Participants

Melanie Allen

Melanie Allen just completed her first year of teaching at Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, her alma mater. After graduating from Moon Valley, she came back to coach their Color Guard for nine years. She also served as Booster Club vice-president for their Booster Club leading to the honor of 2004 Volunteer of the Year. Allen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications and her master’s in secondary education from Grand Canyon University. She is passionate about her teaching career and even more so about empowering her journalism students to tackle the issues that appeal to their readers. Outside the classroom, Allen enjoys reading a good book, working out with her trainer and spending time with her friends and family.

Charlie Appleby

Charlie Appleby graduated from Ernest J. Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Michigan and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His dreams of being a Naval architect were soon abandoned when he realized he’d rather be happy and poor than rich and miserable, and his major was switched from engineering to English literature and creative writing. After graduation he became a substitute teacher in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. He earned a master’s degree in education with an English teaching certificate from the University of Montana in Missoula. In the fall of 2005 he became the newest English/journalism teacher at Bigfork High School, Montana. Appleby currently teaches sophomore English and journalism and is the adviser for the Norse Code the school’s monthly newspaper. Appleby moved to Montana for the outdoor activities it affords, skiing in both winter and summer, hiking, biking, fishing and camping. He tries to spend his free time outside even if that means grading papers in front of a campsite fire.

Kathy Arrandale

Kathy Arrandale is newspaper adviser for The Medieval Times, the high school newspaper for Rialto High School in Rialto, CA. Other teaching assignments include senior English and Business Communications. She is the career pathway coordinator for the Arts and Media magnet, and is the Cyber High program manager. This is her ninth year of teaching. She holds a Master’s in Instructional Technology, from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Bachelor’s in English from Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC. Her career focus has been technology education. Arrandale has worked as an Instructional Technology program specialist, and for three years as the Journalism and Newspaper adviser. Kathy lives in Twin Peaks, CA with her husband, Tom. She has three children and two grandchildren. In her spare time she swims, walks and does Web design.

Cheryl Ashton

Cheryl Ashton received her bachelor and master’s degrees in English education from Indiana University. After nearly eight years of teaching English, she attended Ball State and earned her license in journalism. After 11 years in one building, she left and took a new position at Leo High School, Indiana, teaching both English and journalism. She now has more than 150 students participating in the newspaper and yearbook classes. As her publication classes continue to grow, she is working toward adding a basic journalism course in the near future as a prerequisite for taking newspaper and yearbook. Ashton spends her free time working out at the gym and spending time with her friends, family, and pets. She enjoys traveling and is always looking forward to her next trip.

Michelle Balmeo

Michelle Balmeo is a first-year English teacher and journalism adviser at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California. She went into teaching with the intent to become involved in scholastic journalism because of her own interest in journalism as a high school student in Sacramento. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz last year with a master’s in education and the year prior with a bachelor’s in literature. Outside of school, she enjoys reading pop literature and learning new languages

Portia Bookhart

Portia Bookhart is a 10th grade English and journalism teacher at Ballou Senior High where she has been employed for the last eight years. She's been in the Washington D.C. school system for two decades having taught at Cardozo Senior High School where she was the advisor for nine years of the Cardozo Owl newspaper, and Jefferson Junior High. She earned a bachelor's in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh, a master's in Administration and Supervision from the University of the District of Columbia, and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech. In 1989, Dr. Bookhart was a Cafritz Fellow and had the opportunity to travel to other states to see the business side of newspapers, and to take classes at the University of Maryland's journalism school. Her proposal was "Combating Writing Anxiety Using the Journalistic Approach," which helped students to not be afraid of writing, but to enjoy every aspect of it. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and exercising. She has just published her first book of poetry, Black Man, I Choose You.

Amy Burton

Amy Burton currently teaches English and journalism at Churchill County High School in Fallon, Nev. Burton earned her National Teaching Certification in November. She has taught for 14 years: middle school, high school and community college. Burton has also worked as a reporter specializing in features stories. Her master’s is from the University of Virginia in English education, and her bachelor’s degree is in journalism from Sam Houston State University, Dan Rather’s alma mater, in Huntsville, Texas. The wife of a retired naval officer and mother of two, she enjoys drama, art and dance.

