2025 Student Journalist of the Year

We are pleased to announce that the Missouri Student Journalist of the Year is Arti Jain of Ladue Horton Watkins High School.

Jain is a third-year journalism student who feels that journalism has given her “the privilege of uplifting voices that had long gone unheard.” She currently holds the position of Ladue Publications’ Executive Editor-in-Chief. She has future plans of studying political science and working on her college’s paper.

In her personal narrative, Jain stated the following: 

“Before the 2024-25 school year commenced, I wrote three words on my iPhone’s Notes app: lead to inspire. I reread that entry every time I walk into room 1311, allowing it to guide how I operate as both a reporter and editor. It’s in the conversations I have with staff members, starting each conversation by asking how they are rather than how their story is going. You can see it in the way I lead “Monday Stories” and “Thursday Fun” activities, emphasizing the room’s collaboration and unity. It’s present when I’m editing a story, providing suggestions rather than demands so staff members constantly feel supported…Lead to inspire. It’s a simple phrase, but it encompasses everything I do as a student journalist. I was lucky enough to have a mentor who helped me fall in love with journalism. Now, I strive to do the same for every journalist I’m privileged to mentor — shaping not only their success but also their development as a student and leader.”

Her adviser, Sarah Kirksey, said, “Managing a staff of 51 is tough as a teacher, so I can only assume the toll it must take on a student; however, Arti makes it look effortless. In my 11 years of advising scholastic publications, I have never put one student in charge of an entire publication in fear of overwhelming them, but also in fear of trusting just one kid to make sure everything gets done. This year, however, with our newsmagazine staff being the largest it has ever been and coming off of a trove of national recognition last year, my co-adviser Abigail Eisenberg and I decided that Arti was made for this…Arti leads from the same level that everyone else works. She spends her class time checking in with staffer after staffer, meeting with groups of editors, or pulling me or Abby aside to discuss something that just came up. She strives to ensure everyone feels included, welcomed, and appreciated. She keeps the lines of communication open and working, checking in with each of us about minor and major issues constantly.”

You can read more about Arti and see her work here: https://www.jainarti.com/

2025 Rising Star Winner

We are happy to announce that Platte County High School adviser Devan Foos is the 2025 MIJA Rising Star winner.

Foos was recommended by adviser Jessica Flowers from Lee’s Summit High School, who said, “While her education and experience provided her with a great many tools for her toolkit, she was very humble and eager to learn. She brought a notebook to our first meeting, and presented me with a list of questions that she had been brainstorming over the summer. She even took notes on our conversation, and then followed up to get clarification on a few things I said. I was nervous about being a mentor, as I still felt (and feel!) that there is so much more for me to learn about advising. Her excitement and enthusiasm helped reignite my love for advising, and I immediately felt so grateful to be partnered with Devan as a mentor. I know that I would learn a great deal from her, and hoped that I was able to offer her guidance because she was already so knowledgeable. Since that first meeting, it has been an absolute joy to work with her and to watch her grow as an adviser. If there has been an opportunity for her to learn more about advising, she is in the front row…still taking notes and asking questions. She has also jumped at the opportunity to be involved in professional organizations on the local, state and national levels…Throughout the years that I have known Devan, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her growth as a journalism teacher, to her students and to the publications that she advises.”

2025 Teacher of the Year

We are happy to announce that the MIJA Journalism Teacher of the Year is Sarah Kirksey of Ladue Horton Watkins High School. Kirksey advises the Rambler yearbook, Panorama newsmagazine, Melodrama literary magazine, ID feature magazine and LaduePublications.com.

Kirksey was nominated by student Arti Jain, who said, “Beyond assisting the EICs in her classroom, Ms. Kirksey is the biggest advocate for team building activities. Every winter final, Ms. Kirksey decorates the classroom and brings in food to celebrate our hard work. She handpicks ornaments for each of us — this year, that meant 81 staff members — which is just another example of how much she sees and celebrates our individuality. Ms. Kirksey also facilitates a Secret Santa Swap. My first year on Ladue Publications, she was assigned to give me a gift. She chose a book stamping set — which, as an avid reader, was an item that meant the world to me. Despite the 30 members on staff at the time, Ms. Kirksey saw and understood me as an individual — a true testament to how much she cares about her students. But this type of leadership goes beyond seasonal celebrations — it’s present in day-to-day Ladue Publications activities. Our publication features a three-week production cycle. One of these is Production Week — a time during which the entire staff stays after school for 8.5 extra hours, finalizing the print publications. Ms. Kirksey elects to make this happen. Rather than being at home with her two young children or taking a well-deserved break, she chooses to work with her students — planning, editing, finalizing. She is our biggest advocate and strongest supporter. Ms. Kirksey’s impact goes beyond our community, though. She regularly works with national journalistic organizations, improving student publications across the country…She’s committed to helping every student she meets, no matter the request or circumstance.”