KEMPA Fall Scholastic Journalism Conference
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KEMPA Fall Scholastic Journalism Conference: Witnessing the Moment
KEMPA’s goal is to support school educators, media advisers and student journalists. By offering programs like our summer student journalism camp, winter adviser’s retreat and fall conference, we provide the tools to help build your program.
This year's Fall Scholastic Journalism Conference will be held Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026 at UW-Whitewater to connect you and your students with practicing professionals, university professors, media advisers and other student journalists in our KEMPA community. We look forward to inspiring educational conference sessions and celebrating last year’s award-winning accomplishments.
The conference theme Witnessing the Moment emphasizes the need and importance of media skills for practitioners to act as stenographer of history in journalistic coverage of our schools, communities and world.
Opening remarks will begin at 9:30 a.m. with announcements and awards, followed by a keynote speech from broadcast television reporter Emmy Fink at 10 a.m. Conference sessions will take place at 10:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. for 45-minute intervals each. Lunchtime begins at 11:45 a.m. when advisers and presenters will take part in the annual KEMPA meeting luncheon, and students are free to find lunch at any of the many campus community options.
This event is available to 9-12 grade students interested in media and their advisers/teachers.
Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 9:00 am - 1:30 pm CST
Registration
To register for this event and secure your spot, click the link above and complete the online registration form at least five (5) days before the event begins. Our events tend to sell out quickly, so it's recommended to register as soon as possible. If the event is already sold out, you can choose to register for the waitlist at no charge. If a spot becomes available and you are next on the waitlist, you will receive an email notification. You will have three days (or less, as indicated in the email) to respond and accept the open spot.
We do NOT accept walk-up registrations at event check-in.
$25.00 Non-Member | Students and advisers without a KEMPA membership
$20.00 Member | Students and advisers with a KEMPA membership
*See payment options available below.
For the Students
Workshops are designed for students in grades 9-12.
Students' work will be discussed in assigned workshops.
Workshops are limited, and student writers will be assigned in advance to the workshop in which their work is critiqued.
Non-submitting participants may attend any session.
Each submission will be carefully read and considered.
A professional writer will make written comments on the original manuscript.
The schedule designating the workshop assigned and meeting link will be available via the link in your registration confirmation, one day before the event.
Note: Because of the great number of entries in some categories such as poetry, our faculty cannot always discuss every work submitted.
For the Teachers
UW-Whitewater staff members and visiting writers will coordinate special teachers' writing workshops to be held concurrently with the students' workshop. Offerings are subject to interest and facilitator availability. Teachers who wish to submit their own work for consideration in a Teachers Writing Workshop should submit their work by the submission deadline.
At the final step of registration, you may make payment by check or credit card. Learn more about balance due dates.
A 2.85% surcharge applies to all credit/debit card payments to cover processing fees. Payment by check is exempt. Checks should be made payable to "UW-Whitewater" and mailed to:
UW-Whitewater Camps and Conferences
800 West Main Street, Andersen Library Room 2124
Whitewater, WI 53190
Payment Deadline & Policy
Full payment is due 21 days prior to the event start date. Registrants with outstanding balances after this deadline may be removed from the event roster without a refund. If there are extenuating circumstances affecting payment, please contact Continuing Education Services at cesevents@uww.edu before the deadline.
All registration fees must be paid in full 21 days prior to the event start date. Registrants with unpaid balances after this deadline may be removed from the roster without a refund. If you anticipate payment issues due to extenuating circumstances, please contact Continuing Education Services at cesevents@uww.edu before the deadline.
No refunds are available for this event. All cancellation requests must be submitted to cesevents@uww.edu.
We reserve the right to cancel any event for any reason. In such cases, all fees paid will be refunded.
Your online registration and payment are always safe and secure. We accept MasterCard and Visa credit card payments in our online registration system. We will NOT accept credit card payments over the phone. We will accept checks made out to "UW-Whitewater" and mailed to UW-Whitewater Camps and Conferences, 800 West Main Street, Room 2124 Andersen Library, Whitewater WI 53190.
Confirmation Emails
Once you register to attend an event (including waitlisted), a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you registered with. Contact cesevents@uww.edu if you do not receive this confirmation email. You must have a working email address on file with us to be able to receive important announcements and updates about this event.
For participants who will be receiving a sponsorship to attend this event, please follow these steps to redeem your sponsorship:
- Register for the event and use the promo code provided by your sponsor during checkout.
