Journalist of the Year

2021 JEA Journalist of the Year

Riley Atkinson, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas.

Atkinson is online co-editor in chief of and a copy editor for The Harbinger at Shawnee Mission East. She previously served as assistant online editor and the A&E online editor. Adviser C. Dow Tate praised Atkinson for her work ethic, her leadership and a willingness to seek out feedback and grow from it.

• 2020, Emily Hood, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Mo. (Aaron Manfull, MJE, adviser)
• 2019, Parker Davis, St. Mark's School of Texas, Dallas (Ray Westbrook, adviser)
• 2018, Christine Zhao, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Va. (Erinn Harris, adviser)
• 2017, Meghan Bobrowsky, Davis (Calif.) Senior High School (Kelly Wilkerson, adviser)
• 2016, Kellen Browning, Davis (Calif.) Senior High School (Kelly Wilkerson, adviser)
• 2015, Julia Poe, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kan. (C. Dow Tate, adviser)
• 2014, Taylor Blatchford, Mountain Vista High School, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Mark Newton, adviser)
• 2013, Jenna Spoont, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pa. (Susan Houseman and Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt, advisers)
• 2012, Kelsey Bell, Frances Howell North High School, St. Charles, Mo. (Aaron Manfull, adviser)
• 2011, Victoria Ison, Bloomington (Ind.) High School North (Ryan Gunterman, adviser)
• 2010, Ina Herlihy, Convent of the Sacred Heart High School, San Francisco (Tracy Anne Sena, adviser)
• 2009 Henry Rome, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pa. (Susan Houseman, adviser)
• 2008 Alejandro Benito, Cypress Falls High School, Houston, Texas (Lisa Van Etta, adviser)
• 2007 Amanda Allison, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kan. (C. Dow Tate, adviser)
• 2006 Marcelino Benito, Cypress Falls High School, Houston, Texas (Lisa Van Etta, adviser)
• 2005 Libby Nelson, Shawnee Mission East High School, Kansas City, Kan. (C. Dow Tate, adviser)
• 2004 Lauren Miller, Mexico Senior High School, Mexico, Mo. (Kathy Craghead, adviser)
• 2003 Yuxing Zheng, South Albany High School, Albany, Ore. (Nancy Hartley, adviser)
• 2002 Kathleen Pennock, West Henderson High School, Hendersonville, N.C. (Brenda Gorsuch, adviser)
• 2001 George Edward Srour, North Central High School, Indianapolis, Ind. (Tom Gayda, adviser)
• 2000 Mildred M. Yuan, Westlake High School, Austin, Texas (Deanne Kunz Brown, adviser)
• 1999 Aaron Sharockman, Pottsville (Pa.) High School (Kathleen Zwiebel, adviser)
• 1998 Corinne MacLaggan, Westlake High School, Austin, Texas (Deanne Kunz Brown, adviser)
• 1997 Leif B Strickland, Arlington (Texas) High School (Lina Davis, adviser)
• 1996 Ebony Reed, Southfield-Lathrup Senior High School, Lathrup Village, Mich. (Thomas Jannetta, adviser)
• 1995 Michelle Wendt, Hillcrest High School, Ammon, Idaho (Ron Bennett, adviser)
• 1994 Kristen Go, Tokay High School, Lodi, Calif. (Roger Woo, adviser)
• 1993 Sina-Aurelia Pleasant, La Cueva High School, Albuquerque, N.M. (Pat Graff, adviser)
• 1992 Courtney Perkes, Golden West High School, Visalia, Calif. (Lee Terkelsen, adviser)
• 1991 Jason Espy, Ghattoga County High School, Summerville, Ga. (Allen Perry, adviser)
• 1990 Paralee V. Colley, Athens (Ala.) High School (Rita Peterson, adviser)
• 1989 Chad Kistner, Upper Arlington High School, Columbus, Ohio (Sarah Ortman, adviser) and Dane Reese, Westlake High School, Austin, Texas (John Cutsinger, adviser)
• 1988 Naomi Annandale, Lakewood (Ohio) High School (John Bowen, adviser)
• 1987 William J. Bishop, East Coweta High School, Sharpsburg, Ga. (James K. Driskill, adviser)
• 1986 Steve Brusk, Reynoldsburg (Ohio) High School (John Coffman, adviser)
• 1985 Flynn McRoberts, Twin Falls (Idaho) High School (Mary Lu Barry, adviser)
• 1984 Laurie McCorkindale, Redwood High School, Larkspur, Calif. (Donald Brown, adviser)

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