Journalism has become an important asset for the Bronx River High school community, thanks to the debut of the school newspaper two years ago.

With support from the BRHS Sudent Council, Press Pass NYC and the Journalism Education Assocation, four journalists from our school got to attend  the National JEA Convention in Boston Nov. 2 to 5.  Issaka Kabore, Cesar Jimenez, Jamal Quinones and I arrived at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on a Thursday evening. 

More than 4,000 attendees from various states gathered at the convention center to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities to enhance their knowledge in photography, writing and editing. As a staff writer, I primarily focused on improving my writing skills, but also gained insight into other aspects of journalism.

Our sessions didn’t officially start until the second day, so when we first arrived we checked in and got the opportunity to see different booths at a trade show. In these booths, people promoted colleges, their work and different  opportunities for writing grants and scholarships. You could obtain free notepads, candy, tote bags, pencils and other goodies. What stood out to us the most was the spin wheel in which you could earn candy, and another booth had a mini-golf set-up. It was interesting to hear from other people and receive goodies. This experience set the tone for the next few days.

When we began attending sessions the next day, we woke up early to attend morning sessions and eat breakfast. At 10 a.m., we each had the opportunity to speak with a pro for 45 minutes. My category was opinion writing led by Beth Daley, who works for a nonprofit organization called “The Conversation.” She informed the people in our group about ways to keep the reader interested in opinion writing and possibly incorporating historical or interesting facts to pull the reader in. An interesting fact she shared was that the rapid decline of seals in Massachusetts during the 1900s was the product of fishermen overfishing. Later on, in part because of opinion writing, a protection act was created. Throughout the session we interacted in our groups, we gave our opinions on certain topics and created our own calls to action. Overall, it was an informative and interactive experience. 

Navigating throughout the various floors and hallways, looking for each of our sessions sometimes became challenging. You would have to arrive minutes earlier to grab a seat or else the conference room would become packed and you would have to find a new session. Although you didn’t always get to stay for your first choice, you could often find other interesting topics in other rooms that weren’t as crowded.  For example, I got  the opportunity to learn more about constructing a school yearbook and captioning. 

I also had a chance to talk with students from other schools and states. A student named Molly Grossman from Cherry Hill, N.J., is the director of her school’s social media account. She hoped to gain info at the convention that would help her grow her online presence and make her account eye-catching. 

On our third day of attending conferences and taking notes, we took a break and made time to tour Boston.  With the help of an online map, Jamal led our group on a walking tour. During our walk,  we saw beautiful structures with  historical significance. We even saw a couple taking wedding photos. The city’s atmosphere felt warm and inviting.

As we continued on, we visited a public garden bustling with families and pets enjoying the warm November afternoon. The park’s most striking aspect was the presence of various statues of notable historical figures such as Thomas Cass, who served as the commander of the 9th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and Wendell Phillips, a distinguished abolitionist. There was even a beautiful 911 memorial that listed lives lost that day. A few blocks from the park we had the opportunity to see Edgar Allen Poe’s statue, which captured him holding a suitcase with falling books, a heart and an eagle upon it.

We ended the day eating tasty food at Shake Shack while sharing our thoughts about what we learned and saw in Boston.