The Feather returns to New York 2024: Day 1

For more than 25 years Feather journalism teams have traveled to the New York participating in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Journalism Conference. This year, 16 students attend the 100th anniversary of distinguished journalism education while also teaching six sessions. The Feather has been honored with a national recognition as a Digital Crown recipient for the 2023-24 year. This is Day 3 as the team tours the Big Apple during the week of March 9-16.

Sixteen students, four chaperones, and two advisors braved the cross-country travel to New York with plans to attend a journalism conference at Columbia University. Saturday, March 9, the NYC Feather team took a short plane ride to Seattle and dashed through the airport to catch the next lift to The Big Apple. The flight was tedious and turbulence lengthened the plane ride. Three hours were lost to the time change, night fell and the team embarked on their first journey of the week: a quest for food. The city that never sleeps lived up to its name and the team easily found accommodations to satisfy their appetite in the late night turned early morning.

Joe’s Pizza, a New York delicacy, provided the grub to the NYC Feather team at approximately three in the morning. Known for its cameo in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies, the eatery was a must on the bucket list. Just because it was an unusual hour of the day did not mean business was slow, on the contrary business was booming; there were several people with healthy nighttime cravings. The pizza lived up to its legacy and was fresh out of the oven piping hot for the team to enjoy.

Delaney Meyers, ‘26, was enthralled with the first of many eateries.

“Joe’s Pizza has a welcoming atmosphere that fills the customer’s hearts with warmth and excitement. The pizza has a crisp, delicious crust with a rich sauce that ties all the toppings together,” Meyers said. “It’s a unique experience because the slices are so big that you have to fold it to sandwich the toppings New York style. It was so good that it out-pizza’d the hut.”

Feather students viewing the fossil of the largest dinosaur found, the Titanosaur. (Selah Neal)

The team traveled back to sleep for the “night”, it was no more than a glorified nap. The morning came swiftly and the first day was off to an official start by 9 a.m. The travelers initiated the day by learning to navigate the foreign way of transportation. Advisor Kori James taught the safety and edicates of the subway used to travel The Big Apple. After the short ride up Manhattan students arrived at the breathtaking American Museum of Natural History.

Founded in 1869, the Natural History Museum has remained dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of human culture, the natural world, and the universe at large. It stands as one of the largest natural history museums globally, serving as both an essential educational resource for the public and a hub for researchers and their attempts to understand Earth’s intricacies.

Boasting 45 exhibition halls, research laboratories, and an interconnected library, the seemingly endless museum houses over 34 million artifacts and species. Ranging from minerals to fossils these historical treasures are curated for either public display or scientific study. The museum’s exhibits also cover diverse themes, from prehistoric dinosaurs to human origins, and from oceanography to space exploration.

One specific highlight is the Hayden Planetarium, found within the Rose Center for Earth and Space, offering captivating and interactive shows that bring the starry cosmos to life. This planetarium is just one facet of the museum’s immersive experiences, which also include events, temporary exhibits, and guided tours. A visit to the Natural History Museum is a must when exploring Manhattan. For only a small fee the ticket price doesn’t compare to all the ticket holders can see.

Chelsea Market is known for its diverse food options. (Selah Neal)

Senior and Editor Chloe McDonald greatly enjoyed everything that the museum had to offer.

“As I wandered through the hallways every turn led to an exciting exhibit: blue whales to dinosaurs, grizzly bears to even the solar system,” McDonald said. “It was impossible to choose a favorite part or best exhibit, and I hope many more generations to come can have the opportunity to see it as well.”

The team finished their museum excursion of the day and took their appetites to Chelsea Market. This glorified food court was a hub for culturally diverse eating experiences. A highlight was the old Nabisco factory where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced. The interior still has features from the original giving the market an industrial feel, inside it was filled to the brim with places to grab a bite and browse small businesses.

The day came to an end as the NYC team continued the Feather tradition by ice skating in Central Park on their first official night. The skyline presented a marvelous view. Memories were made, and they finished the late night at Carnegie Diner for dessert. This bonding experience brought the day’s adventure to a satisfying conclusion.