Hi Matt,
If you do decide to go the Generico filter route, be sure and check out some of the other filter bundles and ideas in this forum: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=324771
I especially like the username and firstname bundles that let me personalize content and instructions.
I also like to use the Grade Me block along with my own plugin for it that lets me know every time a student has refined a Journal entry and it needs to be regraded.