JEA elections photo with 5 headshot of 5 women that reads, Candidates for 2024-26 term Scholastic press rights director and director-at-large

Review 2024 election information here.

2024-26 term slate of candidates

Scholastic Press Rights Director candidates include:

  • Andrea Negri, MJE, Bellaire (Texas) High School

Director-at-large candidates include:

  • Shari Chumley, CJE, Tupelo (Mississippi) High School
  • Sandra Coyer, MJE, Puyallup (Washington) High School
  • Christi Opiela, Hallettsville (Texas) High School
  • Jessica Young, MJE, Orange Glen High School, Escondido, California

Candidate statements

Candidate for Scholastic Press Rights Director

Andrea Negri, MJE, Bellaire (Texas) High School

Why do you want to serve, and how will you help advance JEA’s mission?

At the [2018] Chicago convention, I dropped by the Student Press Rights Committee meeting intending to just listen in. I ended up leaving with a task to research editorial control of yearbooks.

Since then, I’ve basically become a First Amendment nerd.

I have been actively involved with the SPRC, including in its collaboration with the Student Press Law Center to help support New Voices legislation, as well as working with the SPRC social media channels, helping with the First Amendment Press Freedom Awards process and serving on the Q&A forums at national conventions.

In addition, my masters project through the Kent State University program was focused on creating a training on First Amendment issues specific to yearbooks.

I want to continue the work of not only supporting schools and advisers who face speech issues, but also recognizing programs that successfully support student speech and educating advisers and students on what their rights are.

What do you think is the greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today?

I am very worried about the impact that book banning and “don’t say gay” laws have on student speech. While these don’t specifically target student media, they have had a chilling effect on content.

As more and more states debate legislation on these topics — particularly in non-New Voices states — I am concerned about the potential increase in prior restraint and self-censorship as well as the potential for retaliation against advisers who allow students to cover sensitive topics.

Similarly, we have seen programs canceled or cut back when their students and advisers push back against illegal censorship. It is difficult for students and advisers to have successful, thriving programs when they have a Sword of Damocles dangling over them.

Why do you believe your voice is an important voice or perspective that needs to be heard?

I am not in a New Voices state, but the program I advise has never followed Hazelwood. The yearbook has been an open forum for student speech since before that decision and continues to operate as such today. The campus administration does not prior review the publications and backs the decisions made by student leadership — even if they get emails about it.

Because of this history, I can help respond to a lot of the “what ifs” and worries administrators have about giving students more freedom. I hope that my program can serve as an example for what can happen when you let students lead.

In addition, serving on the committee for the last few years has made me aware of the pressing issues and needs schools face. For instance, we have seen that having a New Voices law doesn’t automatically mean administrators understand how that changes their ability to censor.

I have also been actively involved in my state’s New Voices efforts for the last few legislative sessions and can bring that experience to the position.

Start the video to learn more about Negri.

 


Candidates for Director-at-large

Shari Chumley, CJE

Why do you want to serve, and how will you help advance JEA’s mission?

I want to serve JEA because I would not be the teacher I am without the help and support of this amazing organization. I would like to give back and serve in the ongoing efforts to provide support for budding journalists and their teacher/advisers.

JEA’s mission to educate teachers to help them educate students is near and dear to my heart — especially to provide resources and educational opportunities for new and struggling teachers. I started teaching as a second career later in life. In the second month of my first school year when I was so far in survival mode that breathing was a struggle, I was tasked with creating a yearbook. I had never done anything with yearbook before so I figured it out as I went. The day after we submitted that book for printing, I was invited to our state press association convention. From the first session, I was hooked. I love yearbook journalism and have branched into multimedia journalism as well.

I learned so much through trial and error, but even more from my state’s SPA and JEA. I’d like to give back to an organization that has done so much for me. And I’d like to be in a position to help other teachers who may feel out of their depths realize that they are not alone.

What do you think is the greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today?

