Congratulations to Mia Buss and Lucie (Josephine) Martinez for being named Sectional Champions in Editorial Writing and Review Writing. Joliet Central High School celebrated the Steelmen Journalism team for advancing to state competition after earning the title of Sectional Champions. As well as having 3 state qualifiers Casandra Reyes, Lilith Ventura and Jimena Urbano. On Friday April 24, 2026 they headed to Heartland Community College in Normal, IL to move up to the next and final level. The girls got to the competition around 8:30am and got back around 5:30pm, throughout those 9 hours they learned and experienced many new things. When arriving at the competition they were sent to Heartlands main gym where they explained how the competition was sectioned into two blocks, Block A being Advertising, Infographics,
News Writing and Review Writing. Block B being, Editorial Cartooning, Editorial Writing, Feature Writing and Headline Writing. They sent the Block A kids into their competition rooms while the teachers and Block B students waited in the auditorium for their block to begin. Block A went from 9:30 to 11:00. Block B would start 25 minutes after and finish at 1:00pm. After Both Blocks finished students and teachers went to do their own thing as in eating, walking and socializing before coming back at 3:00pm for the results and places from all the schools that have competed. Around 2:30 the students and teachers started to fill up the seats again in the auditorium. They started the awards around 3:05 and informed who ended up placing from 6th place to 1st place in every category. Editorials were announced fourth then two announcements later Review writing placements were announced. Sadly both girls didn’t place in their categories, even though they didn’t place, the journalism team is extremely proud of them for what they have accomplished this year!