The Official Site of the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association

MIJA
The Official Site of the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association

MIJA
The Official Site of the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association

MIJA

Rising Star Award

In 2017, MIJA launched a new award to recognize promising new journalism educators. These “rising stars” should show a commitment to journalism education, improving the media program(s) at their school and empowering their scholastic journalism students.

This state level award is based on similar expectations as those used at the national level by the Journalism Education Association’s Rising Star Award.

ELIGIBILITY:

The nominee should meet the following criteria:

  • Have one to five years’ journalism teaching and/or advising experience. (May be entering the sixth year.)
  • Demonstrate a commitment to journalism education.
  • Foster an awareness of the rights and responsibilities granted by the First Amendment.
  • Seek additional professional development opportunities to improve skills as a journalism adviser/teacher.
  • Encourage student editors to attend workshops, conferences and conventions.
  • Show commitment to continually improve the medium or media advised.
  • Empower student editors to make all editorial decisions in a responsible way without content being subject to prior review.

TO APPLY:

Nominations may come from scholastic press associations, yearbook companies, fellow teachers, the teacher him/herself, students and/or parents.

The nomination should include:

  • an updated resume of the nominee
  • up to five examples of student work from print publications (limited to 5 spreads/pages in PDF form) and/or links to school news sites and/or broadcast program video/audio to show the quality of the media the teacher advises
  • answers to questions on the entry form
  • a current headshot or candid photo of the teacher instructing or working with students
  • The nominator should also include a letter explaining how the nominee shows promise as an up-and-coming adviser.
  • The nominator may also include no more than three additional letters of recommendation from others (administrators, parents, students, etc.) who support the nomination.

SUBMIT MATERIALS using our Online Submission Form

DEADLINE: Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.

The honoree and/or the nominator will be invited to prepare a 30-second acceptance video to run at the spring JDay on the MU campus and is encouraged to apply at the national level as well.

If you can think of anyone who would be willing to sponsor our emerging educator, please email [email protected], so we can reach out to them.

JUDGES: The last five years of MIJA Journalism Teacher of the Year Award recipients will serve on the judging committee to review all applicants and select the Rising Star educator.

QUESTIONS:  If you have questions about the process, please contact the MIJA office at [email protected].

Past state honorees include:

Past national honorees include: