Medals of Merit are given to JEA members who have made significant contributions to scholastic journalism. JEA members are encouraged to nominate deserving individuals. Several awards may be presented each year.

The Carl Towley Award is JEA’s highest honor and is presented to a JEA member whose work is unusually beneficial and of superior value to the national JEA and to scholastic journalism.

Nominate an individual for the Carl Towley Award. Include with the nomination form your letter of recommendation explaining your relationship with the nominee. Describe the candidate's effort to support JEA on a national, regional, state and/or local level, when applicable. Include nominee's involvement in local, state, regional or national scholastic journalism organizations and work done to improve scholastic journalism.

Rising Star trophies are given to advisers who are in their first five years of advising a media program and have shown great dedication to scholastic journalism and have had success advising at least one media program. JEA members are encouraged to nominate deserving individuals.

The Journalism Education Association sponsors up to two $1,000 scholarships for education majors who intend to teach scholastic journalism. Each recipient must be a college junior, senior or master’s degree student in a program designed to prepare him/her for teaching at the secondary-school level. Current secondary-school journalism teachers who are in a degree program to improve their journalism teaching skills also are eligible.

Each recipient must complete the application and include the following:

• A 250-word essay explaining his/her desire to teach high school journalism.
• The answers to the three questions at the bottom of the application form.
• Two recommendation letters, preferably from those who have firsthand knowledge of his/her work with student journalists, and
  College transcript(s) showing academic standing.

This award is given to a professional journalist, professional media outlet or other individual or group making a significant contribution to scholastic journalism. JEA members are encouraged to nominate worthy individuals or groups.

This award is given to administrators who have demonstrated support and dedication to journalism education. JEA members are encouraged to nominate worthy administrators. Support of student press rights is of particular value.

The winning administrator is encouraged to present or co-present a session at the Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention and give a five-minute speech at the adviser awards luncheon. Convention travel and lodging will be paid by JEA. In addition, the school’s journalism program will receive a $1,000 award.