IJEA All-State Journalism Team
Click Here to Access the All-State Online Nomination Form
(One submission form for advisers and students)
Submission Deadline for 2026 IJEA All-State Team:
11:59 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2026 (extended from March 30)
What Is the All-State Journalism Team?
Since the spring of 2005, the Illinois Journalism Education Association has named an All-State Journalism Team, recognizing those students who have proven themselves indispensable to their respective school media (e.g., yearbook, print or online newspaper, print or online newsmagazine, broadcast or other journalistic media).
IJEA began the All-State Journalism Team as a way to recognize those students who are “most valuable players” — those students whose leadership, energy, dedication and expertise make their publications possible but whose main contributions often occur behind the scenes. This is what makes the All-State Team different from other high school journalism honors. It’s not about the byline. We’re not selecting this year’s best writer, photographer, designer or broadcaster — although many All-State honorees would do just fine in those kinds of contests!
Instead, we’re choosing those student journalists who’ve put their publications ahead of themselves. They’re the ones who are willing to sacrifice their spare time to make sure other people’s stories are well edited. They’re the ones who make sure a publication’s pages are smartly designed, the headlines witty, the photos well composed, the website up to date and easy to navigate, the videos smoothly produced and the information in every story accurate. They’re the ones who don’t seek recognition but deserve it most of all.
Eligibility & Fees
All Illinois student journalists in grades 9-12 are eligible to be nominated by their advisers, who must be members of the Illinois Journalism Education Association. Nominations may not exceed two students per school. If two students are nominated from the same school, they must represent different publications or programs (e.g., yearbook and newspaper).
A nomination fee of $20 per nominee is required, as is IJEA membership ($25 annual or $250 lifetime) for the nominating adviser. See the section immediately below for more information about joining IJEA.
IJEA Membership Requirement for Advisers
Nominating advisers must be IJEA members.
To join IJEA for the 2025-26 school year, complete and submit our online membership form OR our PDF membership form. In either case, send your $25 annual membership fee or $250 lifetime membership fee to: Susan Bookless, IJEA Treasurer, 11420 West Chetlain Lane, Galena, IL 61036. All necessary payment instructions are included in the membership forms.
PLEASE NOTE: IJEA annual memberships run from July 1 to June 30 each school year. If you were an annual member during the 2024-25 school year but have not renewed since then, your membership has expired.
Selection Process
Students must be nominated by their adviser to be considered for the All-State Journalism Team. A committee consisting of professional journalists will select the winners. For a student to be considered, the following items must be submitted:
- Online nomination form. This form will ask for information from both the adviser (nominator) and student (nominee).
- A nomination statement in which the adviser discusses why the student should be named to the IJEA All-State Journalism Team.
- Three student work samples from the current school year.
- A brief text document in which the student discusses the background and significance of each work sample.
- An essay in which the student discusses her or his journalism activities during the current school year.
- A color “headshot” photo of the student, to be posted on the IJEA website and in the IJEA newsletter if the student is selected.
- A $20 nomination fee. Payment instructions are included in the nomination form.
Deadline for Entry
For the 2026 All-State competition, the online nomination form and all supporting documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026. (This deadline has been extended from the original date of March 30.)
Notification
IJEA will notify the selected All-State Team members and their advisers by early May.
Award Presentation
The team is honored in Springfield on the first Saturday in June at a luncheon co-hosted by IJEA and the Illinois Press Foundation.
Each member of the All-State Journalism Team receives a plaque. All members, their parents and advisers are invited to the event. IJEA is grateful for the continued support of the IPF.
Previous IJEA All-State Journalism Teams
Our next honorees will join a long line of distinguished high school journalists who have earned All-State recognition since the competition began during the 2004-05 school year. Congratulations to all of our past winners, and we look forward to honoring many more outstanding scholastic journalists in the years to come!
• 2025 Team (2024-25 school year)
• 2024 Team (2023-24 school year)
• 2023 Team (2022-23 school year)
• 2022 Team (2021-22 school year)
• 2021 Team (2020-21 school year)
• 2020 Team (2019-20 school year)
• 2019 Team (2018-19 school year)
• 2018 Team (2017-18 school year)
• 2017 Team (2016-17 school year)
• 2016 Team (2015-16 school year)
• 2015 Team (2014-15 school year)
• 2014 Team (2013-14 school year)
• 2013 Team (2012-13 school year)
• 2012 Team (2011-12 school year)
• 2011 Team (2010-11 school year)
• 2010 Team (2009-10 school year)
• 2009 Team (2008-09 school year)
• 2008 Team (2007-08 school year)
• 2007 Team (2006-07 school year)
• 2006 Team (2005-06 school year)
• 2005 Team (2004-05 school year)