Joseph Byrne

Joseph Byrne lives in Gettysburg, smack dab in that vast middle of Pennsylvania that Democratic wag James Carville once likened to Alabama. He’s an English teacher at Delone Catholic High School, and has a non-paying job as a chauffer on weekends. He teaches an introductory journalism course to upperclassmen, and is moderator of the embattled school newspaper, DeloNEWS. He was a full-time newspaper reporter in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for 16 years, and then quit to be a stay-at-home dad and freelancer for two years when the family moved to Lewiston, Maine. He holds a bachelor’s in English composition and literature from Beloit College in Wisconsin, and a master’s in journalism from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. Byrne enjoys fly-fishing, hiking, reading and white water rafting.

Holly Day

Holly Day is a newspaper adviser and senior English teacher at Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia. Before moving to Georgia, Holly worked in television in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Her maiden name was Sniff, her mother’s maiden name was Jump and her husband’s last name completed the quirky name trifecta. Before teaching and working in television, Holly considered a career in marine biology, but decided against it after dissecting clams for a summer. She was born on Guam and enjoys traveling, movies, writing, and reading in her hammock.

Rachel Dobrauc

Rachel Dobrauc teaches at Messmer High School, an Urban Catholic/Choice School in Milwaukee. Primarily a literature teacher, she has also added mass media and intensive English courses to her plate as well as serving as the adviser to The Foursquare. She attended Marquette University and earned her degree in English, philosophy and economics and has her master’s in public administration from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She earned a second master’s in education from Marquette University. This is her second year in education after working in the non-profit sector with youth development and anti-crime initiatives. In her free time, Dobrauc is an avid fan of live music, traveling, and anything to do with reading or writing

Ben Everson

Ben Everson is finishing his second year as an English teacher and adviser for the student newspaper at Skyline High School in Longmont, Colo. He was a student journalist himself at his St. Louis high school and in college at DePauw University. After earning his bachelor’s in creative writing, he taught high school for a year, managed the Web site of the Society of Professional Journalists for two years, and most recently moved to Boulder and earned his master’s in secondary education at the University of Colorado. When he isn’t at school, he can be found skiing, rock climbing, or cycling.

Yoni Fine

Yoni Fine just completed his first year of teaching. He teaches English and journalism at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California. His journalism course publishes "The Explorer" monthly. He has a bachelor’s in comparative literature from Stanford and is currently completing his master’s in education at Mills College where he studied for his credential. Fine plays guitar and, being from New York originally, roots for the Mets and Jets. He and his wife, Laura, live in Berkeley with their dog, Roger.

Jan Goodspeed

Jan Goodspeed, English/journalism teacher at North Monterey County High School, grew up in Santa Cruz. When she contemplated career options, she realized she wanted a college degree. In college she started tutoring, and loved it. She was always fascinated with advances in technology and took several computer classes. She was fond of her college literature classes, but thought there would not be any work available if she majored in English. A college counselor suggested teaching English due to teaching shortage on the horizon. The biggest impact on her own writing was Peter Elbow’s book Writing with Power. She attended the San Jose Writing Project and the UC Santa Cruz Writing Project. Not only did these have a profound impact on her writing, but she has been able to help countless students develop their writing abilities. In her free time, she enjoys hiking in the redwoods, walking along the ocean and traveling. Last year, she helped chaperone 150 band students traveling to China and is considering a trip to Italy soon, but this time without the band.

Cristina Guerra

A lover of journalism, literature and all things written, Cristina Guerra could never imagine a life without words. After completing a bachelor’s in English at Florida International University, she decided to share her love with others by becoming an English and journalism teacher at Doral Academy High School in Miami, where she has just completed her first year. Adviser to the school’s newspaper, The Phoenix, she feels her biggest challenge as a teacher is imparting her passion of the art of writing to her students. Aside from her dedication to teaching, she enjoys reading, writing, and yoga, and hopes to soon be a published author. Guerra is dedicated to both sides of education and plans to return to school in the fall to earn a master’s in English literature.

