Student publications teacher Tom Hayes was named the the 2017-18 Indiana Student Publications Teacher of the Year by the Women’s Press Club of Indiana this week.

Hayes is finishing his 12th year as student publications adviser at Ben Davis. He previously taught for two years at New Castle High School. Before that, the Ball State graduate was managing editor of Que Publishing in Indianapolis and also spent 20 years covering central Indiana sports for the Greenfield Daily Reporter, the Franklin Daily Journal and the Indianapolis Star.

Hayes advises the Spotlight newspaper, Keyhole yearbook and Giant Visions arts magazine. He was sports editor of his high school newspaper and double majored in journalism and secondary education at Ball State, where he was managing editor of the Daily News his senior year.

Hayes will be recognized by the Women’s Press Club at a June 2 awards banquet and is now up for National Teacher of the Year. The national winner will be announced in the fall.