Feather journalists reinforce learned skills

The National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), a nonprofit organization supplying journalism tools to future journalists, partnered with the Journalism Education Association (JEA), to host the annual nationwide high school journalism conference at Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles from April 7-9. 

Five of the 22 Feather staffers attended the conference. Prior to the event, staffers experienced the luxurious shopping center, The Grove, and ventured through the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland.

First-year journalist Lola Fuller, ‘25, shares about her exemplary time at the tourist locations with fellow staffers.

“It was a great bonding time,” Fuller said. “As a new staffer, I became closer with my fellow journalists, creating new memories in every location we went to.”

On average, 4,000 people from all over the US participate. This year due to Covid restrictions, 2,000 attended after a two-year hiatus. Conference sessions were hosted by various experienced media journalists. The main speaker Hyldie K. Lysiak, former editor of the Orange Street News, whose story is now an Apple TV series, spoke a passionate declamation on the power journalism has if done correctly. 

Feather adviser Kori James taught two classes: an Instagram class, open to everyone, and a roundtable discussion, limited to fellow advisers.

Creative editor Summer Foshee, ‘23, led an introduction to infographics class. Every single Feather-ran class filled past the maximum capacity. Before the Instagram class, James was forced to turn away almost 80 interested attendees.

Foshee spent over a week beforehand preparing for her presentation. She felt an overwhelming amount of stress, unaware of the possible classroom environment. During the lecture, Foshee fought through the nerves, focusing on the subject as well as voice projection.

Foshee discovered that yearbook staffers were as interested, or even more than journalists, in her infographics class. She learned to gear future presentations to other digital media outlets that are dependent on their appearance as well. Overall Foshee handled the stressful situation and counteracted anxiety with knowledge.

“Before speaking at the conference, I was super nervous. I had no idea what to expect because I hadn’t attended one before and I had to teach a class,” Foshee said. “But after speaking, I felt super relieved and thankful for the opportunity, it was a good opportunity of teaching, learning more of infographics myself.”

Photojournalist Elise Bessey, ‘23, discusses critiques of her first experience at NSPA. 

“The conference required an app so that we can choose our classes, it caused some confusion due to its’ setup,” Bessey said. “Inside the classes were either filled past capacity or almost empty, the actual classes only had a couple of good speakers where I learned vital tools to further my journey as a photojournalist.”

Foshee took part in long-term photography, journalistic reviews, and graphic design sessions. She details the effects of participating in the sessions.

“Afterward, I learned how to take better photos and design better infographics I also got a glimpse of how skills learned in the Feather could be applied to real-world jobs,” Foshee said. “It makes me excited for the future of this class as well as my future career.”

Senior editors Amanda Johnson, ’23, and Emma Calderon, ’23, took part in an editor’s roundtable discussion. The editors learned to distinguish their value on the team, and how to help improve the skills of their team.

“The sessions revealed the importance of my position among the team,” Calderon said. “The editor’s discussion brought the more experienced to give well-spoken advice, while the rest confided in their insecurities regarding the pedestal they are placed and the burden that comes with it.”

In conclusion, the conference gave journalists new knowledge, showed the value of their positions on a team, and allowed for an unspoken explanation of why this team, in particular, receives so much recognition.

“I got the opportunity to both reinforce what I’ve been taught and pick up some new skills and tips. I think what this conference showed me was how much I had learned from The Feather, whether I realized I was learning it or not,” Johnson said. “It seemed some classes were teaching a few of the basic skills that we learned at the beginning of the year training, which comparatively showed how much experience we all truly had.”

To read more from The Feather visit, Greg Stobbe’s life altered by cancer, visual impairment or Feather earns Digital Silver Crown from CSPA.