Bryant advisers Meag Abo, Colton Croy, Justin Turner and Michael Westbrook were recently named The Walter J. Lemke Award recipients for 2025, Arkansas Scholastic Press Association’s most prestigious honor awarded for exemplary service to scholastic journalism in Arkansas.
In addition to leading outstanding journalism programs at Bryant Junior High and Bryant High School, these educators also serve as influential leaders at the state level. Justin Turner is the Arkansas State Director for the Journalism Education Association and serves on the ASPA board. Colton Croy is the Vice President of ASPA, Michael Westbrook is the Treasurer, and Meag Abo serves as Secretary.
The team hosted the 2025 Arkansas Scholastic Press Association Spring Convention, the first time Bryant hosted ASPA's convention in its 96 year history. Students at both junior high and high school worked diligently to make this event successful and ensured that ASPA will be able to continue to support Arkansas students and journalism for another 100 years.
About the Award
The Walter J. Lemke Award is dedicated to Lemke, the founder of ASPA (then called Arkansas High School Press Association) and the pioneer who established the University of Arkansas’s journalism department. The award named for him honors others who have championed the rights of student journalists and provided opportunities for scholastic press programs to develop and flourish.