Start preparing for IHSA Journalism Sectionals
Competition hones abilities, provides encouragement for Illinois students
Adviser Steve Steele, left, and his Taylorville journalism students display their IHSA sectional team championship plaque after tying Urbana University High for first place at the Normal Illinois State University sectional in 2015. Students will compete at seven other sectional locations for the chance to qualify for the IHSA state final at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston for 2016.
Illinois student journalists with striking skills in photography, strong creativity in yearbook theme development, and solid sports writing chops will travel to seven different sectional sites on April 22.
However, these students won’t be competing in the IHSA Journalism Sectionals only for personal fame and glory. They will also go to experience solidarity and unity with their peers, who are fighting for free speech and authentic communication each day in their schools and communities. All of the nerves, feedback and judging are small elements of the larger picture of what Illinois student journalists mean for the future of the profession and the world.
Eighty-six high school teams will compete in 2016, and the top three placements in each category from each sectional site will descend on Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill., on April 28 for State. In order to help students prepare, take a look at these resources on the IHSA website:
Journalism
Sectional Site Assignments
Details (Terms & Conditions) of the Event and Rule Book
Sample Prompts for Student Practice
2016’s Winning Entries in Each Category
Ranking Sheets (used by category judges)
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact IJEA for advice or help (using the IJEA Adviser Helpline on the homepage). We always want to be a resource for our Illinois student journalists.
