Congratulations to Light Dohrn, a senior from University of Chicago Laboratory High School in Chicago on being named the 2026 Illinois Journalist of the Year by the Illinois Journalism Education Association. A portfolio of Light’s work can be found here.
“She is everything I would want a high school journalist to be. Her stories were well-written, well-sourced, in-depth with good quotes,” said IJEA Board Member Dave Sennerud.
Dohrn is the fourth student from the University of Chicago Lab and the 37th student named Illinois Journalist of the Year since 1989.
She emerged from a competitive pool of applicants. She was nominated and mentored by U-High’s adviser Logan Aimone. The selection was made by a panel of IJEA board members who carefully evaluated each candidate’s portfolio, self-analytical essays, résumé, academic transcripts, and letters of recommendation. Her body of work, academic achievement, and demonstrated commitment to excellence distinguished her among an impressive group of applicants.
One thing that stood out about Dohrn’s application was her approach to editing, which she explained as “Socratic editing.”
“I’m careful to distinguish between edits that clarify or strengthen a piece and edits that risk flattening a writer’s voice or overstepping editorial boundaries. When disagreements arise, I treat them as opportunities to sharpen the reporting rather than as obstacles to be overridden,” Dohrn wrote.
In her fourth year on the staff, Dohrn is the editor-in-chief of the U-High Midway and previously served as an assistant editor and arts and entertainment editor.
Dohrn will represent Illinois in the national Journalism Education Association Journalist of the Year contest. The winner of the national contest will be announced at the National High School Journalism Convention in Minneapolis in April. The top winner at the national level receives $4,000 in scholarship funds, and up to five finalists receive $1,200 each.
The runner up for the IJOY award is Addison Stone, a senior at Huntley High School in Huntley. Stone’s adviser is Lauren Teeter. Her portfolio highlighting her work can be found here.
Both Dohrn and Stone will be celebrated at the All-State/IJOY celebration in Springfield on June 5th.
