On Nov 3, the journalism students participated in the annual Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) conference. In previous years this conference was only open to Tower staff members and the Beginning Journalism class. But, for the first time, yearbook and Panache (Masters literary arts magazine), joined Tower and Beginning Journalism, resulting in a larger school-wide representation at the conference, for a total of 38 students.

The conference features about 80 different sessions throughout the day, ranging from areas of layout and design, to news stories and investigation, to yearbook information. The conference also hosts a diverse group of schools including public, private, and parochial.

All forms of publication are encouraged at the CSPA conference. Senior, Amalia Mayorga decided to take yearbook this year and for the first time attended the conference.  “The conference really opened my eyes to all the possibilities that comes with being part of a yearbook,” she said.

Sophomore Phil Minton went to the CSPA conference for the first time last year as an beginning journalism student. After returning Minton said, “I felt that this year I had more of a purpose for being there.” He decided to attend sessions that applied to his role as a Tower blogger.

Students broadened their horizons and attended sessions that did not necessarily pertain to their roles in Tower. Sophomore and music columnist Owen Lieber returned to the conference for the second time this year. Lieber said, “Although many of the topics at the conference didn’t specifically relate to my column, it was a great experience where I was able to learn and see other interesting components to journalism.”

The day consisted of knowledge filled sessions and bonding between the more experienced journalism students and the beginners. Beginning Journalism students are paired up with a Tower staff member, known as their mentor. The pairs spent the day going to sessions and eating lunch together. Junior Asli Noyan who is in the intro class had Junior Gabby Davies as her Mentor.  Noyan said, “I didn’t really know what the conference was for, but my mentor did a great job explaining and helping me throughout the day.”

Whether one attends as an intro student, a columnist, or as an Editor-in-Chief, the CSPA conference allows high school students to learn extensively about the various assets of school publications in one day.