Vicky Williams’ high school journalism experience began years ago at McComb High School where she was editor of the school newspaper, Tiger Rag.

She went on to become editor of Southwest Mississippi Community College’s newspaper and work at Enterprise Journal in McComb before she put her education degree to use 17 years ago. She’s now in her second year teaching journalism at Madison Central High School where she advises Pawprint, the yearbook, and The Uproar, the newspaper.

Williams said when she first started teaching, being a yearbook advisor meant a lot more paperwork.

“When I first started, I was in Birmingham, and we were still using grease pencils to crop pictures,” she said. “For each picture you submitted, you had to crop the picture and make sure that everything lined up on your pages and put stickers on the back of every picture you submitted and label the picture with the number shown on the computer screen. It was a very time-consuming process.”

Williams said students would receive a hard copy then to make corrections to and send back.

“We were also using film,” she said. “We had the expense of buying film and getting it processed and not really knowing if the pictures we were taking would be good. Now everything is so much more efficient with digital photography.”

In Williams first job, she worked with drama, newspaper, yearbook and “anything else they could get me to teach.”

“Ever since then, that’s what I’ve done, and I’ve been able to taper back down to journalism,” she said. “I’m focusing on journalism, and I’m not having to worry about directing musicals and teaching public speaking and all of those things.”

Williams teaches her journalism students about how the broad cross-discipline skills they’re learning can be applied in other areas.

“We of course cover writing, and they’re able to analyze stories,” she said. “I tell them they should be able to identify the five W’s and an H when they read a story. If not then the reporter hasn’t done their job, and that they should apply that to their essays or any class they have to write for.”

Students also keep up with current events and learn computer and photography skills.

“There’s so many things they can apply to future careers that wouldn’t just be centered around journalism,” she said. “I feel like there’s just a lot even in the business world by raising money to produce these publications. There’s so many life lessons they learn.”

Williams said the best part of being an adviser for yearbook and newspaper is the opportunity to have the same students for three years.

“It’s just so rewarding watching them grow in their writing and photography and computer skills and interviewing skills and watching them advance in the knowledge they gain from year to year,” she said. “Also the end product — newspaper or yearbook — seeing all their hard work is why I enjoy it.”

Williams said she enjoys being a part of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association because she’s able to see the products put out by other schools in the state.

“We have so many talented students, and just being able to see what every school district can do and the love these kids have for journalism and their schools and their communities is great,” she said. “We have all gained so much.”

Williams added she’s thankful for the experiences she and her students have been afforded by MSPA.

“Going to different sessions and at the end of the year, coming for that awards banquet where the kids are just wanting to see what everybody has done and to be rewarded is an awesome thing,” she said. “I’m just so thankful to MSPA for that.”