Dr. Chris Kilbride, Superintendent of Ritenour, was recently awarded by the  Missouri Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) as administrator for the year of 2016.

Kilbride was excited to hear about the award, and immediately acknowledged the staff and students of the Media Convergence program at Ritenour for the honor.

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve the teachers, the media convergence team and the kids. Riding on the coat tails of those who pursue excellence has some advantages,”  Kilbride said.

According to the release from MIPA, Kilbride was honored because he serves a district with a diverse group of students, helping possibilities seem limitless to those who do not have the resources.

Kilbride was the superintendent when the Media Convergence Room was built in 2013.  The program gives students a chance to pursue a pathway in journalism through the radio station, the television studio, video production, yearbook and newspaper.

It was in these classes that, according to the release from MIPA, “the students have a passion for journalism and a need to engage with each other in serious, and not so serious, conversations about everything from race relations to the pressures and joys of high school.”

The media convergence program has been certified as a Career and Technical Education program, providing students with a strong foundation for future careers in communication.