I think the greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today is a lack of appreciation or understanding of what journalism can do for students and schools, especially by school administration and communities.

I do not live in a state with legal protections for my journalists or even myself. My former principal once told me that the first paper he did not review would be the last one we published.

I worked to educate him and future principals about the importance of free and responsible scholastic journalism. I have worked to educate my students as well as our school community about what that looks like by helping them create news stories and other forms of media that educate and entertain our audience.

I am on the board of directors of our state SPA and hope to grow student journalism in the state. Only 10% of the schools in our state have a journalism program that is a member of the MSPA. I know that many of the nonmember schools have journalism programs, but are working autonomously. In my dealings with teachers from those schools (as well as member schools), I have found that many do not get recognition or support for their programs either.

I would like to work at the national level as well as the state level to raise awareness of the importance of scholastic journalism for our schools, communities, states and country in order to empower teachers-advisers to empower the next generation of journalists.

Why do you believe your voice is an important voice or perspective that needs to be heard?

My voice is important because I teach and advise in Mississippi, a state that contains many of the most underserved and understaffed students in the country. It would be good for JEA to have a representative who can speak to and for teacher-advisers and students who do not have legal protections or as many opportunities in scholastic journalism.

I do not have a background in journalism and have learned most of what I know from my state scholastic press association and JEA. I’m passionate about teaching new advisers and know that our state and national resources are the most effective way to reach and teach advisers who can then pass that knowledge along to their students.

I would love to be an advocate for those students and teacher-advisers.

Start the video to learn more about Chumley.


Sandra Coyer, MJE

Why do you want to serve, and how will you help advance JEA’s mission?

I want to serve as a JEA board member because it provides me an opportunity to give back to an organization that, over the course of the last 25 years of my career, has given me so much. Membership has provided me with mentors, friends and a professional family who are available to answer questions, brainstorm curriculum, as well as share in the victories and defeats that only media advisers understand. I want to be able to support other advisers like I been provided the support.

Helping advisers and teachers improve their craft through mentorship and access to a rich curriculum is fundamental to strengthening media programs across the country and the world.

I have experience helping advisers in Washington state through the WJEA Summer Camp to push their own abilities to become better versions of themselves for their students. I also serve as a point person for my yearbook company, helping newer advisers and making myself available to answer questions or provide possible solutions to common problems. I am also involved with the JEA Ambassadors program where I try to support advisers around my region.

Many student journalists are benefitting from New Voices legislation and many more are still advocating for laws to support a free and responsible student press. My own students were heavily involved in the passing of Washington State’s New Voices law in 2018. I want to continue to use my passionate voice to be a strong advocate for media programs around the country, much like I do for those in my state.

It is through the building of a welcoming and inclusive adviser community that we become stronger, more confident and better advisers, as well as teachers.

What do you think is the greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today?

When I first started advising, more than 25 years ago, I was always one of the youngest and felt like a complete novice, even with my communications degree and background. From the moment I became an adviser, I had always felt the support of other journalism advisers who would take me under their wing at events like the state conference and fall journalism day. Their support made all the difference to my confidence-level and I want to do that for other advisers.

The greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today is the current state of education and teacher retention. It’s hard enough to find people who want to become teachers, let alone journalism teachers. As I stare down the second half of my career, I worry about the future of my program because of this fact. Finding people who would be able to uphold the rich history and tradition of solid journalism is difficult; the other two schools in my district have struggled to get students to sign up for media let alone keep advisers wanting to advise.

Looking around at the advisers at national conventions, we continue to see the same advisers who, like me, have been doing this work for many years. It is absolutely critical to the future of scholastic journalism education that we not only recruit others to want to do this hard, difficult work but to stick with it for years to come. Like I was mentored, we need to continue to mentor and support new advisers, providing them with the confidence and knowledge to take our places when we finally leave the profession. This is our greatest, and most important, challenge.

Why do you believe your voice is an important voice or perspective that needs to be heard?

