High School Press Association Names Hopkins Teacher Top Educator

(The following news release was submitted by .)

 

The Minnesota High School Press Association has presented its 2012 Journalism Educator of the Year honor to Jeff Kocur of and adviser to the “Regalia” yearbook and the “Royal Page” newspaper with its companion website. Kocur was recognized at the school on May 24.

Selection criteria for the award include teaching/advising preparation, experience and ability; relationships with students and others; contributions to the profession; promoting appreciation for journalism and as a career; and support for the First Amendment.

Kocur began teaching English language arts and advising the Royal Page in 2000. He added “Regalia” responsibilities in 2007. Kocur earned a bachelor’s from Winona State University and a master’s at St. Mary's University. He has also taken additional coursework in journalism education through Kent State University.

The publications have each placed in the state Best of Show contest. The newspaper has also earned national recognition, including a finalist for 2010 Feature Story of the Year. The yearbook students' work has been featured in the Jostens “Look Book,” a gallery of excellence. Kocur has been an instructor at the state's summer journalism workshop and served on the local organizing committee for the national high school journalism convention held in Minneapolis last November.

Kocur's students and colleagues nominated him for the award. “Royal Page” online editor Jack Deutsch emphasized that Kocur holds students to high journalistic standards.
"He has taught me so much about journalism and how to demonstrate respect and work ethic towards the stories that are important to our community in a way that shows professional traits in order for us to be true reporters," Deutsch wrote.

The newspaper's co-editor, Ryan Levi, cited Kocur's leadership and support of the newspaper staff when controversy arose. He wrote that Kocur is an advocate for students' rights and encourages students to take seriously their roles as independent leaders in the school.

"All year, we worked to write about important events in our community and Mr. Kocur was there every step of the way providing us with support and advice while still allowing us to make our own decisions," Levi wrote. "Without Mr. Kocur, Hopkins High School would likely have been deprived of some of the best and most meaningful work ‘Royal Page’ has ever done."