and generally will leverage resources. This is the perfect role for a land-grant university." 

The Reynolds High School Journalism Association kicks off at the journalism school Oct. 4 with a half-day meeting of high school newspaper advisers and others to support curriculum development, equipment acquisition, and statewide communication.

The journalism school already is one of five sites for the Reynolds High School Journalism Institute, a two-week program that helps advisers hone teaching skills, recognize and incorporate media trends into teaching plans and newspaper production and encourage students to consider journalism as a career. In 2007, the journalism school received a $430,000, three-year grant from the American Society of Newspaper Editors to design and offer the institute.

The school also already supports Journalism Day, an annual event for high school newspaper editors and reporters. This year the event is sponsored by the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the journalism school. On Nov. 7, students are expected to travel to Journalism Day from throughout northern Nevada and the Tahoe-Truckee and Lassen school districts in California.

"The journalism school faculty is 100 percent committed to our new organization because there is a positive link between high school journalism and academic achievement," Ceppos said. "A Newspaper of Association of America study this year showed that students who work on high school newspapers and yearbooks get better grades in high school, earn higher ACT scores and get better grades as college freshmen."

The Reynolds School of Journalism is Nevada's only accredited journalism school.