Mentoring Monday: ASPA’s Long Weekend provides opportunity for advisers to share expertise to improve student media

Connie Nolen discusses strategies for literary magazines with Tyrone Jones.

Connie Nolen, an adviser from Pelham High School (Pelham, Ala.), spent nearly two hours of nonstop instruction at a University of Alabama campus eatery, counseling JEA mentee Tyrone Jones on all aspects of literary magazine advising.

The meeting was arranged by JEA mentor Marie Parsons, on the recommendation of another mentee, Melissa Dixon, who has taught with Nolen.

All four were attending Alabama Scholastic Press Association’s Long Weekend at the University of Alabama.

Jones teaches at Central High School in Tuscaloosa and is in his second
year as a JEA mentee.

Jones has the MFA in creative writing and is a published poet, but is new at publications advising. He started up a newspaper at his school last year.

Nolen is in her seventh year of lit mag advising and 25th year of teaching. She said she got her start in advising at ASPA workshops and NSPA conventions.

Meredith Cummings is ASPA director and coordinator of Alabama’s JEA mentors.