After arriving at New York’s JFK airport at 7:15 the morning after they left San Jose airport, The Feather staff begins touring Manhattan immediately. With their bags safely stored at the Milford Plaza Hotel, the group buys one week subway passes and heads to the South end of the island.

A round trip ferry gave them a bird’s eye view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for the morning’s activity. Later they walked through the financial district and Wall Street and a lasting impression at the 9-11 Memorial gave the sightseers a sobering view of touring on Day 1 of a five-day trip, March 12.

The end of the day sent the 23 students to the top of the Empire State Building and a 360 degree panorama of the island, including a view to Lady Liberty, Madison Square Garden, Macy’s and the 9-11 site they had just left. In fact the air was clean enough to see the buildings of Columbia University where the students would later in the week attend.

Feather adviser Greg Stobbe is leading this troop on a bi-annual visit to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s annual journalism convention. This year The Feather Online staff has already earned a Silver Crown in the CSPA’s critique and staff will find out whether a fourth consecutive Crown is earned on Friday.

After a couple of hours relaxing in the hotel, the group gathered at a Times Square eatery for Italian pasta, stromboli, and salads. Tomorrow will bring a walking tour with stops and discussions of Times Square, the New York Public Library, Radio City Music Hall, Grand Central Station and Soho. The group will also take in three Broadway plays during the week, including Monday’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, starring Nick Jonas and Beau Bridges.

For more information on The Feather’s trip, check out Journalism New York Trip, 2012: Day 0 (VIDEO).