The JEA Medal of Merit application requires:

• A letter of recommendation from the nominator explaining your relationship with the JEA member you are nominating. Describe the candidate’s significant contribution to JEA and scholastic journalism on a national, regional, state and/or local level, when applicable.
• Up to three letters of support for the nominee.
• Copies of or links to articles about or by the nominee (limit four pages).

The following is taken from the Journalism Education Association website announcement.

The 2025 Medal of Merit recipients are:

• Michelle Balmeo, MJE, West Albany (Oregon) High School
• Annie Gorenstein-Falkenberg, CJE, Longmont (Colorado) High School
• Ryan Gunterman, MJE, Franklin (Indiana) College Pulliam School of Journalism
• Cynthia Reves, CJE, President William McKinley High School, Honolulu, Hawaii

Cynthia Reves, CJE, advises at President William McKinley High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. She co-founded the Hawaii Scholastic Journalism Association in 2015 and is the JEA state director for Hawaii.

“Cynthia’s most notable and lasting impact on our community has been her zealous policy advocacy that mobilized key stakeholders, achieved the passage of key legislation, and galvanized students in the civic process,” Hawaii adviser Lindsey Combs said. “Cynthia’s efforts have created protections for student journalists statewide and have made the job of advisers like myself that much easier.”

After six years of her tireless advocacy and leadership, Reves and student advocates witnessed in person the passage of the Hawaii Student Journalism Protection Act. She then worked with the board of education and organized student journalist testimony to revise its student publications policy to align with the bill.

Reves also increased participation in Hawaii’s Journalist of the Year contest.

“She revised the contest rubric to better reflect the diversity of student journalism and to make the competition more inclusive and accessible across the state,” Combs said. “Cynthia also promoted the visibility and prestige of the award. She got the Hawaii Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association to sponsor cash prizes for the top three students, thus motivating more submissions. She also secured a speaking engagement and newspaper coverage for the award at the Hawaii High School Journalism Awards luncheon. Thanks to her, the HiJOY winner now has the opportunity to share their story and voice directly with fellow student journalists.”