by Susan O’Neill
Former Kaneland High School journalism teacher Laurie Erdmann will receive a Lifetime of Achievement Award from the Journalism Education Association next month.

Erdmann, who retired recently after more than 30 years at Kaneland, created a real-world classroom for students while publishing what has become, and continues to be, an award-winning school newspaper.

Drawing on her own successful high school newspaper experience at Lyons Township High School, Erdmann began at Kaneland in 1974 with a one-semester journalism course. Over time, the program evolved into a four-course sequence, which provides students with increasing responsibility.

Erdmann will travel to Washington, D.C. next week to accept the award, a national level of recognition.