Diane Fitzpatrick (left) and Lori Factor of the Youngstown Press Club have more exciting events lined up for 2025.
A new awards program for high school student journalists and another impressive lineup of speakers highlight the Youngstown Press Club’s plans for 2025.
The Scholastic Journalism Awards, a high school writing and media contest designed to inspire the next generation of journalists, is under way, with entries due by Friday, March 21.
“High school is where so many journalists get their start, and it’s important to encourage their growth and interest in the field,” said Diane Fitzpatrick, the press club’s executive director.
With 16 schools participating so far, this initiative is a revival of the Youngstown State University Press Day, once an annual gathering of high school students. The Press Club hopes to expand the new awards-focused program in the years ahead.
Looking ahead to other programs
The club is excited about upcoming programs for its members, which include local journalists, media enthusiasts and PR professionals. Among them are these:
March 11 – Dontaira Terrell and Zakkiyyah Terrell White, the new owners of the Buckeye Review, will discuss their plans for the publication.
April 21 – Caroline Collins, news anchor for KRIV-TV in Houston (formerly with WFMJ-TV in Youngstown) will be the keynote speaker at the club’s annual meeting and dinner.
May 15 – Paul Furiga, author, former Pittsburgh Business Times editor and president of the WordWrite PR firm in Pittsburgh, will share his insights.
June 12 – A panel of local, state and national experts will discuss the Freedom of Information Act and the importance of press freedom.
A complete list of the 2025 programs with more details can be found on the Press Club’s website at https://www.yopressclub.com/events.html.
The club’s programs and activities are supported by admission fees, donations and institutional sponsors, which include Pecchia Communications.
Highlights from 2024
Last year was an exceptional one for the club, highlighted by prominent speakers, fundraising for journalism scholarships and advocacy for press freedom. Among the speakers were Nikita Roy of Newsroom Robots Labs, Joe Scalzo of Crain’s Cleveland Business and Mary Ellen Huesken and Mark Naymik of Signal Cleveland.
Another 2024 highlight was the “I Stand with Evan” event, where Paul Beckett from the Wall Street Journal discussed efforts to secure the release of journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in a Russian jail (and released in August 2024).
The Press Club also hosted its Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner to honor excellence in media while raising scholarship funds for young journalists.
Support for local media professionals
Looking forward, the Press Club remains committed to its mission of supporting local journalists and communicators across the Mahoning Valley.
“We want to remind people how important it is to support their local media,” Fitzpatrick said. “Journalism is vital to democracy.”
