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  • Our 2025 Newspaper & Digital News Media Contest is now open for entries! Advisers, we want to recognize your students' great work! Deadline is March 15.
  • Congratulations to IJEA Executive Director Linda Jones on receiving the national JEA's Lifetime Achievement Award! She will be honored at the 2025 Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.
  • Congratulations to IJEA member Leslie Fireman, journalism adviser at West Chicago High School, on winning the national JEA's Rising Star Award! She was honored at the 2024 Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Philadelphia.
  • Congratulations to IJEA Hall of Fame member Stan Zoller, MJE, on being the inaugural winner of the National JEA's Candace and John Bowen Adviser First Amendment Leadership Award! He was honored at the 2024 Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Philadelphia.
  • It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Sarah Doerner, IJEA’s longest-serving president. Sarah died Nov. 29 in Du Quoin at the age of 86. Services were held Dec. 7. See below for our tribute to this great journalism educator.
  • Advisers! Join IJEA today! Annual memberships and lifetime memberships are available. Use our online form or fillable PDF to join!
Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

IJEA Officers

 

2014-15 OFFICERS *

President
Sarah Doerner (Region 6), retired, DuQuoin High School (Perry County)
 [email protected]  

Vice President
Brad Bennewitz (Region 1), Galesburg High School (Knox County)
 [email protected]

Co-Secretary
Dan Kerns (Region 4), Richwoods High School (Peoria, Peoria County)
 [email protected]

Co-Secretary
Amanda Bright (Region 5), Mattoon High School (Coles County)
 [email protected]

Treasurer
Susan Tantillo (at large),  retired, Wheeling High School (Cook County)
 [email protected]



* A NOTE ON REGIONS
 — For the purposes of representation, the IJEA Bylaws have divided Illinois into the following six regions:

Region 1: Counties of Whiteside, Henry, Rock Island, Mercer, Henderson, Warren, Knox, Hancock, McDonough, Fulton, Mason, Schuyler, Adams, Brown, Cass, Menard, Pike, Morgan, Scott, Sangamon, Greene, Macoupin, Jersey, Calhoun.

Region 2: Counties of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle, Lee, Bureau, LaSalle, Grundy, Kendall, Kane, DeKalb, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake.

Region 3: Counties of Cook, DuPage.

Region 4: Counties of Will, Kankakee, Iroquois, Livingston, Ford, McLean, Putnam, Marshall, Woodford, Stark, Peoria, Tazewell.

Region 5: Counties of Logan, DeWitt, Macon, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion, Edgar, Clark, Cumberland, Coles, Douglas, Moultrie, Shelby, Montgomery, Christian.

Region 6: Counties of Madison, Bond, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford, Lawrence, Richland, Clay, Marion, Clinton, St. Clair, Monroe, Washington, Randolph, Perry, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, White, Hamilton, Franklin, Gallatin, Hardin, Saline, Pope, Massac, Pulaski, Alexander, Union, Johnson, Jackson, Williamson.

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IJEA Officers