Two U-High juniors, Sadie Ellis and Declan Smith, have been selected for the Illinois All-State Journalism Team, which highlights journalism students who are “most valuable players” on their publication teams. 

Declan serves as the news editor of the U-High Midway, and Sadie serves as the managing editor of the U-Highlights yearbook. Neither student was involved in the production of this story.

Since 2005, 23 U-High students have been selected for the All-State Journalism Team. For 12 years, at least one U-High student journalist has been selected. This is the fourth consecutive year that two U-High students have been selected.  

Sadie, a junior and one of the next editors-in-chief of U-Highlights, said the award gives people a chance to recognize parts of journalism that are often overlooked.

“The award is really unique in that it doesn’t necessarily correlate to my specific skills that I practice on the yearbook,” said Sadie, “but rather, like, my management skills and skills with other people.”

Declan, a junior and a rising editor-in-chief of the Midway, said the award gave him a chance to reflect on his work. 

“This was a tangible way that my hard work was shown to have been effective and important,” Declan said. “It really gave me a greater perspective on everything that I’ve done this year and everything I’ve been through.”

The students will be honored at an awards ceremony in Springfield on June 6, co-hosted by IJEA and the Illinois Press Foundation, where they will each receive a plaque.