West Chicago Community High School is proud to announce that Leslie Fireman, the dedicated teacher and adviser of the school’s online publication, The Chronicle, has been recognized as one of nine recipients of the Journalism Education Association (JEA) Rising Star award. Fireman is the only honoree from Illinois, highlighting her exceptional contributions to journalism education within the state.
Fireman took the reins of the journalism club at the high school three years ago, inheriting a program with just one reporter on staff. Through her relentless dedication and passion, she revitalized the program, transforming it into a thriving class that has since garnered regional, state, and national recognition, including the prestigious Pacemaker award.
JEA Illinois State Director Katie Fernandez, who served as Fireman’s mentor for two years, expressed her admiration for Fireman’s remarkable achievements.
“In the two years that I have worked with Leslie, I have seen her take a dying club and turn it into an award-winning publications class,” Fernandez said. “To take the club from one reporter to winning a Pacemaker is unbelievable. What makes it more impressive, to me, is that she very much did it on her own. She did not have any co-advisers or even other teachers to chaperone trips with her.”
Fernandez also praised Fireman’s commitment to team building and fostering a strong sense of community within her classroom.
“She really created a community in her classroom,” Fernandez said. “The students worked together on fun activities which brought them closer and built trust among the team. Students who were just placed in her class became part of the team. They bought into her plan and contributed to the website. Leslie worked with her editors to find something for everyone to do. They worked on building each student’s strengths and if anyone had a new idea, it was never turned down. Instead, Leslie and the editors worked with the student to figure out how to make it work. Again reinforcing the idea of teamwork.”
Leslie Fireman’s recognition as a JEA Rising Star is a testament to her unwavering commitment to journalism education and her ability to inspire and lead her students to success. West Chicago Community High School congratulates Leslie on this well-deserved honor and looks forward to seeing The Chronicle continue to thrive under her guidance.