Legacy High School adviser Leland Mallett, CJE, awarded JEA Medal of Merit

Congratulations are in order for Leland Mallett, CJE, of Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas. Mallett was one of five journalism educator recipients of the 2019 Journalism Education Association (JEA) Medal of Merit on Thursday.

This prestigious award is reserved for “JEA members who have made significant contributions to scholastic journalism,” according to the JEA announcement.

Mallett was nominated by a 2018 Medal of Merit recipient, Alyssa Boehringer of McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas, also a Walsworth customer. Boehringer said in her nomination that Mallett’s role as webmaster for the Texas Association for Journalism Educators (TAJE) has turned their website into a “current and vital resource for Texas scholastic journalism programs.”

“He curates curriculum resources for our website. He develops ways to make our organization run more efficiently through new submission forms and registration guidelines. He fosters member relationships through articles such as ‘Meet the Member’ postings. He shares ideas regularly through his countless posts on social media, including articles and resources,” Boehringer said in her nomination.

Walsworth representative Jill Chittum, MJE, agreed wholeheartedly that Mallett is deserving.

“Leland epitomizes the service aspect of the Medal of Merit award,” Chittum said. “He is always giving of his time and expertise to advisers who need help, and to state and local organizations. Anyone who has met him knows that he believes in the value of scholastic journalism and works tirelessly to promote and help students and teachers.”

The full list of recipients is as follows:

• Brenda Field, MJE, Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, Illinois
• Connie Fulkerson, CJE, Journalism Education Association, Manhattan, Kansas
• Pete LeBlanc, CJE, Antelope High School, Antelope, California
• Leland Mallett, CJE, Legacy High School, Mansfield, Texas
• Carmen Wendt, MJE, Scottsdale, Arizona

All five of the recipients will be honored at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, Nov. 21-24, in Washington, D.C. You can find out more about each of the recipients by visiting the JEA website.