Drake named 2008 JEA Yearbook Adviser of the Year

Kansas City, Mo. (Feb. 5, 2009) – Linda Drake, adviser at Chase County High School in Cottonwood Falls, Kan., has been named the 2008 JEA Yearbook Adviser of the Year.

Drake, a journalism and Spanish teacher, has been the yearbook adviser at Chase County, a school of only 150 students, for the past 28 years. She has served as the president of the Kansas Scholastic Press Association twice. Currently, Drake is serving as the Kansas coordinator for JEA’s new mentoring program.

“I’ve been very lucky. If I didn’t have the students who care so much for our program, these awards wouldn’t be possible,” said Drake. “I’m also proud to be the first winner of this award to come from as small a school as we have.”

Chase County’s yearbook, The Chase, has received the All Kansas Award in 14 of the 16 years that it has been presented. It has also been a winner of the NSPA’s Pacemaker award.

JEA named Kim Green from Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., as a Distinguished Adviser, and Gary Bender from Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va., was named a Special Recognition Adviser.

H.L. Hall, a JEA past president, and Linda Putney, JEA executive director, honored Drake in a special ceremony at Chase County High School on Jan. 16.

Drake will be recognized during the adviser luncheon at the 2009 JEA/NSPA Spring National Journalism Convention, April 16-19 in Phoenix. All winners receive $1,000 for the yearbook program at their school or to fund scholarships to summer workshops. JEA also pays their travel and hotel expenses to the convention.

Walsworth Publishing Company and several other yearbook publishers underwrite the award.