At their spring meeting, the Executive Council of the Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) selected two Community High School English teachers for awards from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Greg Leitner has been nominated as IATE’s selection for a 2003 NCTE High School Teacher of Excellence Award. Only one teacher is selected from each state. Mr. Leitner has taught English at Community High School since 1972. He has been a frequent program participant at IATE Conferences and at IATE District meetings, and he has been a contributor to the Illinois English Bulletin. As a recipient of a 2003 NCTE High School Teacher of Excellence Award, Mr. Leitner will be recognized at the Secondary Section luncheon at the NCTE Convention in San Francisco, on November 22, 2003.

The IATE Executive Council also nominated Katie Jones for a 2003 NCTE Leadership Development Award, sponsored by Prentice Hall – Pearson Education. The award is presented to only one early career teacher from each state. The awardee is someone who has "demonstrated a capacity for professional leadership" and has expressed a willingness to participate in the NCTE affiliate. A graduate of Illinois State University, Ms. Jones completed her first year of teaching at Community High School in West Chicago. She has been a program participant at the IATE Fall Conference and at the Conference for Illinois Teachers of English. She will join a panel presentation on teacher induction and retention at the 2003 Fall Conference in Oak Brook, and will also appear on the program at the NCTE Convention. As part of the award, Ms. Jones will receive a stipend to help defray costs for attending the NCTE Convention in San Francisco, where she will be recognized at the Affiliate Breakfast on November 23, 2003.