Hall of Famer Brenda Field is the local chair for the JEA/NSPA Fall Convention scheduled for Chicago in 2018. It's not too late to get involved, she says — and what you put in now will pay dividends throughout your career.
Scholastic journalism programs around the country have united to assist their Texas counterparts affected by Hurricane Harvey. Check inside to learn how you and your students can join this nationwide effort.
Do you have a couple of writers on your staff whose talents you would like to showcase at this Friday's IJEA Fall Conference? Here's an opportunity for them to refine their skills under real-world conditions — and perhaps even win an award. Read on to learn more!
By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member
• February 27, 2017
Did that just say "Cheat"? Is that legal if I'm a teacher and adviser? Turns out, it is — especially if it's rewarding the most driven and passionate students in your newsroom with the honor of being on the IJEA All-State Journalism Team for 2017.
Mike Doyle, CJE, Former IJEA Board Member
• February 21, 2017
The IJEA's annual James A. Tidwell Award recognizes our state's top journalism educators. With the March 1 deadline for 2017 nominations quickly approaching, we asked a recent Tidwell honoree, Mike Doyle, to discuss what winning the award has meant to him. "It means that every day I know I made a difference in the lives of so many students and that I was able to teach the values of fairness, ethics and integrity to so many of them," he writes.
Never before have the media and the First Amendment come under such ridicule and hatred by a sitting president. During Scholastic Journalism Week — Feb. 19 to 25 — scholastic media outlets should encourage their audiences to become civically engaged and contact lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to let them know that an assault on the First Amendment is not only an attack on professional journalists but on the nation’s students as well.
Cora Weisenberger, IWPA High School Contest Chair
• January 27, 2017
The IWPA High School Communications Contest showcases the excellent work of Illinois students, with the winners in each category automatically advancing to the national competition. The deadline for entries is Feb. 21.
As 2017 arrives, make a resolution to recognize that scholastic press rights are for every scholastic journalist and journalism educator in Illinois — and together we can make a difference!
As IJEA board member Katie Comeford explains, curriculum maps and pacing calendars can help journalism teachers prepare even more effectively for their classes.
More than 20 years after earning IJEA's top individual honor, former Illinois Journalist of the Year Lauren Lawley Head is still putting into practice the lessons she learned as a high school reporter and editor.
Brenda Field attended her first JEA/NSPA convention in 1996. More than 30 conventions later, she's still attending — and still learning! Whether you go with or without students, conventions will always leave you feeling inspired, refreshed and renewed.
One of the best parts of being a publications adviser is building a camaraderie with students that will endure long after graduation. Using social media to stay in touch is a great way to make those bonds even stronger!
