1989

• Carol Lange establishes VAJTA in Spring
• First VAJTA Advisory Board meeting in October
• VA Byline, the newsletter of VAJTA, is established by first editor Carol Lange

1990

• VAJTA holds first Advisers-Only regional workshop at the Holiday Inn in Harrisonburg

1991

• VHSL establishes the Savedge Scholarship to honor Col. Charles E. Savedge who passed away in December, 1990. VAJTA votes to support this student scholarship.
• VAJTA increases the High School Journalist of the Year award savings bond from $50 to $100 for first place.
• Advisers-Only East/West regional workshops held at Great Bridge High School with luncheon at The Locks Pointe restaurant and at the Holiday Inn in Harrisonburg
• Advisory Board begins discussion of Virginia Adviser of the Year or other means to recognize Virginia journalism teachers and publications advisers.
• VAJTA endorses the JEA Certified Journalism Educator and Master Journalism Educator recognition program and votes to publicize the availability of exams at the VHSL Fall Publicaitons Workshop
• Virginia Press Association, the Roanoke Times and Herff Jones offer meeting space for VAJTA Board meetings

1992

• Carol Lange presents draft of suggested adviser recognition awards and criteria; Sally Miller agrees to refine the selection process and to research potential names for each award.
• Advisory Board plans Fall 1992 VHSL strand for advisers; Roy Martin is liaison for April 1993 advisers retreat at Natural Bridge
• Wendy LaRue becomes the second editor of VA Byline with the Winter 1992 issue
• Advisory Board agrees to lend its support to the JEA/NSPA Fall Convention to be held November 17-21, 1993, in Washington, D.C. and decides to cancel the Advisers-Only workshops in order to support the convention
• VAJTA Adviser awards are established: The Douglas Southall Freeman Award, The Virginia Gazette Award, The Thomas Jefferson Award for Lifetime Achievement, and The VAJTA Award.
• Advisers-Only Regional Workshop held at the new facilities of the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star

1993

• Anne Webster becomes the third editor of VA Byline with the January 1993 issue
• Lack of registration cancels advisers retreat at Natural Bridge
• First VAJTA adviser recognition awards are presented at the VHSL Fall Workshop: Douglas S. Freeman‹paperweight, Virginia Gazette‹small plaque, Jefferson‹Jefferson cup, and VAJTA‹larger plaque
• Advisory Board discusses the focus of the organization and how best to fulfill the purpose of the organization. After much consideration, the Board decides that more effort should go into networking among advisers and providing support for new advisers. Four committees are formed: Networking under the supervision of Kim Epps and Kris Leedom; Communications under Anne Webster, By-laws with Dott VanDervort to develop a draft of VAJTA by-laws; and VHSL Involvement under the supervision of Ken Tilley, Bert Smith and Bernie Leigg.
• Melody Crawley's mother created a VAJTA banner for use at conventions and other VAJTA-sponsored activities
• By-laws are adopted by the Board in September; the Advisory Board officially becomes the Board of Directors

1994

• Fall adviers-Only regional workshops are replaced by area networking activities with the state divided into four areas: Northern, Central, Southeast and Southwest
• Board votes to add multicultural sessions to VHSL Fall Publications Workshop and to recruit minority students to attend
• Board determines that corporate donations would enable them to expand scholastic journalism activities within the state; Sunny Reed and Naomi Dixon mail surveys and letters requesting financial support to appropriate parties.
• Board votes to increase VAJTA dues to $10.00

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