California Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

07/21/2026

CSPA celebrated its 75th anniversary Saturday at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s campus. About 100 CSPA alumni and current students at the 2026 workshop were in attendance.

Members spanned six decades of workshop graduates — including alumni who attended when it was a boys only sports journalism workshop. Attendees and board members spoke about the organization’s history, sharing memories of the founder, Ralph Alexander. Several attributed much of their success in their careers to the fundamentals they learned during the two-week intensive workshop.

CSPA is the longest continually operating workshop of its kind in the country, training high school journalists on several aspects of storytelling in journalism and related industries.

07/20/2026

Thank you from the CSPA board of directors to everyone who attended the CSPA’s 75th anniversary celebration.

We had a weekend full of fun and great memories, and our Class of 2026 got the opportunity to meet so many workshop grads and find out what CSPA means to them.

In the process, we raised funds that will help future students attend the workshop. Thank you to all who donated.

If you couldn’t make it but would like to donate, please go to https://cspaworkshop.org/donate/

07/16/2026

The CSPA class of 2026 is nearly through their first week! Students have learned to craft a great lede, report breaking news and much, much more.

On Tuesday, students visited KSBY in San Luis Obispo and got a tour of the studio from Meteorologist Vivian Rennie.

They were even featured on the evening broadcast. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04MxVXPeCS8

07/08/2026

We know the CSPA taught us all how to thrive on deadline, so here’s your chance to show you still have your chops.

Our 75th anniversary celebration is July 18 on the Cal Poly campus, and we need to get a headcount so we can order the delicious food that will be served that day.

Please let us know by the end of the day Thursday (July 9) if you will attend by filling out the form on our website.

Hope to see you as we celebrate an amazing 75 years.

In 1951, a group of high school students gathered on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a crash course in sports writing, photography and other journalism skills. The workshop was part of n…

06/17/2026

We're about a month out from our CSPA 75th anniversary celebration!

If you haven't already, please check out the details here and let us know if you can attend: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdF3iObbLvWz6s94G9luYvXuNqb06O_pnv-gmu6B-g2oAKW6w/viewform

And please, share with your fellow alumni!

05/07/2026

We’ve locked down most of the details for our CSPA 75th anniversary celebration and hope you can join us for what should be an amazing gathering.

The main event is our anniversary gathering on the Cal Poly SLO campus the afternoon of Saturday, July 18. We’ll celebrate 75 years of the best high school journalism workshop in the country with food, memories, awards, an auction and more.

Our CSPA Class of 2026 will be there to soak in the history and camaraderie that have been built over 75 years.

After that, we’ll head to The Hub in downtown SLO for a casual evening and some libations in a fun setting.

We also have some things in the works for Friday and Sunday —- wine tasting, World Cup watch party —- for those who want to make a weekend of it.

Check out the information about our 75th anniversary celebration, RSVP and please spread the word to members of the CSPA family you know.

Hope to see you in San Luis Obispo this summer.

In 1951, a group of high school students gathered on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a crash course in sports writing, photography and other journalism skills. The workshop was part of n…

03/16/2026

🗣️Calling all CSPA alumni! The California Scholastic Press Association is celebrating our 75th anniversary this July, and we want you there.

We are planning an event in San Luis Obispo for Sat. July 18 and more festivities during the weekend.

So we need two things from you:

1. Please fill out this survey to let us know your preferences and build a headcount: https://forms.gle/1cEnV2JURhoGmvGX7

2. Please share the survey with your CSPA friends and former students.

We hope to see you in SLO this summer!

12/19/2025

APPLY NOW: The 2026 CSPA summer journalism workshop application is live!

➡️https://forms.gle/1Quz1d2kSCgR5Wfh9

12/03/2025

The California Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) has been teaching journalists since 1951.

Sean Campbell, Class of '24, shares how has impacted his career.

This , please consider supporting the workshop that has helped launch the careers of so many journalists: cspaworkshop.org/donate

07/30/2025

We are beyond honored to present the CSPA Class of 2025! These 27 students truly raised the bar for excellence. Despite some never having written an article before, the work they produced over these 13 days was nothing short of impressive. Each student came to class with an eagerness to learn and an unwavering ambition that was palpable to every instructor that entered the room. The students explored numerous methods of storytelling including on-the-spot reporting, photojournalism and ——. They approached each with determination and grit, no matter how early or late it was. This was an outspoken group—advocating for their (sometimes frivolous) needs and asking the tough questions. We are incredibly proud of the hard work they put in during this year’s workshop in SLO, and we have no doubt that their futures are bright.