Demiero receives JEA’s Medal of Merit

The Journalism Education Association has chosen Vince DeMiero, of Mountlake Terrace, Wash., as a 2012 Medal of Merit Award winner. This award is presented to JEA members who have made significant contributions to scholastic journalism.

DeMiero’s students have won numerous honors, at all levels, but his nomination letters highlighted Vince’s leadership contributions. He has just completed four years as president of the Washington Journalism Education Association, was chair of the 1998 JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle, and helped tremendously on the local committees in 2005 and again in 2012, when the convention returned to Seattle.

He has been a long-time member of the JEA Scholastic Press Rights Commission. Kathy Schrier, executive director of Washington JEA, wrote, “Vince’s authoritative voice is heard whenever and wherever infringement of student press rights occurs. He has spoken before school boards, has been heard on local talk radio programs, has presented sessions at workshops and conferences … always articulating the many reasons students should have strong, unencumbered voices in their schools.”

He managed to provide state and national leadership while inspiring his many students at Mountlake Terrace during the past two decades. But most importantly, as Steve Matson writes, “Any colleague who has ever talked with him, let alone worked with him, knows that he is a great guy, a compassionate human being and a champion of free speech.”

De Miero received the Medal of Merit award Nov. 17 during the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in San Antonio.