Washington Journalism Education Association

Mission

The Washington Journalism Education Association is the professional organization for teachers who advise student media in Washington state schools. WJEA supports a free and responsible scholastic press by providing resources and educational opportunities, by promoting professionalism, by encouraging and rewarding student excellence and teacher achievement.

Description

Several organizations are devoted to scholastic journalism, but our particular emphasis is the support of journalism teachers and media advisers in the state of Washington. The members of WJEA are involved in the teaching or advising of various forms of journalism, including the publishing of newspapers, yearbooks, and magazines, as well as television and radio broadcasting and publishing on the internet. WJEA provides professional development opportunities to its members throughout the year, including an intensive summer workshop at Washington State University. There is also a workshop for students, as well as an annual state conference and student "write-off" competitions.
WJEA awards two Adviser Study Grants and two Student Scholarships each spring.

Recognition

Two major scholarship donors include the following bequests:
Lu Flannery, now deceased, taught Journalism at Seattle's Lincoln High School until 1985. In her retirement, she served as WJEA's treasurer until age 89. Lu's bequest to WJEA upon her death support an annual $2,000 student scholarship, The Lu Flannery Outstanding Journalist Scholarship.
Robin Morris, recently deceased, provided funding for the annual Journalist of the Year scholarship after her retirement from Richland High School. Her husband has pledged to continue this annual donation of $2,000 for the scholarship, now called The Robin Morris Memorial Scholarship. The winner of this scholarship goes on to compete for the national Student Journalist of the Year award.