MIPA Comes Alive!

New this year is the end-of-the-week Talent Competition. In the past, it's been a class karaoke contest. This year, it's individuals who feel they can show us their stuff and win the Big prize (like Laffy Taffy. Or a car. Probably taffy.).
Do you juggle? Play the spoons? Sing? That rap battle thing like they do in that movie Eight Mile? Dance? Other? Practice up, and then sign up at the office starting Monday.
Rumor is that some staff will be performing, as well. Personally, I'm working on the Fire Marshall Permits for my Flaming Arrow Into The Balloon Filled With Gasoline trick.
I can't wait!

Wanted: Issues Panel participant

I'm looking for a student willing to sit on the "Econo-Me" panel at MIPA.
For information about the panel, go here:
I need a student who fells like he/she can talk about how Michigan's economy is affecting students, families, schools, etc. A personal story is fine, but not needed. I would like to have someone who can offer specific anecdotes, though. They can be both about how people's lives have been changed and how they are coping. We can talk more if you're interested. You can send me a message via facebook, or email me at chadsanderslives@gmail.com .
-Chad

Feeling Jumpy

So here's the thing.

We know how important a theme can be. Newspaper folks work to tie together all the content of their double-trucks and packages. For yearbook folks, theme is huge. And we've all been there when what we thought was a dynamite theme starts to dissolve by page 41.
Which brings me to "JUMP."

I love this theme because it is so MIPA Camp. MIPA is where we dive in headfirst and don't come up for air until we've got some great stuff to take home. This summer, you'll definitely jump into journalism. But in case you don't get it, there's that theme thing to help drive it home. Jump. Jump on it. Jump around. Van Halen's "Jump." Kriss Kross'll make you jump. Base jumping. Jump start. Shonen Jump. Jump drive. You see how it can get away from you.

The thing I'm always obsessing about this time of the year is the opening. Last year's "Journalism is Forever" was supposed to be a spy theme ('07, 007, 2007), and it was a fun theme that, to be honest, held up until about 6:30 Sunday. But the video of me and Betsy as not-so-super spies was a blast to make.

So, help me out. I want the opening to really tie in the idea of Jump. It's an active thing. At the spring conference, I ran around with a wig on as "Jump" played. It didn't make a lot of sense, but hopefully it got people's attention.

I want the opening to be one you remember. The video gets an OK response. It's fun to make. But I don't have any groovy ideas for a video, and maybe there's something better.

How fun would be a velcro wall and trampoline, where audience members jump at a wall with things about journalism or something on it?
Velcro wall: not in the budget.
Neither are lasers, flash pots, or fog machine. I know they don't have anything to do with "Jump," but I always try to work them in if I can...
So, what else? A double-dutch contest? (Is there Single Dutch?) Maybe I have people send me how they jump into journalism and I put them into a musical slide show (oooo, I'm kinda liking this one). What else?

HELP ME! Jump on it...

Issues Seminar: Econo-me

Gas prices. Layoffs. Foreclosures. The headlines are bleak, and very real for many Michigan families. During MIPA week, you'll be invited to our Issues Seminar, where you can sit in and ask questions of a panel as they discuss the topic of Michigan's economy and its effect on families, students and schools.

We will have an economics professor on the panel, as well as people who have seen the economy's effects on schools and families first-hand.

As you prepare for camp, think about how the last few years have affected your community and school. What kinds of questions do you have? How would you cover this large topic, and make it interesting and useful to the readers of your newspaper or yearbook?

Countdown to MIPA

I'm adding a countdown clock to this site. It's more for me than anyone... I like things that count down. Rocket launches, Top Ten lists, New Year's Eve Ball Drops, stuff like that. So, this little thing will do it for me.

Technology is flippin' sweet.

Next, I'm going to see if they make an automatic Clean-All-The-Fast-Food-Garbage-Out-Of-My-Car widget.