Introduction by Dr. Jack Dvorak
Indiana University and HSJI Director

I’m delighted and honored to be able, on behalf of IHSPA, to announce the winner of this year’s Ingelhart Friend of the High School Press Award. Thanks to the officers for giving me this pleasant opportunity. And I’m appreciative of at least three recommenders who put this person’s name in nomination. I have my own biases, so I’ll rely on their letters to fill you in on this special friend of high school journalism.

For those of you who have not yet met Linda J. Johnson, administrative services coordinator for the High School Journalism Institute at Indiana University, let me recap her career with the Institute thus far. She’s now in her 17th year in this capacity, and in her 22nd at the IU School of Journalism. She has handled the registration and check-in process, and all the phone calls, paper work, packet preparation, and other tasks that job entails, for about 13,000 people during her 16 years with our programs. She helps edit and distribute publications, manages budgets, and she has worked on occasional research projects – among many other professional tasks.

One recommender described her as flexible, inspiring, efficient, knowledgeable, dedicated and devoted….and one who has great rapport with and respect from the high school students and teachers she serves.

Another nominator wrote this: “I described Linda Johnson as a class act because she seeks no recognition for her amazing work. She is a generous, kind-hearted person who does not seek honors or awards. But special people deserve special moments of recognition. Linda is one of those special people.”

And a third nominator wrote that “Linda has to deal with all kinds of aggravations -- as anyone who has ever worked in a similar capacity knows, but she is consistently helpful, competent and enthusiastic. I can’t think of anyone who is a better ‘friend’ to advisers and students.”

So Linda, from all of us who appreciate your excellent, conscientious work and the special positive attitude you bring to all you do, we are happy to present you with this year’s IHSPA Ingelhart Friend of the High School Press Award.