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STAFF EDITORIAL
BECOMING NATIVE NEW YORKERS: THE PANTHER’S REVIEW OF THE CSPA TRIP
After its hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual journalism department trip to New York City’s Columbia Scholastic Press Association conference made a return. From March 14-17, The Panther took on the Big Apple to take journalism classes, sightsee and strengthen our friendships on staff.
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Columbia University hosted its 99th annual CSPA event, offering classes covering topics such as copy skills, staff motivation, caption curating, photography, design and more. Everyday, we attended two to three lectures that gave us useful tools and advanced our skills in our corresponding area on staff or that introduced us to a new interest. On top of learning from professionals in the field of journalistic writing, we met other school publications from around the country, where we discussed our differences and expressed our shared love for reporting.
When in New York, one must always view the incredible monuments, streets and stunning skyline. On the trip, we visited the Edge, which gave us a panoramic view of the entire city, and the Museum of Modern Art, where we saw works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and the world renowned “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh. We also saw Central Park, which had a perfect photo opportunity on a mass of rocks overlooking the city, among other iconic locations. Of course, no visit to the city can end without viewing a Broadway show; “& Juliet” received a remarkable 10 out of 10 from every staffer and served as one of the main highlights of the entire trip.
The closeness we feel as a staff reflects on our ability to produce a quality publication. On this trip, our bond strengthened like no other. From inside jokes, singing on the subway, having a dance battle with another school’s newspaper staff in the subway station, giving daily recaps to the trip’s vlog (currently under production) to having group photoshoots around the city with our multimedia photographer, visiting the city together made us feel an extreme admiration for our staff, which truly made The Panther feel like a family.
This trip could not have been possible without the dedication and care of our wonderful chaperones: Laura Aviles, Arlene Huffman and Ernesto Ferris. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to experience this unforgettable trip, and thank you to the students in the journalism department who provided memories we will all forever cherish.