Illinois JEA

Brenda Field receives 2017 James A. Tidwell Award for Excellence in Scholastic Media Education

Glenbrook South High School yearbook adviser and state director for the IJEA encourages advisers to "Fly the J" as a reference to her beloved Cubs and scholastic press freedom in Illinois

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • May 12, 2017

The Glenbrook South High School yearbook adviser and state director for the IJEA encourages advisers to "Fly the J" as a reference to her beloved Cubs and scholastic press freedom in Illinois

IJEA inducts Stan Zoller, Brenda Field into 2017 Hall of Fame

For passage of New Voices Illinois and more, IJEA honors these two journalism educators

By Amanda Bright , IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • May 12, 2017

Cathy Wall, herself a member of the IJEA Hall of Fame, inducted Stan Zoller and Brenda Field into the 2017 class of the IJEA Hall of Fame during the IHSA State Journalism Competition at Eastern Illinois...

IJEA honors Linda Jones as 2016 Friend of Scholastic Journalism

Award-winner credits others with her success in helping student journalists

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • September 29, 2016

In accepting the Friend of Scholastic Journalism award, Linda Jones spoke of everyone -- except herself. From the McCormick Foundation to the Scholastic Press Association of Chicago advisers, Jones...

2016 IJEA Fall Conference in Review: Empowered staffs, empowered advisers

Read story by first-place Feature Write-Off winner about keynote speaker Mitch Eden

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • September 19, 2016

With more than 320 Illinois high school journalists and their advisers in attendance this year, the 2016 IJEA Fall Conference is now in the books, or yearbooks, as the case may be. Students were...

Cathy Wall receives 2016 James A. Tidwell Award for Excellence in Scholastic Media Education

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • May 4, 2016

Harrisburg High School journalism adviser Cathy Wall was pragmatic in her advice to a room packed with other publications teachers from throughout Illinois. Pull other advisers into the Illinois journalism...

Video: Here’s what’s so great about the IJEA All-State Journalism Team. Now go for it!

Michael Geheren, a member of the IJEA All-State Journalism Team in 2012 and 2013, talks about why students should enter the competition and why advisers should nominate their MVPs. Never heard of the All-State Team? This video is for you!

By Dave Porreca, IJEA Website Editor • September 14, 2015

Michael Geheren, a member of the IJEA All-State Journalism Team in 2012 and 2013, talks about why students should enter the competition and why advisers should nominate their MVPs.

Video: Watch Janet Levin’s acceptance speech for the 2015 James A. Tidwell Award

The longtime John Hersey High newspaper adviser was honored Friday, May 1, at the IHSA state final in Charleston, and she had some insights and advice for her peers.

By Dave Porreca, IJEA Website Editor • May 4, 2015

The longtime Hersey High newspaper adviser was honored May 1 at the IHSA state final, and she had some insights and advice for her peers.

Video: Mike Doyle reflects on career as he accepts 2014 James A. Tidwell Award

The Belvidere fixture is retiring after 15 years of working with high school journalists — and fittingly he's the recipient of IJEA's highest teaching honor, renamed this year as the James A. Tidwell Award.

May 16, 2014

The Belvidere fixture is retiring after 15 years of working with high school journalists — and fittingly he's the recipient of IJEA's highest teaching award .

Video: Press on! Film critic Dann Gire honored as 2013 Friend of Scholastic Journalism

Be sure to watch this inspiring video all the way through. You won't be disappointed when you reach the end. We have a feeling you'll be cheering too as IJEA honoree Dann Gire exhorts his audience to resist all obstacles and "press on!"

September 15, 2013

URBANA — Dann Gire, film critic for the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights, was named the 2013 Friend of Scholastic Journalism by the IJEA Sept. 13 at the Colonial Room of the Illini Union on the campus...

Video: Top 10 great things about advising from Educator of the Year Laurie Bielong

Laurie Bielong is retiring from Belleville West High School after an exemplary career that included some 20 years of advising the award-winning Hy News. But she couldn't leave the stage without first giving a top 10 list tailored just for journalism advisers. And it comes with sound effects!

April 29, 2013

CHARLESTON — Belleville West newspaper adviser Laurie Bielong, along with sound effects, gave a fantastic acceptance speech for the 2013 Illinois Scholastic Journalism Educator of the Year award at the...