My voice is an important voice or perspective that needs to be heard because I represent all facets of being a media adviser. I have been a newspaper adviser for the past 25 years. My publication has been recognized in Best of Show competitions by the National Scholastic Press Association, as well as honored with Pacemaker awards, as well as finalists. My students consistently place in National Student Media Contests and media contests at national conventions, as well as at the state level. But we have also had years where we have struggled.

My newspaper is 111 years old and upholding its reputation for excellence and credibility is important to me. While the other newspapers in my district have slowly disappeared, The Viking Vanguard has continued to thrive, even through the pandemic. I added the online website more than 10 years ago. The broadcast program ended up under my stewardship eight years ago and my students produce a weekly announcement show as well as a monthly newsmagazine show modeled after a Seattle professional program.

I inherited the yearbook program two years ago, a 98-year-old yearbook program and I finally feel my life is complete. I’ve balanced teaching English with being a media adviser and now I am a full-time media and CTE teacher.

I have professional experience in the industry and hold a communications degree from the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University.

Through all of this, I understand what all advisers go through —the struggles as well as the victories. I have 25 years worth of lessons and activities to share, advice, not to mention stories. I understand ways to support their pedagogy as well as teach their students to lead. I am representative of all the voices in JEA.

Start the video to learn more about Coyer.


Christi Opiela

Why do you want to serve, and how will you help advance JEA’s mission?

While attending a training in 2021, I overheard the presenter speaking with someone else about JEA and the national convention. At that point, I had been teaching journalism for over seven years and had never heard of JEA. I immediately wanted to know more, and I joined the next year. I know I am not the only one in the position of not knowing about JEA and all the benefits being a member has to offer.

Serving on the JEA board would not only be an honor but would allow me to bring the small rural school perspective to JEA. This would help JEA’s mission of “providing resources and educational opportunities” to reach even farther than it already has.

What do you think is the greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today?

The biggest challenge in journalism education today is managing relevancy in a slew of ever-evolving new platforms. By providing a multitude of teachable moments connected to audience expectations, industry standards, and governing laws these platforms make it an amazing time to be a journalism educator.

The challenge, however, is wading through the options and deciding which platform will help the school publication reach the masses without losing relevance. Many of the free platforms are good go-tos but your publication risks being filtered out of the feed with an algorithm, which defeats the purpose. Paid platforms offer a direct path of information without algorithms and blocked posts, but these are not affordable for all districts. Additionally, the students love to point out that “no one uses XYZ anymore, that is for old people.”

How do we as advisers find something easily accessible to the public, cost-effective for schools, and yet still allow for students to use the journalistic techniques they are learning to reach readers or viewers? As we move forward, and new technologies and programs are introduced, this challenge will continue to grow; JEA and its elected board need to be at the forefront of finding solutions.

Why do you believe your voice is an important voice or perspective that needs to be heard?

When I arrived at my current high school there was absolutely no journalism program. I have spent the last six years building and molding a program that now has four journalism classes, two social media accounts, a biweekly community broadcast, and a podcast, along with daily broadcast announcements. I work with an almost non-existent budget (a problem I believe exists for most if not all school programs).

My perspective is not a unique one, but my success rate is. High schools across the country are struggling with the daunting task of building up and maintaining journalism programs. They face many of the same obstacles that I did. Unfortunately, however, not all programs succeed. Whether they suffer from budget issues, censorship, or a simple lack of motivation, I can confidently say that I have worked through it and come out on the other side. As a JEA board member, I can offer the voice of reassurance, guidance, and motivation needed to work through common issues to better help advisors reach uncommon success.

Start the video to learn more about Opiela.


Jessica Young, MJE

Why do you want to serve, and how will you help advance JEA’s mission?

