• 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
Naperville Central newspaper adviser Keith Carlson congratulates senior Jake Pfeiffer on winning the 2024 Illinois Journalist of the Year Award. Jake is editor-in-chief of both the print and online versions of the school's newspaper, Central Times. (Photo courtesy of Keith Carlson)

Naperville Central’s Jake Pfeiffer wins 2024 Illinois Journalist of the Year

Dave Porreca, CJE, IJEA Contest Committee Chair • February 26, 2024
Jake Peiffer, editor-in-chief of the Central Times, has been named the 2024 Illinois Journalist of the Year. Jake is IJEA’s 35th Journalist of the Year and just the second from Naperville Central High School. Jake will now compete for national honors against the top high school journalists from other states. Congrats, Jake!
Edwardsville High School student Caspar Dowdy named 2023 Illinois Journalist of the Year

Edwardsville High School student Caspar Dowdy named 2023 Illinois Journalist of the Year

Dave Porreca, CJE, IJEA At-Large Board Member • March 5, 2023
Caspar Dowdy, a senior at Edwardsville High School, has been named the 2023 Illinois Journalist of the Year. Caspar is IJEA’s 34th Journalist of the Year and the first from Edwardsville High. Caspar will now compete for national honors against the top high school journalists from other states. Congrats to Caspar and EHS adviser Amanda Thrun!
Annual awards event recognizes All-State Team, Journalist of Year and former IJEA director

Annual awards event recognizes All-State Team, Journalist of Year and former IJEA director

June 17, 2022
We honored our 2022 All-State Journalism Team, Illinois Journalist of the Year and IJOY runner-up as well as former IJEA Executive Director Dr. Sally Renaud on June 4 in Springfield. Thank you to the Illinois Press Foundation for making this event possible and to film critic Matt Fagerholm for serving as our keynote speaker. Congrats to all!
Prospect High School student named 2022 Illinois Journalist of the Year

Prospect High School student named 2022 Illinois Journalist of the Year

March 2, 2022
Olivia Kim, a senior at Prospect High School, has been named the 2022 Illinois Journalist of the Year. She is IJEA’s 33rd Journalist of the Year, and she will now compete for national honors against the top high school journalists from other states. Congratulations to Olivia and her adviser, Jason Block!
Sam Bull interviews Mary Beth Tinker

Downers Grove North student named 2021 Illinois Journalist of the Year

John J. Gonczy, CJE, IJEA President • March 1, 2021
Sam Bull, a senior at Downers Grove North H.S., has been named the 2021 Illinois Journalist of the Year. He is IJEA’s 32nd Journalist of the Year, and he will now compete for national honors against the top high school journalists from other states. Congratulations to Sam and his adviser, Elizabeth Levin!
Abigail "Abbe" Murphy was named the 2017 Illinois Journalist of the Year by IJEA. Runner-up was Marissa Martinez of University of Chicago Laboratory High School.

Meet our 2017 Illinois Journalist of the Year: Downers Grove North’s Abigail “Abbe” Murphy

By Amanda Bright, MJE, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • March 4, 2017
The editor-in-chief of the awarding-winning Omega newspaper of Downers Grove North High School is our choice for top high school journalist in Illinois. Check inside for more about Abbe and runner-up, Marissa Martinez!
IJEA Blog: The lasting lessons of a high school journalism education

IJEA Blog: The lasting lessons of a high school journalism education

Alexandria Johnson, 2011 Illinois Journalist of the Year • February 13, 2017
As the Feb. 15 deadline nears for entering the 2017 Illinois Journalist of the Year contest, former IJOY Alexandria Johnson offers her reflections on what scholastic journalism has meant to her. Alexandria says she's still using the lessons she learned from high school journalism to help others.
Hannah Boufford, IJEA’s 2016 Illinois Journalist of the Year, is joined by (from left) Stan Zoller, East Region director of national JEA and an IJEA board member; Michael Gluskin, Libertyville H.S. Drops of Ink newsmagazine adviser; and Brenda Field, Illinois state director for national JEA and an IJEA board member. This photo was taken last March, when Stan and Brenda visited Libertyville High to inform Hannah of her award in person.

IJEA Blog: Seniors, here’s how to get ready for the upcoming Illinois Journalist of the Year contest

Brenda Field, MJE, Illinois State Director, JEA • January 30, 2017
Who will succeed Libertyville's Hannah Boufford as Illinois Journalist of the Year? JEA State Director Brenda Field has some advice for those seniors who plan to compete for the honor: Let your passion shine through!
IJEA Blog: Three life lessons from Room 216

IJEA Blog: Three life lessons from Room 216

Lauren Lawley Head, 1994 IJEA Journalist of the Year • December 5, 2016
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.
Meet the Winners: IJOYs and All-State Team honored at annual IPF/IJEA Luncheon

Meet the Winners: IJOYs and All-State Team honored at annual IPF/IJEA Luncheon

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member • June 6, 2016

Keynote speaker Jamey Dunn-Thomason noted that it was so good to see so many great student journalists. It gave her hope for the future of journalism. All of the advisers, parents, and student...

Hannah Boufford, IJEA's 2016 Illinois Journalist of the Year, and her adviser, Michael Gluskin, received the good news about the award Tuesday, March 1, when IJEA board members Brenda Field and Stan Zoller visited Libertyville H.S. to make the announcement in person. Boufford is IJEA's 27th Journalist of the Year since 1989. She now advances to the national competition, with the winner to be announced in mid-April at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Los Angeles.

Meet our 2016 Illinois Journalist of the Year: Libertyville’s Hannah Boufford

By Dave Porreca, IJEA Website Editor • March 2, 2016
The editor-in-chief of the awarding-winning newsmagazine Drops of Ink is our choice for top high school journalist in Illinois. Check inside for more about Hannah and our two runners-up, Hope Johnson and Danielle Tuchman!
Meet our new All-State Team!

Meet our new All-State Team!

By Dave Porreca, IJEA Website Editor • May 5, 2015
Whether they're editing copy, writing headlines, designing pages or otherwise saving the day behind the scenes, these nine students make sure their school publications deliver excellence in journalism.
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