Jane Owczarzak, JEANC Board Member Emeritus, passed away after a long
illness on May 22, 2007. In memory of her lifetime of dedication to
scholastic journalism, JEANC will present a special award at the 2007
State Journalism Convention (Oct. 26-28 at the Sacramento Convention
Center) to one of the First Place winners of the Write-Offs. The
recipient will be determined by a panel of judges.
Mrs. Owczarzak graduated from the William Allen White School of
Journalism at the University of Kansas in 1961. She taught journalism
and English classes at Leland High School in San Jose for 32 starting in
1970 and was adviser of The Charger Account, which earned nine years of
All-American ranking and Quill and Scroll's Gallup Award.
In the late 1980's, Mrs. Owczarzak became a JEANC Board member and
retired from the Board at the end of 2004. As an active member, she was
in charge of on-site critiques and made many workshop presentations at
state and national journalism conventions. Those who knew her
appreciated her sense of humor, her determination to stand by her
convictions, her professional attitude toward her career, and her
willingness to help students at all times.
If you would like to know more about this remarkable woman, visit her alma mater, University of Kansas, HERE.