JOHN CUTSINGER

Yearbook Jedi

John Cutsinger is a freelance consultant after 16 years in the classroom as a yearbook, newspaper and magazine adviser and 27 years as a Jostens educational and creative manager. A JEA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and Certified Journalism Educator, John takes great pride in his CSPA Gold Key, his NSPA Pioneer, his JEA Medal of Merit and Friend of Scholastic Journalism, his SIPA Distinguished Adviser Award, and Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Journalism Teacher of the Yeah. “It is amazing that my entire life has revolved around capturing and preserving memories that last a lifetime for millions,” he said.

LESLIE JURGENSMEYER

Nationally Recognized Adviser

Leslie Jurgensmeyer, CJE, advises the Mountaineer yearbook at Rogers High School. Her staffs have earned All-Arkansas rankings as well as All-American ranking from NSPA and a Gold Medalist ranking with All-Columbian honors in every category from CSPA.  She believes strongly in student autonomy and thinks her strength is getting students to adopt a growth mindset while buying into the mission of creating the best yearbook their school has ever seen. “I often tell my students yearbook is the most important class they will take,” Jurgensmeyer said. “One of our mottos is: ‘Get it right--because if you are wrong, you are wrong forever.’”​

DEREK GOWER

Photojournalism Expert

Derek Gower has worked as a photographer in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for 8 years and has been part of photojournalism education for even longer. Derek mentored under a professional photojournalist, helped military-dependent youth find their voice through photography, co-founded a wedding photography business, and currently works freelance for a variety of clients in the fields of healthcare, education, business, and advertising. Derek also teaches photography and photojournalism skills to high school students and their advisers around the country, is a co-author of Jostens’ Grow Your Know photojournalism curriculum, and has a passion and patience for working one-on-one to help students develop their skills and understanding of photography.