By Stan Zoller, MJE, Illinois State Director

 Membership: Our current JEA membership is 123,which is about the same as it was in the Spring.

To help boost the numbers, I have received, at no charge, mailing labels for 749 high schools in the state from the Illinois High School Association (I.H.S.A.).  I am in the process of developing a mailing to be sent to the principals that will include an introductory letter and JEA membership forms.  As reported in April, my plan is to flaunt the JEA’s resources that are available to their journalism advisers and teachers.  I would also suggest including information about the Outreach Academy program as an effort to reach out to a greater audience with hopes of building the program.  In addition to JEA materials, I would suggest including information about Illinois JEA so advisers could join the state group as well.

The largest hurdle in this plan is cost.  Materials, production and postage are the three largest costs associated with this effort.  Bids will be received from mailing houses, two of which provide job resources for challenged adults.

In addition to membership numbers, I am concerned about the lack of JEA members who are certified in Illinois.  According to JEA’s membership directory, only 24 members are CJEs and only eight are MJEs.  On an encouraging note, I do know of two members who have successfully completed the M JE exam, so those numbers will increase.

An initiative by the Illinois Journalism Education Association may help boost certification.  The IJEA has discussed the possibility of approaching the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) about having JEA certification be reflected as an endorsement as part of a teacher’s licensing.

 Events:

• The IJEA held its annual fall conference, this year at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, as its tradition venue, the student union at The University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, is undergoing major renovation.
• The IJEA also hosted its annual Awards Luncheon.  Held in the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield, the event honors the Journalist of the Year (Sydney Scarlata, editor of the “U-High Midway” at The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools) and the runners up in addition to members of the IJEA’s All-state Journalism Teacher. The event is underwritten by the Illinois Press Association / Illinois Press Foundation.

Upcoming workshops:

• March 2012: Kettle Moraine Press Association, Winter Advisers Seminar, Grand Geneva Resort, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
• April 12: Northern Illinois School Press Assn. Spring Conference, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Initiatives and vision:

Discussions continue on several initiatives identified by the IJEA Board as ways of enhancing scholastic journalism. They include

• As previously noted, discussions toward some type of certification requirements for journalism teachers will hopefully begin with the Illinois State Board of Education.  The ISBE used to offer certification for journalism teachers, but dropped several years ago.
• As previously noted, increasing the number of CJEs and MJEs.  Two articles addressed certification in the IJEA’s most recent newsletter.  Having Cathy Wall, MJE, a member of JEA’s Certification Commission is an invaluable resource.  I plan on working with her on increasing certification among JEA members in Illinois.

Awards:

 Awards were presented at the IJEA’s annual awards luncheon.  Students honored included: Illinois Journalist of the Year.  The 2012 JOY from the Land of Lincoln is Sydney Scarlata, editor of the “U-High Midway” at The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.  Her adviser is Wayne Brasler.  Runner-up was Daniel Brount, of Wheeling High School.  He is editor of The Spokesman and has been advised by John Uhrik and Karen Barrett, MJE.  Receiving honorable mention was Madeline Conway of Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect.  She is editor of “The Prospector” and is advised by Jason Block, CJE.

Mentors:

Illinois has three mentors who are mentoring nine advisers.

• Babs Erickson spent considerable time battle pneumonia, but continued to mentor Dan Bingley, first-year yearbook and newspaper adviser at Guilford High School in Rockford, Rachel Rice, second-year yearbook and newspaper adviser at Lutheran High School in Rockford, and Kelly Engler, second-year yearbook and newspaper adviser at Harlem High School in Machesney Park.
• Mentor Carol Smith reports that here two mentees, Stephanie Mitchell and Sue Fuller, started the fall much as they ended last year: extremely busy. Stephanie is starting a new journalism program at the newly-combined Arthur-Lovington High School. She has a staff of three – yes, three – inexperienced staff members to help her produce a newspaper and a yearbook.  She has met with Carol and her yearbook rep to get started. Luckily she has experience with both types of publications from Lovington last year where she team-taught with the yearbook adviser.
• Sue’s staff leaders attended yearbook camp last summer, so they have their designs chosen and pages laid out. Sue has 11 on her staffs, and her editors all worked on the publications last year.
•  Both of them have publications as a class, so they can meet with their staff daily.
•  Both have lots of enthusiasm to aid them, too.
•  Randy Swikle is Illinois third mentor and is planning to work with new mentees.

First Amendment challenges and related concerns:

•  There continues to be an increase in the number of JEA members reporting a decline in enrollment in their journalism programs.  School enrollment does not appear to be the main cause, but rather a focus core courses as opposed to electives.
•  As the IJEA refines its initiatives, it is likely we will work closely with JEA Board committees, especially in the areas of Middle/ Junior High School program development and in general outreach.

Questions or comments? Contact Stan Zoller, Rolling Meadows High School, 2901 Central Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008; W: 847-718-5951 | C: 847-421-5278; sezoller@gmail.com