Journalism Educators of the Year have been honored for their work on behalf of student journalists and programs in California.
Past recipients are involved in the selection of California Journalism Educators of the Year and Lifetime Achievement honorees. Educators at the high school, community college and university levels are eligible for the honors. Occasionally, an additional plaque goes to a Champion of Journalism Education.
The program is administered by the California Journalism & Media Affiliates. The California Press Foundation provides funding for the award plaques. Statewide honors for California journalism educators began in 1968 and were administered by the California News Publishers Association (CNPA) until 1998. No awards were issued until the California Journalism Education Coalition relaunched them in 2006, with support from CNPA and then from Cal Press.
The honorees for 2021 at the University level are Deidre Pike, Humboldt State University in Arcata; and Stu VanAirsdale, Sacramento State University.
(Stu VanAirsdale, pictured above with journalism students from California State University, Sacramento.)
(Deidre Pike, pictured above with journalism students from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California.)
The 2021 honorees at the Community College Level are Cecilia Deck, De Anza College, Cupertino; and Stefanie Frith, El Camino College, Torrance.
(Stefanie Frith, pictured above with journalism students at El Camino College in Torrance, California.)
(Cecilia Deck, De Anza College faculty and adviser to La Voz News, displays her "Educator of the Year" award, surrounded by students in her student news media production classes, on Wednesday April 27. Photo credit: Amy Huang)
Honorees at the High School Level are Gabrielle Doyle, Beverly Hills High School; and Brian Wilson, Palo Alto High School.
(Gabrielle Doyle, teacher at Beverly Hills High School pictured above.)
(Students, colleagues, and family honor Brian Wilson, a journalism adviser at Palo Alto High School after he won an award in Advisor Excellence. Photo: Asa Deggeller)
A Champion of Journalism Education award went to Jim Boren, executive director, Institute for Media and Public Trust, CSU Fresno; and former executive editor, The Fresno Bee.
(Ed Galdrikian (left), two-time honoree, presented the Champion of Journalism Education Award to Jim Boren (right), Institute for Journalism and Public Trust in Fresno.)