Deadline: Dec. 15
About the Award
The Journalism Education Association’s Diversity Award honors a scholastic journalism teacher, student media adviser or scholastic journalism group demonstrating a commitment to cultural awareness and encouraging a multicultural approach with its student media staff, media production and/or community. The honoree must be in the forefront in promoting diversity in the scholastic media arena and must have taken steps to break down walls of misunderstanding and ignorance.
Award Recognition
This is a juried award. Entries are evaluated by a national panel of journalism educators consisting of members of the JEA Awards Committee. The award program will include one winner. If the winner is a group, an adult representative of that group should receive the award. Honorable mentions may be given. The winner and honorable mentions, if any, will be recognized Saturday awards luncheon during the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention.
Application
A narrative of up to 500 words should explain how the nominee has demonstrated and encouraged a multicultural approach with student media staff, media production and/or community. Retired journalism teachers and advisers, along with those currently teaching or advising may be nominated and JEA members may nominate themselves or their own programs. Organizations supportive of scholastic journalism also may be nominated. The nomination must be from a JEA member. Three letters of support from other individuals who know the nominee or group are required.
To nominate an individual for the Diversity Award, please fill out this form by Dec. 15.
Recipients
2024
Sergio Yanes, MJE, at Arvada (Colorado) High School
2023
Wendy Turner, CJE, at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, Kentucky
2022
Odyssey Media Group, advised by David Ragsdale, CJE, at Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
2021
Teresa Scribner, CJE, Cleveland STEM High School, Seattle
Honorable Mention
Odyssey Media Group, advised by David Ragsdale, CJE, at Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
The Oracle, advised by Kristy Blackburn, CJE, at Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto, California
2020
No award given.
2019
Elizabeth Cyr, Stockbridge (Mich.) High School
Woodward Academy Student Publications, College Park, Ga.
2018
Erin Castellano, CJE, and The Globe staff, Clayton (Mo.) High School
2017
Barbara Bateman, CJE, Murphy High School, Mobile, Ala.
Honorable Mention
Camille Respess and Erin Castellano, CJE, Clayton (Mo.) High School
Thomas Kaup, MJE, Auburn (Wash.) High School
2016
Not awarded
2015
Teen appeal receives JEA Diversity Award
The Teen Appeal and Elle Perry, coordinator, Memphis, Tenn.
2014
Arrow newsmagazine, Renton (Wash.) High School (Vanessa Abenojar, editor; Derek Smith, adviser)
Honorable Mention: PGTV NEWS Prince George (Va.) High School (Chris Waugaman, adviser)
2013
Not awarded
2012
Arrow newsmagazine, Renton (Wash.) High School (Queenelle Gazmen, editor; Derek Smith, adviser)
Honorable Mention: J Camp for High School Students, Asian American Journalists Association
2011
Multicultural Journalism Program, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Honorable Mention: Ron Booth, principal, Arapahoe High School, Littleton, Colo.
2010
Not awarded
2009
Don Bott, Stagg High School (Stockton, Calif)
Honorable Mention: Annandale (Va.) High School, Annandale Antenna yearbook advised by Niki Holmes
2007
Blackhawk newspaper staff of Davenport (Iowa) Central High School