Delgado named JEA’s 2025 Broadcast Adviser of the Year

Omar Delgado of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida, is JEA’s 2025 Broadcast Adviser of the Year.

Delgado was surprised Tuesday Aug. 26 at Columbus by representatives from JEA’s Awards Committee and other supporters.

The Broadcast Adviser of the Year program honors outstanding secondary school advisers and their exemplary work from the previous year, as well as throughout their careers.

JEA also names Katrina Berry-Ivy of Tupelo (Missouri) High School and Irma Lazos-Kennedy of Coppell (Texas) High School as Distinguished Broadcast Advisers, and Cheyenne LaViolette of Hanford High School in Richland, Washington, as a Special Recognition Broadcast Adviser.

Delgado receives a $1,000 prize, and his school receives $500, which may be used to buy equipment for the broadcast classroom or to fund student scholarships for summer media workshops.

Berry-Ivy and Kennedy’s schools also receive $500 each for broadcast equipment or to fund student scholarships to summer workshops.

2025 Broadcast Adviser of the Year

Omar Delgado

Omar Delgado has advised CCNN Live at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida, since 2003.

When Delgado took over the program, CCNN Live was just an idea. Now the school offers
multiple levels of broadcast and digital media courses, all of which provide academic credit. Students are involved in every aspect of production — from anchoring and reporting to editing, social media and live event coverage.

“What sets CCNN apart is that students don’t just take classes — they take ownership,” Delgado said. “During my tenure, we’ve expanded from a single elective into a multi-platform program that now includes podcasting, social media shows, sports broadcasting and documentary production, giving students a true hands-on media education.”

Former student Victor Prieto said he wouldn’t have his dream job in Atlanta, the seventh largest market in the nation, if it wasn’t for Delgado.

“The foundations and lessons learned from having him as a teacher and adviser all the way back in high school prepared me to work in Atlanta right out of college,” Prieto said. “He taught me what hard work really looks like. In addition, he was always a strong advocate of ‘being versatile’ – in other words, know how to shoot, edit, write, anchor and produce. Embracing that philosophy enabled me to rise amongst the ranks at WAGA-TV, hired originally as a sports producer in 2021, to become a full-time reporter and anchor for one of the best sports departments in the country.”

Last year, Delgado’s co-adviser was promoted to an administrative role and other advisers joined the program.

“The program has not missed a beat,” Florida Scholastic Press Association Contest Coordinator Joe Humphrey, MJE, said. “They continue to live by their motto ‘Adelante,’ or forward, remaining steadfast in their commitment to telling stories that are on the cutting edge and using journalism as a force for good.”

CCNN has won six National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Awards and 15 Student Television Network Excellence Awards. Delgado was FSPA’s Teacher of the Year in 2021 and STN’s Teacher of the Year in 2022.

“He doesn’t just lead a successful program of his own — he lifts others up and helps teachers build great journalism programs of their own,” Florida adviser Zach Garrett said. “Many programs, including my own, simply wouldn’t be where we are today without his generosity, insight and belief that the impossible is just another hurdle to jump.”

When the Fall 2015 JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention was in Orlando, Delgado was part of the local team, and that year had a record amount of broadcast participation. Delgado’s students produce the opening, banquet and closing ceremony videos for the FSPA state convention each year. Additionally, through his non-profit organization, Media for Minorities, Delgado supports underfunded schools, providing them with resources, guidance and mentorship.

“What sets Omar apart is not just his expertise, but his heart,” Garrett said. “He is the first person to offer help, the first to cheer others on, and the first to remind us why we do this work. Whether it’s mentoring new advisers, raising funds to equip a struggling program, or offering a word of encouragement at just the right time, Omar leads with compassion, humility and vision. He has become a cornerstone of our journalism community, and he embodies everything this award represents. Omar Delgado is the kind of leader who redefines what it means to be an adviser.”

Distinguished Broadcast Advisers

Katrina Berry-Ivy

Katrina Berry-Ivy has advised broadcast journalism at Tupelo (Missouri) High School since 2019. Before that, she was the morning anchor and reporter for WTVA/WLOV. She was a 2024 JEA Special Recognition Broadcast Adviser.