I have been involved in scholastic journalism since I joined my middle school yearbook staff. I received my bachelor’s degree in journalism and my master’s degree in education: research and curriculum design, so involvement in JEA is a perfect marriage of my educational background, professional training and personal experience. I hold a single-subject English credential and a career and technical education credential in arts, media and entertainment. I have the tools and experience necessary to facilitate student and teacher achievement, enriching educational experiences and foster diversity, understanding and unity.

During my 16 years in the classroom, I have built and restructured multiple programs within my district. I have been actively involved with my district’s curriculum writing process, gaining CTE, fine arts and articulation credits for all of my courses. I have the knowledge to assist other teachers to do the same with their courses, enabling them to provide robust educational and professional experiences.

I attribute much of my professional growth to my involvement in JEA. I am a recipient of a JEA scholarship, a Rising Star, Mentoring Program graduate, national convention co-chair, local JEA president and Reynold’s Institute Fellow. I have seen first-hand how much of an impact JEA can have.

I have found ways to provide my students with valuable opportunities. For many of my students, their participation in my programs is their first opportunity to practice advocacy, activism and engagement beyond the classroom. I have learned how to structure a safe, encouraging environment where students feel empowered to speak up, ask questions and challenge the world around them. I want to be a voice for schools like mine and help other advisers and students find success. I know I can assist others in building a program that embraces and celebrates diversity, while building camaraderie and compassion among staffers.

What do you think is the greatest challenge facing scholastic journalism education today?

One of the biggest challenges we face in scholastic journalism is a decline in engagement. We have fewer students taking our classes, which makes it harder and harder to tell the important stories that are happening on our campus. With fewer students involved, it is more difficult to get the rest of our campus to engage with our work as well.

Since COVID, I have observed a sharp decline in the number of students who are able to take electives, like journalism, yearbook or photography. Many students failed courses during lockdown, or struggled to return to school routines during reopening–which means they have to make up courses, instead of taking new ones. Even more students are so focused on cramming their schedules with AP courses, dual enrollment classes or weighted classes, other options like journalism get pushed aside. I also think that criticism of the professional media and attacks on our first amendment rights have impacted student interest in journalism.

While we can’t change the past performance of students, we can make them more aware of what we do. It is important that we communicate to our school communities about the power of our classes. Yes, we teach students journalism skills, but we also teach them a wealth of other valuable lessons.

We can also work to address the disconnect that so many students have with the professional media. Working harder to introduce students to news sources that speak to them, and connect with them, will increase their interest in the field. Showing them that storytelling can take a lot of different formats, and doesn’t just have to be a long, narrative, written story, can open up opportunities to more students who wouldn’t necessarily be drawn to writing.

We have the power and platform to address our greatest challenges — we just need to start the work.

Why do you believe your voice is an important voice or perspective that needs to be heard?

When we look at those involved in JEA’s leadership, we often see the same kinds of schools and students represented. While advisers from high-achieving, average income (and above) schools definitely have knowledge and skills that are valuable to our organization, it can be hard for those that represent other demographics to relate. I will be an advocate and resource for teachers from schools like mine — schools without ample resources, connections and support.

I work with students who are underrepresented in JEA. So often, we see the same schools continually recognized for success, while other institutions lack the resources, access and support to facilitate the same performance. As a teacher in a high poverty, English-learner and migrant population, I struggle to find resources, examples and role models that my students can connect with and relate to. With 16 years in the classroom behind me, I’ve been able to navigate the challenges that my student population faces and attempt to overcome some of the barriers to success.

Additionally, I am also an adviser in an area without a strong JEA organization. Schools like mine lack connection and resources from our parent organization. Having worked to rebuild our network in my area, I know what is needed and can be done to assist other struggling local organizations like my own.

It’s easy to forget about schools like mine because we can’t go to every convention. We don’t win countless awards, and we don’t sell thousands of yearbooks, but the work that my students are doing still matters, and they deserve to have someone representing them that understands their unique challenges. I want to help provide the access to resources and best practices to students and advisers everywhere — not just in select parts of the country, or at schools with more robust networks of support.

Start the video to learn more about Young.

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