• 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
Brenda Field, Glenbrook South High School yearbook adviser and state director for the Illinois JEA, presents a "Fly the J" rally towel to each adviser at the IHSA State Journalism competition at Eastern Illinois University. Field's allegory on the improbable 2016 win for the Cubs was linked with the passage of New Voices legislation in Illinois, for which she thanked and encouraged advisers.

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

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 Blog: Reflections on winning the James A. Tidwell Award

IJEA Blog: Reflections on winning the James A. Tidwell Award

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.
From left, the IHSA's Matt Troha, Tidwell award recipient Cathy Wall, IJEA President Sarah Doerner, and former SISPA leader and journalism adviser Herman Albers celebrate after Wall's acceptance speech.

Know of a deserving colleague? Deadlines are drawing near for IJEA educator and friend awards

Dr. Sally Renaud, IJEA Executive Director • February 21, 2017
Although we love to honor student journalists, we also strive to recognize their elders — the teachers, advisers, administrators and friends who make outstanding scholastic journalism possible with their guidance and support. Do you know of deserving candidates? Submit your nominations — or your own applications — today!
In memoriam: Laurie Bielong, 2013 IJEA Educator of the Year, longtime adviser and advocate of scholastic journalism

In memoriam: Laurie Bielong, 2013 IJEA Educator of the Year, longtime adviser and advocate of scholastic journalism

January 10, 2017
The dynamic teacher and adviser who led award-winning journalism programs and inspired fellow educators died Jan. 7. For those who didn't get a chance to know Laurie, the video of her IJEA Educator of the Year acceptance speech (check inside) will give you a sense of both her playfulness and dedication.
Cathy Wall receives 2016 James A. Tidwell Award for Excellence in Scholastic Media Education

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

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...

Bielong named Illinois Scholastic Journalism Educator of the Year

April 11, 2013

Laurie Bielong, longtime adviser of the Hy News at Belleville West, was surprised Wednesday, April 10, at a faculty meeting by being named IJEA's 2013 Illinois Scholastic Journalism Educator of the Year. Carol...

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IJEA Educator of the Year