Rod Vahl Teacher of the Year criteria
IHSPA annually presents an outstanding teacher award to acknowledge excellence in teaching and advising. At the option of the judges, one winner and two honorable mentions may be recognized during the Fall Conferences. The award is named in honor of Rod Vahl, national high school teacher of the year and long-time IHSPA officer and newspaper adviser from Davenport.
Judging criteria for this award may include any of the following:
- Innovation in teaching and publications advising
- Reviving or building a journalism program or publication
- Special projects that involve student publications
- Articles about journalism teaching written by the nominee
- Special awards, achievements or recognition
Eligibility criteria for this award:
1. Any current adviser and/or journalism teacher at an IHSPA member school. The adviser may advise any one or more of the following:- Newspaper/newsmagazine
- Yearbook and/or video yearbook
- Literary magazine
- Photography
- A student TV or radio station
- Beginning or advanced journalism or journalistic writing
- Photography
- A yearbook, newspaper or broadcast production course