Please enjoy the recording of a virtual awards presentation as Paul DeBolt was presented with the 2020 2-Year College Lifetime Achievement award last month via a Zoom video conference.
The Journalism Educators of the Year awards are nominated by former recipients from California high school, community college and university journalism programs. Honorees are selected by delegates to California Journalism & Media Affiliates (formerly California Journalism Education Coalition). Plaques are funded by the California Press Foundation.
DeBolt served for four decades as a journalism professor and as the faculty advisor for The Advocate, at Contra Costa the college's student newspaper, The Advocate. A resident of Vacaville, California, he retired this past late May at the finish of the school year. He began as a journalism student and was the newspaper's editor-in-chief in the mid 1970s.
He has been honored before by this organization. In 2009, he was recognized for being an outstanding instructor. Here is the tribute posted on the former Cal-JEC's website"
"He is one of the most senior and most respected community college journalism instructors in the state. He’s been at Contra Costa since 1980 and his students produce what some call one of the best student publications in the nation. He just advised his 750th issue of the college newspaper, the Advocate. In the last two years, especially, his students have embraced New Media reporting methods for the online version of the newspaper. DeBolt has twice served as president of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges."
“(DeBolt) is the glue. He’s the foundation," said a former Advocate sports editor Will White at a staff reunion in 2015. "I would not be here if it weren’t for him (and The Advocate),” he said.
When he wasn't in the newsroom with a red pen in his hand, DeBolt could be found in the gymnasium with a whistle hanging from a lanyard around his neck. He coached the Contra Costa College's Women's Basketball team for 30 years, retiring at the conclusion of the 2016 season. During that time, the team won 11 Bay Valley conference titles. He next coached the team at Napa Valley College after recruiting and rejuvenating the women's team there.
Here is a list of previous honorees. Thank you to CNPA's Joe Wirt for providing this Zoom video conference recording.