Katherine Ingwersen

Katie Ingwersen teaches English and journalism at Falls Church High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. After majoring in English at Grinnell College in Iowa, she earned a master’s in public administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She worked for 10 years at the National Association of Realtors, and then took time off to stay home with her daughters and edit a parenting newsletter for a non-profit in Evanston, Ill. When her husband relocated to Washington, D.C., she pursued graduate courses in education to attain certification as a licensed high school English teacher at Marymount University in Arlington, Va. She has taught for seven years and is newly certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Ingwersen was awarded an ASNE and Prime Movers/George Washington University grant, which helped her revitalize the Falls Church High School newspaper, The Jagwire, this year. She enjoys walking, gardening, tennis, and belongs to several book groups.

Carmen A. Jones

Carmen A. Jones is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. At an early age, her love for writing blossomed. She enjoys writing poetry, short stories and essays. Along with her writing, Carmen also enjoys playing the piano and violin and the challenge of creating and performing classical dance. She received her Bachelor’s degree in English from Lane College in Jackson, Tenn., and a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Mississippi in Oxford. This fall she plans to further her studies in English and Secondary Education at Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss. Carmen is currently an 11th grade English teacher at Gentry High School in Indianola, Miss., where she also serves as the newspaper advisor, yearbook co-advisor, and contributor for the Indianola School District newsletter.

Kamala Kavati

Kamala Kavati teaches 9th grade English and AP language at Century High School in Santa Ana, Calif. She earned her bachelor’s in English and American studies and is pursuing a master’s in secondary education at California State University, Fullerton. Teaching for six years and advising the yearbook for three years, this is her first year as a journalism adviser. Outside of school, Kavati enjoys reading, writing (of course!), working out, and cooking. She lives in Brea, California with her African sulcata tortoise, Samson.

Leslie Krebs

Leslie Krebs, after over 20 years in a professional career as a graphic artist and designer in the printing and publishing industry, decided to become a teacher. Krebs spent the first fifteen years of her career with a national craft publishing company. It was here that she made the transition from “paste-up” art production on a drawing board to totally computer-generated art and digital print production. Before leaving her design career in 2004, Krebs held a freelance contract as production artist/designer in the print facility for a group of five hospitals in central Arkansas. She holds a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Arkansas and is a second year candidate for teaching certification through Arkansas non-traditional teacher license program. Krebs has volunteered in her community as a member of the Junior League and has also been a member of several youth and adult faith-based mission teams in the United States and Mexico. She is devoted to her beloved wiener-dog named “Frank,” enjoys cooking and baking and is an avid traveler, visiting family and friends from Florida to Seattle. Krebs currently teaches English and introduction to journalism in the school building where she graduated: North Little Rock High School-East Campus, North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Amy Kushner

Amy Kushner is a ninth-grade English teacher and newspaper adviser at Gaithersburg High School, Maryland. She has been teaching English at GHS for three years, and this is her first year as the adviser for The Blue and Gold. Prior to teaching in Maryland, she taught English for six years at the High School for Environmental Studies in Manhattan. GHS is adding a basic journalism class in the fall and she is thrilled about the opportunity to be a leader in her school’s decision to grow the journalism program. Kushner earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and composition at the University of Maryland and her master’s from Columbia University. She enjoys walking in the park with her dog and cat. In the winter, she snowboards with her school's ski club. In the warmer weather, she plays Ultimate Frisbee in Washington, DC. When the weather is unfit for any sports, she enjoys knitting.

Ron Lauderbach

In his fifth year of teaching, Lauderbach teaches senior English and rhetoric and writing at San Ysidro (Calif.) High School. Teaching is his second career, following three decades as a businessman. He enjoys interacting with students inside and outside the classroom and advises the school’s poetry club. Lauderbach earned his bachelor’s degree in English literature at Nazarene University. For relaxation, Lauderbach enjoys reading, writing, traveling, theatre, hiking and gourmet cooking. He lives in the Point Loma area of San Diego with his wife, Kathleen.

Dain Liepa

Dain Liepa has been teaching at Hopkins High School, a suburban high school near Minneapolis for four years. It is his fifth year teaching and his second year advising the school newspaper. Originally from Iowa, Liepa attended The University of Iowa, where he took classes from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and studied English and pre-medicine. He earned a master’s from the University of Iowa with an emphasis in English education, spending one summer studying Latvian language and culture with the Baltic Studies Summer Institute. He has also been involved with the Breakthrough Collaborative Minneapolis, mentoring new teachers, and he has been an AmeriCorps member, where he did native prairie restoration and other environmental work. He enjoys backpacking, sea kayaking, and bicycling. Liepa has a yellow labrador named Otto and he’s fixing up an old bungalow in St. Paul in his spare time.