“In Mississippi, Katrina’s one of our most steadfast advisers,” Mississippi Scholastic Press Association Director R.J. Morgan, MJE, said. “Always the first to pitch in, to help, to think through big problems. Her work with her own students is outstanding, but her influence extends well beyond the classroom walls.”

Berry-Ivy is in her fourth year as a board member for MSPA and is co-chair of this year’s membership drive. She is also the board secretary for the Southern Interscholastic Press Association and helps plan their annual convention. Last year, she served as a new member ambassador for JEA and was one of the instructors for the JEA Partner Project in Ozona, Texas.

“She simply has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen for service and for making a lasting difference in the lives of her students,” Morgan said.

Parent Sara Leasy said she hit the jackpot having a teacher like Berry-Ivy in her daughter’s life.

“She not only taught journalism skills, but also gave my daughter confidence, direction and a soft but strong voice,” Leasy said. “The transformation in my child has been incredible — from a wallflower to a poised, driven and talented young woman with a future in journalism.”

Leasy said Berry-Ivy’s real-world experience sets her apart from other teachers.

“She doesn’t just teach journalism — she has lived it, and she passes that energy on to her students,” Leasy said. “Mrs. Berry-Ivy has a gift — not just for teaching, but for reaching her students on a meaningful level. Every student who walks into her classroom is better for it. Her love for what she does is contagious, and her students are the proof.”

Irma Lazos-Kennedy

Irma Lazos-Kennedy has advised the KCBY-TV broadcast program at Coppell (Texas) High School since 2006. She previously worked as a news producer for ABC and NBC.

Coppell High School newspaper adviser Chase Wofford said he has the best seat in the house to see Lazos-Kennedy in action behind the scenes.

“Lazos-Kennedy’s vision and contributions are seen all across Coppell High School,” Wofford said. “On Friday nights at Buddy Echols Field, the stadium’s video board entertaining football fans is operated by her students. Same can be said for basketball games inside the arena. Pregame hype videos are produced by Lazos-Kennedy’s students. Lazos-Kennedy brought the first film festival to our district, an annual event which continues today showcasing the talented young filmmakers in our community.”

KCBY-TV program director Larry Liu said he was intimidated when he first walked into the broadcast room.

“The walls were decorated with awards and upperclassmen moved confidently with their industry-level equipment,” Liu said. “However, Mrs. Kennedy’s warm presence made me feel at home. That’s something all her students can attest to — her warmth. She truly takes the time to get to know each of us. Her class is a space where everyone feels seen, heard and valued.”

With her background in Spanish-language news from Canal de Noticias NBC, Lazos-Kennedy pioneered KCBY Español, a Spanish-language scholastic news show, 17 years ago. It provides a career path for students and an opportunity to explore technology regardless of the level for English language learners.

“Journalism programs like KCBY provide the seamless weaving of critical thinking, communication, problem solving and collaboration that are needed to be successful in college and career,” Lazos-Kennedy said. “Journalists must use creativity to tell a story in a way that engages the reader/viewer and the perseverance to continue researching when it seems there is no rock left unturned.”

Special Recognition Adviser

Cheyenne LaViolette

Cheyenne LaViolette has taught broadcast journalism and filmmaking at Hanford High School in Richland, Washington, since 2019. In that time, she grew program enrollment from 36 to over 150 students annually across six course sections, including TV Production, Documentary & Filmmaking, Podcast Production and Sports Broadcasting.

Former student Katelyn Blackburn said LaViolette made an incredible impact on her high school career and her knowledge of the many facets of broadcast journalism.

“From the moment I walked into her classroom my freshman year of high school, I knew that her classroom was a special place,” Blackburn said. “She is incredibly knowledgeable regarding all things broadcasting, accepting of everyone and an all-around joy to be around. Any time I have a question, she is quick to answer, and if she doesn’t know the answer, she finds it. She has made it a point to be accepting of every person who walks through her door, no matter what walk of life they come from.”

In her recommendation letter, former student Lauren Burke included a speech she delivered two years ago at the end of her senior year.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have been a part of Laviolette’s program for 521 school days and now only have 19 left,” Burke said in her speech. “521 days ago, I was a completely different person. 521 days has shaped me, pushed me and helped me grow. 521 days of memories. 521 days of hard work. 521 days of compassion and support. Laviolette has given me 521 reasons to thank her for the rest of my life.”