- The sponsorship amount will be deducted from your invoice. Any remaining balance will be the participant's responsibility.
- If you need to cancel your registration, please note that the sponsorship funds will be returned to the supporting organization.
Please note that any qualifying discounts given by the event will not be applied after you have paid in full. Be sure to use the promo code during checkout to receive your discount. You will be charged if you do not qualify for the requested discount at the start of the event.
If a refund is issued due to overpayment on your account, a processing fee will be assessed.
If you have received an award or scholarship without a promo code or want to use two promo codes, please call Continuing Education Services at 262-472-3165 or email cesevents@uww.edu before registering to avoid overpayment fees.
Want to Sponsor a Registrant?
If you would like to sponsor a registrant and cover all or partial fees, you can request a promo code to give to your chosen registrant. Get more information about sponsoring a registrant.
By registering for an event, you agree to our Registration Terms and Conditions. UW-Whitewater will hold all registrants responsible for their conduct. Serious misconduct or disruption will lead to immediate dismissal from event. Registrants dismissed from the event will not receive a refund. Please review the Terms and Conditions for more details.
Be aware that we recommend that all portable electronic devices be left at home, but ultimately it is your decision. We know that parents and children value the ability to be able to call each other at a moment's notice. For that reason, we do not prohibit cell phones at camp, but ask that cell phone use does not interfere with the event and other participants. Parents are responsible for setting clear guidelines for cell use with their child. We will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.
Keynote Speaker
Emmy Fink is an Emmy Award-winning television and video host, media personality and producer with 20 years of on-air experience under her belt. A proud native of Wisconsin, Emmy began her career in television in 2006 as the host of the CW’s Buzzed into Madison segments. She later became the host of the state’s longest running tourism show, Discover Wisconsin. She is the current co-host of John McGivern's Main Streets, which she joined in 2023, conducting lively interviews with local residents and civic leaders about the uniqueness and charm of Midwest communities.
Emmy’s seasoned background includes contributions to WISC Channel 3 in Madison, PBS’s Outdoor Wisconsin, Madison Magazine, and Kennedy Communications, a full –service advertising agency. She is a 2006 graduate of UW-Whitewater with majors in Journalism and Physical Education.
KEMPA Membership
If you wish to become a regular member, use this KEMPA membership form.
Advisers, please consider presenting at the conference. Your experience as an adviser is invaluable, so feel free to share a favorite lesson or activity with other students or advisers. We’d like sessions both for students and advisers. We welcome proposals that would focus on any aspect of journalism, including advising, photography, writing, newspaper, magazine, yearbook, online publishing, advertising, broadcast and more. Please use the following link to submit a proposal. You can choose to receive a modest presenter’s stipend or donate the stipend to KEMPA.
Preparing for the Event
Check-in will take place outside the Hamilton Room outside the University Center between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Advisers are asked to check-in their entire group by indicating their school name at check-in table.
Awards presentation for newspaper and yearbook competition/critiques will occur at 9:30 a.m.
As an important part of the Scholastic Journalism Conference, KEMPA will present awards to staff representatives or advisers, and both awards and critiques may be picked up at that time. School spirit and school pride in publications are encouraged by KEMPA. Be present; cheer on your school!
We receive many questions from registrants. We have prepared a page with answers to our frequently asked questions about registering and attending an event.
Conference Schedule :
- 9:00-9:30 check in
- 9:30-10:00 awards (30m)
- 10:00-10:30 keynote (30m)
- 10:45-11:30 session 1 (45m)
- 11:45-12:35 lunch/annual meeting (start meeting by 12:00–75m)
- 12:45-1:30 session 2 (45m)
- Refillable water bottle
- Light jacket or sweatshirt (college buildings can be cold)
- Notebook or reporter's notebook
- Several pens/pencils
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is committed to equal opportunity in its educational programs, activities and employment policies, for all persons, regardless of race, color, gender, creed, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, Vietnam-era veteran status, parental status and pregnancy.
If you have any disabling condition that requires special accommodations or attention, please advise us well in advance. We will make every effort to accommodate your special needs.
By attending this event you understand that the University may take photographs and or videos of event participants and activities. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater shall be the owner of and may use such photographs and or videos relating to the promotion of future events. You will relinquish all rights that you may claim in relation to the use of said photographs and/or videos. Any media shared with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on social media or use of its hashtags grants the University use of media for any purpose.