Julie A. Linderleaf

“Dreams do come true!” Julie A. Linderleaf has been dreaming of advising a high school newspaper ever since she was on the staff of her high school newspaper, The Black & Gold, in Traverse City, Mich. In 2006-2007, Linderleaf will finally receive the chance to advise her own staff at J. W. Sexton High School in Lansing, Mich. on the reconstituted newspaper, The Zodiac. Linderleaf currently teaches American literature, world literature, drama, and speech courses. She is also the theatre director and co-sponsor of the International Thespian Society. Linderleaf eamed a Bachelor’s in English and theatre from Michigan State University, she also holds a certificate in secondary education. She is a collaborating member of a local acting troupe, Sunsets with Shakespeare, and has graced many local stages with her talents. She also holds her master’s from Marygrove College. She loves to escape her hectic world as often as she can through traveling, reading, television, and theatre, both stage and film.

Kim Lucostic

A love for the practice of journalism combined with her desire to educate and work with teenagers led Kim Lucostic to the profession of education; or more specifically, to become a teacher of journalism and English. Currently she is a teacher at her alma mater Big Sky High School in Missoula, Mont., and previously taught in San Diego at Hoover High School. She teaches a journalism 1 class, which is a survey class of newspaper, yearbook, broadcasting, photography and advertising; Journalism 2 newspaper (The Sun Journal); and journalism 2 broadcasting (Big Sky Live), as well as junior and senior English classes. She is a member of the leadership committee, a site-based decision making body, and is the Key Club adviser. Lucostic graduated from Pepperdine University, where she interned at KTLA and played basketball for the Waves; received her teaching certification from San Diego State University; and earned a master’s in literacy from Lesley University. She and her husband Jim live in Missoula with their two children. She loves home decorating, working in the yard, and summers on the lakes and rivers of Montana.

Amanda Moor

Amanda Moor is a graduate of Texas A&M University and earned a Bachelor’s in journalism with a minor in business. She is currently finishing up her master’s in secondary education from The University of North Texas. She has been teaching for two years at Richardson High School in Texas. She teaches journalism, newspaper, photojournalism, yearbook and desktop publishing. Her newspaper staff produces a 16-page monthly newsmagazine and competes in UIL journalism contests, where several students have gone on to regional contests with their writing. In her practically nonexistent spare time, Moor is an avid reader, a traveler and a huge Dallas Mavericks fan.

Becky Ollar

Becky Ollar is an English and journalism teacher at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Okla., the school from which she graduated 10 years ago. At WRHS she serves as the newspaper and yearbook adviser and is active on a literacy team. Ollar earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Tulsa and is currently working toward her master’s in teaching degree from Northeastern State University. After graduating from college, she worked as assistant editor and then managing editor of the Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers, a monthly community newsgroup. Ollar is an avid fan of the University of Tulsa football and basketball teams and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. She lives in Tulsa with her husband William and dog Chico.

Tracy Payne

Tracy Payne earned her Bachelor’s from the University of California, Berkeley. She has been an English instructor for four years. Her first teaching assignment was in the public school system in the East Side Union High School District. She currently teaches journalism and English at Notre Dame High School in San Jose. This past academic year was her first time teaching journalism. She truly enjoys the journalism class, for it offers her a very dynamic environment to work in. In her free time, Payne is an avid runner and loves visiting with family and friends.

Fred Peel

Fred Peel has been an elementary and secondary educator for almost 40 years. His career started after student teaching through UCLA in 1968, and has ranged through California, rural Alaska, Oregon, and finally, Hawaii. He has been a teacher, administrator, coach, department head, an after-school tutor, and class and journalism adviser. He has a bachelor’s in English and elementary and secondary credentials from UCLA as well as a master’s in curriculum and instruction, from the University of Oregon. He has also been an assistant scoutmaster and community sports coach. He and his wife of nearly 40 years, Bonnie, also a career schoolteacher and native of Kauai, built their own home and now manage their own tree farm, “Giving Trees, LLC,” with over 400 tropical hardwoods of a dozen species growing on their property. Peel has traveled much of the United States and Canada, as well as Europe during college. He and his wife have three grown children, four grandchildren, and live in Kapahi, on the island of Kauai with their two dogs and four cats

Jocelyn Pinkerton

Jocelyn Pinkerton was born and raised in the Midwest, primarily Chicago. Her teaching career started late in life after graduating from Northeastern Illinois University with a double major in English and secondary education at the age of 43. She is primarily interested in teaching in the urban schools with high minority school populations. She teaches English and journalism and advises The TRADEMASTER at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy High School. A widow and mother of five children, two of which still live at home, Pinkerton loves to travel and is an avid gardener.

