Senior Kathryn ‘Kate’ Brody, Editor-in-Chief of York-Hi and This is York, wins the Illinois Journalism Education Association’s Journalist of the Year award for 2025. Brody has been a part of the Journalism program for all four years of her high school career, working relentlessly in and out of school to be the best journalist she could possibly be.

IJEA has sponsored this contest since the 1988-1989 school year, limited only to high school seniors. Students who want to participate in this contest must submit application materials, such as a portfolio including examples of their work. Each section within the portfolio had to include reasoning behind how it affected the applicant. Brody worked closely with not only York-Hi, but YTV and Y-Tales as well.

“I started doing journalism because I have always loved meeting new people and learning new things,” Brody said. “Journalism gives me the opportunity to interact with others and share their experiences in meaningful ways. In a more tangible sense, I have always enjoyed writing and design, so journalism allows me to combine my hard skills with my love of learning about others.”

Journalism has given Brody a way to connect with others and share meaningful moments and stories, her commitment to the school community has not gone unnoticed. She has been at every sports event, even if it was something she was not passionate about, because Brody always chooses to show up for the community.

“I’ve only known her for the past two years and right off the bat, I saw that she was someone who cared so deeply about our school and she was so interested in the community, seeing all the accomplishments of her peers,” principal Jessica Hurt said.

Beyond just receiving recognition, Brody’s contributions have been broad, fro

m journalism to photography, making sure that every aspect of the school is valued and represented. Brody’s commitment and dedication has finally gotten the recognition and goes beyond just Brody’s journalism talents and abilities, but the person she is as well.

“I have worked here for 11 years and I’ve never seen anyone win this award, Kate is just such a deserving individual and the award is great recognition of her,” Assistant Principal for Student Experience Drew Mcguire said. “It represents Kate as a person and our York community as a whole.”

Brody’s passion for journalism shows just the kind of person she is, caring and hard working. Brody not only just writes stories, but she works alongside YTV and Y-tales as well. She makes news packages along with her stories and even helps with getting quotes and images for the yearbook as well, when she has the time.

“Kate has done amazing things for this school from writing articles about things that might not get as much recognition, to taking photos at every school event to supporting everyone she comes across,” Evelyn Exiner, senior said. “This achievement will inspire a new generation of writers to step up and do the same.”

Brody has been an inspiration to all journalists in our program and hopes that one of them will become the next dedicated, compassionate journalist that she is. The skills she has gathered from the program will follow her all the way throughout college and into her future career.

“I think student journalism plays an incredibly important role in schools, as a publication, it is our job to not only highlight the positive initiatives in the community, but also hold people accountable when necessary.” Brody said. “While drawing attention to sensitive issues puts writers and readers in a vulnerable position, I believe it is a necessary step in prompting discussions and change.”

Brody’s love for journalism goes far beyond just simply reporting on school events, she sees it as a tool for both storytelling and responsibility. Her work highlights the important issues while also celebrating the community, a balance that makes journalism such a valuable talent.

“Journalism is such an amazing craft where you get to learn new things but you’re also expressing your creativity while uncovering stories and learning about your school community,” Hurt said. “That’s why I love journalism and I love that Kate is such a positive force when it comes to our Journalism programs here at York.”

At the same time, this recognition has also given Brody more confidence in her future career. While she is still exploring different paths within media and communication, the award has strengthened her passion and commitment to journalism. It has also provided reassurance through the next few years as she considers her next steps.

“This award has made me more confident in my future as a journalist. Journalism is a very competitive industry, I am still uncertain as to if I want to pursue a traditional reporting career,” Brody said. “I know I want to do something related to media communication and this recognition has given me the confidence I need to do so.”