Journalism members had the opportunity to travel to Seattle, Washington, to expand their knowledge of journalism at the JEA National Journalism Convention from april 23 to 26.
“One thing I took away from the convention was that it is important to be creative and unique, you can be inspired by other people’s stories and you can follow the rules of journalism but you can’t stay with them forever, you just want to make sure that you are developing your own words,” Senior Daniella Moreno said.
The convention offered opportunities for students and advisers to earn DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) certifications by attending four or more related sessions, which can be added to professional portfolios and resumes.
“The DEI certification was if a person had attended four or more DEI-related workshops, they would have gotten their DEI certification, meaning that you are knowledgeable in diversity equity and inclusion in news and the newsroom,” Senior Jayme Estrada said.
The conference also featured keynote speakers and a variety of workshop sessions covering topics ranging from reporting and interviewing to media law and ethics.
“I wish I had taken more classes that were actually helpful for me towards my future, I wish that a lot of the classes had information on journalism outside of high school, it was more for people who were continuing in high school journalism for the next few years and not for people who were leaving that kind of program,” Moreno said.
The event included peer-led workshops for juniors and seniors nationwide, allowing students to exchange ideas and experiences about their school publications.
“I think it was really important for us to make that kind of a national name for ourselves and put ourselves out there because people from California, people from Oregon, Washington, they can now say they have met someone from Buda, Texas,” Moreno said.
The trip was only 4 days long and the students were still able to explore Seattle’s iconic sights, including the Mariners’ baseball stadium the Space Needle, and much more.
“My favorite activity in Seattle was seeing all the tiny shops in Pike Place Market and all the stuff they had to offer in their different stands,” Estrada said.
