Ginny Shikle, co-adviser of The Pony Express student newspaper at Center Hill High School, is Mississippi’s Newspaper Adviser of the Year. She received the award at the state journalism convention March 27.

“She won the award because she’s an excellent adviser,” said R.J. Morgan, director of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association.

Morgan said there are 28 newspaper advisers in MSPA. Shikle was one of five finalists for the award, which was presented to her at the University of Mississippi.

“I was so nervous,” Shikle said. “The other four finalists were strong contenders. When I heard R.J. announce my name, I was stunned.”

Morgan said Shikle, a former journalist who previously worked for The Vicksburg Post and the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, exhibits the qualities of a successful adviser.

“You need to have a lot of patience,” he said. “You need to have a lot of skills as a journalist. She knows her content. You need to be able to coach other people on that content.”

Shikle’s direction has helped The Pony Express improve its publication.

“Every month or two, you guys are getting better and better,” said Morgan, who noted at the MSPA luncheon the newspaper’s progression from publishing only online to adding a print component.

“When I was asked to help with the newspaper, my first goal was to establish a larger online presence,” said Shikle, who credited her co-adviser, Michelle Jones, and U.S. History teacher Tri Nason with starting The Pony Express blog three years ago. “This year our goal was to add print, which we accomplished. Our goal for next year is to print on newsprint rather than copy paper for a more professional product.”

Paige Brick, a sophomore, said Shikle’s efforts led to The Pony Express being named the state’s most improved high school newspaper.

“I’m really proud for her, and the work that she put in this year really helped our paper grow,” Brick said. “I was proud of the newspaper for winning most improved.”

Shikle also won the Adviser of the Year award in 2015 when she taught journalism at Tupelo High School.

“It’s not unusual to win twice,” she said. “Both times, I was in very good company. In both cases, the real credit goes to the students.”