Kristi Piper

Kristi Piper has been teaching in Danbury, Texas for nine years. She has taught English, creative writing, space science, and journalism in grades 7-12. She earned her bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University and her master's from the University of Houston, Clear Lake. She is currently the faculty adviser for the district yearbook and campus literary magazine, and she hopes to begin a high school newspaper in the fall. Piper enjoys camping and spending time with her son and loves writing adolescent fiction.

Samatha Sage

Samatha Sage is a first year teacher of English and journalism at Navajo Preparatory School, Inc. located in Framington, New Mexico, a Native American private college preparatory school with a five-day residential program. Having completed her undergraduate work in English at Georgetown University, she earned a master’s in English at the Univeristy of Colorado, Boulder. She was eager to return to the Four Corners area upon graduation and accepted a position from her alma mater. As an alumnus it is her goal to prepare her students for college level writing and work expectations. As a journalism teacher it is her goal to produce a school paper of magnificent quality as was published during her high school career. The paper for NPS is currently a newsletter on a bulletin board. Sage is planning her wedding to her high school sweetheart in August. Outside of class she loves renting movies and watching them with her fiancée and our two cat 'children' Chief and Ruby. She loves to read and write specializing in creative nonfiction about her family. Sage also loves to attend sporting events and enjoy watching sports with friends over a meal and a drink.

Laura Sardagna

Laura Sardagna has been teaching mathematics and foreign language at the Academy of the Pacific in Honolulu for five years. Originally from Buenos Aires, she has an educational background in international studies, foreign languages, education, and engineering, and is currently a graduate student at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Laura enjoys outdoor activities and traveling with her husband Orlando. One of her favorite places is the beautiful port city of Santos, her husband's hometown in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

Claudia Walker

Claudia Walker is originally from Columbus Ohio. After a successful career in real estate sales, Walker decided to switch careers and returned to school to earn her teaching degree at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke. A fourth-year English teacher at Red Springs High School in Raeford, N.C., Walker just launched Devil Digest, which she hopes will flow off the photocopier four times a year. A journalism class will be added to the schedule this fall. In her spare time, Walker’s hobbies include: photography, collecting stuffed dolls & bears, and learning to play golf.

Ellena Weldon

Ellena Weldon graduated high school in Honolulu, Hawaii, and then earned her bachelor and master’s degree in teaching at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. A first-year adviser, Weldon currently teaches high school journalism and English at Phillip and Sala Burton High School in San Francisco. This is her tenth year as a teacher, and she has taught a variety of subjects including: Spanish, drama, art, English and AVID in Portland, Oregon, Stockton, California, and at an international school in Venezuela. She’s passionate about building the journalism program at Burton. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys being with her partner and two children, ages four and nine. They love to travel to Mexico, to read lots of chapter books together, and to play “Go Fish” on occasion.

Amy Wellens

Amy Wellens teaches journalism 1, 2, 3 and English 9 honors at Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She advises the school newspaper, The Roundtable and the yearbook, The Challenger. She has been teaching for six years and advising for four. Originally from Southern California, Wellens earned her bachelor’s from the University of San Diego. She is working on her master’s in English literature from Old Dominion University. She loves the beach, sun and sand. She and her husband Dan love to snowboard, camp, travel and play with their two dogs, Castor and Pollux.

Jeffrey Youde

Born in Oregon, earned his Bachelor’s in English from Willamette University and a master's in education at Northern Arizona University. Youde has taught English in Poland, upstate New York and rural Arizona and is currently teaching journalism and English at Quilcene High School, Washington. He also advises the school’s newspaper, The Quill Scene. Youde lives in Port Townsend, Washington, in a small house he built with his wife, Kris. When not teaching English, he can be found outside gardening, fishing or lying on the beach reading.