Q/A
When Ashley Gross was named Indiana's top scholastic journalist, adviser Lisa Morris considered it the ultimate pay-off. Press Review asked Morris this week to reflect on Ashley's career as both the yearbook and newspaper editor at Connersville. Ashley ranks seventh in her class and plans to major in journalism at either Ball State or Franklin College.

How unusual is it for one student to be named editor of both publications?


Lisa Morris, a six-year adviser at Connersville High School, poses with Ashley Gross, Indiana's "Journalist of the Year." Morris is an officer with the IHSPA and serves as a Board liaison with the Inclusion Task Team. She shares her thoughts below about Ashley Gross, a student she says is not only a strong writer and designer, "but is a skilled leader and patient teacher."

Because of her skills and experience, Ashley was slated to be the editor of the Clarion newspaper, however, that plan changed when the administration decided to combine the newspaper and yearbook staffs into one class. The combined staff was a young one which had more newspaper experience than yearbook experience. After a few days of discussion, Ashley and I decided that things might run more smoothly if the two combined staffs worked as one team to complete both projects. Once that was decided, she was the logical choice to head up the combined staff.

Besides being strong writer and designer, Ashley is a skilled leader and a patient teacher. These qualities have helped her as she has tried to tackle both jobs. It has also helped that she is "hyper-organized" and has a real eye for consistency. She was used to spotting consistency problems in the 12 page monthly newspaper, so it wasn't that much of a leap to look for those kinds of errors in the yearbook -- in fact, she found out she was good at it!

What are the lessons Ashley has taken from her dual role on staff?

What has it taught her? -- probably to run and hide the next time I say, "Hey, Ashley, we need to talk..." Seriously, I think the dual editorship is something that could either make or break one's commitment to journalism. Luckily, Ashley is always game for a creative challenge, and this just strengthened her resolve to succeed at both. She has been repeatedly surprised at how the two products can be so similar, yet so different. In some ways the two publications require different mindsets, and it is neat that as a senior Ashley has been able to experience both and to incorporate both into her work.

What was your reaction to Ashley's award?

I was thrilled for Ashley when I heard that she named Journalist of the Year. For the past four years Ashley has really put her heart into the CHS publications. She has spent countless hours writing, designing, proofreading, editing and revising. With each new assignment she has looked for ways to improve her own work and the quality of the publications. She has kept up with the latest trends, checking out papers and yearbooks from across the country and learning from those examples. I know Ashley believes that a job well done is its own reward, but it is just so neat when hard work really pays off.

What was Ashley's response when you announced she had won?

We had a surprise party for Ashley during the seventh period Clarion/Cohiscan class Monday, March 10. A couple other students helped arrange it all while Ashley and the rest of the staff were busy organizing club and group photos in the gym.

It's funny, but the shock hasn't worn off yet! She still can't believe that she was chosen and wonders if everyone shouldn't reconsider! She is a perfectionist and her focus is always on improvement. Through conventions and workshops, Ashley has found a wide variety of newspaper and yearbook staffs that she "looks up to" as role models. After all these years of "looking up" to others, she never stopped to gauge her own progress; instead she just set higher goals. I think that's why she is so amazed that she was chosen.