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.

The Broadcast Adviser of the Year program is designed to honor outstanding high school advisers and their exemplary work from the previous year, as well as throughout their careers.

Applicants must be a member of the Journalism Education Association to be eligible for this award.

Announcement of winners will be made in late August or early September. Winners will be recognized at the Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention where the Broadcast Adviser of the Year will speak.

The winning teacher receives:

• a plaque
• a pin
• an address to journalism educators at the Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention
• travel and hotel paid for the convention where he or she receives the award
• a monthly column space on JEADigitalMedia.org
• a $500 award for the winner’s school to be used to buy equipment or for the broadcast classroom or to fund student scholarships to summer workshops
• a $1,000 personal prize

Distinguished advisers receive:

• a plaque
• $500 which may be used to buy equipment for the broadcast classroom or to fund student scholarships to summer workshops
• a quarterly column space on JEADigitalMedia.org

Special Recognition Advisers will receive:

• a plaque
• a quarterly column space on JEADigitalMedia.org

How to Apply

The committee seeks those with at least three years' experience. The nominee must complete the application and submit:

• up to five letters of support (PDF)
• an updated resume (PDF)
• a high-quality color head shot and an action photo of adviser working with students, each 200 ppi in JPG form
• up to five links to segments or shows students have produced in the current academic year.

Applicants will be able to upload their letters of support, resume and photos within the form. 

Once the online application has been submitted, applicants should receive a confirmation email from JEA headquarters within 48 hours.

DEADLINE: The application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CDT on May 15.

Please direct any questions about the application process to: staff@jea.org or call JEA headquarters at 785-532-5532.

Selection process

An advisory panel will review the applications. It will weigh each teacher’s service in local, state or national organizations, service to JEA, personal awards, quality of the student work, their philosophy and approach to student press rights and ethics.

Applicants are also asked to identify an issue they would like to address as Broadcast Adviser of the Year.

Points will be awarded, and the top advisers will be named Broadcast Adviser of the Year, Distinguished Adviser or Special Recognition Adviser. Award notifications will be made in September.

Winning teachers will be guests of the adviser luncheon during the Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention.