Essex, Missouri - Kyle Carter of Richland R-I Jr/Sr High School has been named the Missouri Journalism Education Association's Rising Star award winner.

For the past two years, Kyle Carter has been teaching business and advising the yearbook. In his short time as an adviser, Carter has done big things for the program. An accomplished photographer himself (a Mississippi Press association award winner with photos published in USA Today and Sports Illustrated to name a few), his students have been recognized with a number of awards for their photography under his guidance.

Carter explains his greatest enjoyment in his role this way: “I LOVE taking someone who is a self-professed ‘good photographer’ and starting them on the Three Things We Can Control lesson. This lesson both opens their eyes to the possibilities of different styles of photography and helps them understand their own personal style better."

"I also LOVE advising, especially onsite work. Sitting with another shooter and picking their brain about what they could have done differently or why they used a f/4.5 on a double play instead of f/3.5. I enjoy helping them understand as much as they can about the assignment they are shooting as well as the camera principles. I enjoy seeing the satisfaction in the students’ face when they get their first really good photo - are published on the front page of the paper for the first time or even the gleam of pride in their eyes after they’ve won their first award. Most of my students come to me with the world’s preconceived notion of what a photo should look like - I teach them how to break down a photograph into their individual pieces (f/stop, shutter speed, ISO, etc.) and then advise them on how to make their art work even better than the previous photo they’ve seen.”

He was nominated by one of his students, Parker Miller. A junior in his first year on the yearbook staff. In his short time as a staff member, Parker Miller is a Gold Key winner from Quill and Scroll, an MJEA Photo of the Year Finalist and a member of the 2015 MJEA All-State Journalism Team.

The Richland Director of Music and Bands, Amber Dulley,  said, “Our current yearbook and journalism program is only in its second year, and has made unprecedented advances in student involvement, student skill level, use of technology, and quality of product."

The Missouri Journalism Education Association is the largest state scholastic journalism organization formed to help protect and enhance scholastic journalism in Missouri. MJEA works to provide outreach and support to advisers and journalism programs across the state. MJEA supports free and responsible scholastic journalism by providing resources and educational opportunities, by promoting professionalism, by encouraging and rewarding student excellence and teacher achievement, and by fostering an atmosphere which encompasses diversity yet builds unity.