In the days that followed, e-mail after e-mail from high school journalism teachers and advisers alike repeated the same message - thanks for putting on a great 2002 Kentucky High School Journalism Association convention.

The daylong May 1 convention at Louisville's Galt House East drew 785 high school students making it the largest KHSJA gathering yet. Adding professional journalists and guests, the noon awards luncheon included more than 850 participants.

Pre-convention activities began the evening before with the Pizza With the Pros session and a dance. Students - about 200 of them - dined with and were able with talk with journalism pros Chris Poynter of The Courier-Journal, Bob Sokoler of WHAS Radio, Chris Parente of WAVE-TV, Chip Cosby of The Herald-Leader, Mike Jones of LEO and Tom Heiser of The Courier-Journal Online. Student questions ranged from "How much money do you earn?" to "Who's had the biggest influence on your career?"

The first activity the next morning was a joint session involving all students and a panel of journalists. Panelists included Pam Platt of The Courier-Journal, Tom Caudill of The Herald-Leader, Mark Hebert from WHAS-TV and Lynda Umfress, a retired journalism teacher and adviser from Bourbon County High School.

Panelists discussed two typical ethical dilemmas faced by journalists but students seemed to really enjoy the Q&A session in which they were able to ask the panelists' advice on a number of journalism questions they face at their schools. The session was moderated by Brad Hughes, a former journalist and now head of communications for the Kentucky School Boards Association in Frankfort. In the end, Hughes, armed with a wireless mike, sprinted around the huge ballroom to get to as many student questions as possible.

Students then spent the remainder of the morning in workshops devoted to newspapers, yearbooks and broadcast. Several sessions were standing room only.

Courier-Journal vice president and editorial page editor David Hawpe, a 32-year veteran of the paper, was the keynote speaker during the awards luncheon. Hawpe challenged students to be fearless in their reporting but cautioned them at the same time to be responsible in their work.

More than 2,080 entries were received in the newspaper, yearbook and broadcast divisions of this year's KHSJA contest. That compared with more than 1,500 entries in the 2001 contest. More than 80 high school journalism programs were represented in the contest. The competition this year was co-sponsored by the Scripps Howard Foundation. Other convention co-sponsors included The Courier-Journal, The Herald-Leader, the Georgetown News-Graphic, KPA and the Kentucky Broadcasters Association.

Taking home the Grand Champion award was Graves County High School. That award recognizes the school with the best all-around journalism program in Kentucky. Schools must compete in at least two of the three divisions of the contest - newspaper, yearbook and broadcast - to qualify and must garner the most points overall to win. It marked the second consecutive year in which Graves County High has won the top prize.

Graves County High School also won the General Excellence award in the Broadcast Division for Class AAA schools. The contest is divided into three classes - A, AA and AAA - based on enrollment.

Other schools winning General Excellence awards were: Newspaper Division, Class A: first place, Heath High School; second place, Danville High School; and a tie for third place between Corbin High School and Cumberland County High School.

Newspaper Division, Class AA: first place, Highlands High School; second place, Montgomery County High School; and third place, Bowling Green High School.

Newspaper Division, Class AAA: First place, South Oldham High School; second place, Graves County High School; and third, Oldham County High School.

Broadcast Division, Class A: first, Bardstown High School; second, Corbin High School.

Broadcast Division, Class AA: first, Montgomery County High School; second place, Henry County High School; and third place, Russell County High School.

Broadcast Division, Class AAA: first place, Graves County High School; second place, St. Xavier High School; third place, Shelby County High School.

Yearbook Division, Class A: first place, Russellville High School; second place, Mercy Academy; third place, Heath High School.

Yearbook Division, Class AA: first place, Bowling Green High School; second place, Valley Traditional High School; third place, Rockcastle County High School.

Yearbook Division, Class AAA: first place, Scott County

High School; a tie for second between Graves County High School and Oldham County High School; third place, South Oldham High School.

KPA and the Kentucky Broadcasters Association jointly founded KHSJA in 1997. It is administered by KPA.