As a first year staffer I wasn’t sure what to expect from Insight, writing and interviewing others seemed intimidating; however, I quickly learned the useful opportunities Insight provided. One being able to attend the major annual convention organized by Journalism Education Association (JEA). 

It is held in different states each year; Seattle, Washington was where this year’s convention was held. I learned so much from this adventurous experience and as Insight’s upcoming assistant editor, I look forward to welcoming new staff and putting to use what I learned from this trip.

When I first learned of this opportunity to attend this three day convention, I was excited because I love to travel, I enjoy learning about journalism, and I was going to be surrounded by my friends – Kassandra Aguirre, the current editor-in-chief, Valeria Aguilar, a current staff writer and next year’s editor in chief, and English teacher and journalism adviser Phoebe Chao. 

Leading up to day one of the convention, Chao provided us with handouts of workshops we could pick from up to six classes a day starting from 8 a.m. to 2p.m.. These covered multiple topics to improve our journalistic skills. We also brainstormed to see destinations such as the Space Needle to enjoy sightseeing after hours.

Day 1

We arrived in Washington Thursday, April 24 at approximately 3:30 p.m when we checked into the hotel and settled down before having dinner. Afterwards we went to the main convention hall for the opening keynote ceremony. While waiting, we explored another room where college publications and companies had booths that exchanged information, offered activities and gave away free items. 

The first hour of the opening ceremony was all about recognizing Journalist of the Year nominations, followed by keynote speaker, journalist and author Monica Guzman, who shared her perspective on the challenges of being a journalist.

She talked about being the daughter of immigrant parents who had differing political views that taught her the importance of using journalism to build bridges and inspire others to do so as well. She also discussed the interviewing process and offered advice for better interviews such as creating small talk and practicing active listening with the person to help them feel secure and more willing to engage. 

There was a specific anecdote Guzman shared that really stuck and changed my perspective. She shared that she used to hate the constant rain and the cloudiness of Seattle; however, when a man she encountered on the bus told her he thought it was relaxing to hear the raindrops hit against his car rooftop, her perspective changed and she became aware of how her negativity was affecting her life. 

I realized there is a deeper meaning to this, many tend to be their own biggest critic and always look at the negative side of things while neglecting the positive. Listening to her share her optimistic lesson about life showed me how impactful someone’s words can be to anyone who is willing to listen.After listening to Guzman, it became clear to me that I wouldn’t only learn valuable lessons about journalism at this convention but life in general.

Days 2-3

These days were my favorite because we met students from all over the country and learned from different speakers. 

On day two I enjoyed picking breakfast and coffee spots that caught my attention, my favorite being Anchorhead Coffee. We headed to our first workshop where we spent each hour rushing from classes and listening to experts from the field teach. 

I attended classes such as “The Secret Sauce to Storytelling on Social Media” where I learned on how to further promote our program by posting more on social media platforms and “Stop, Listen and Collaborate: 10 Survival Tips for Editors” where we focused on the different strategies of guiding staffers. 

Some of the important topics covered were on the different personality traits people may have and how we can implement icebreakers as tools to deepen the sense of belonging amongst a staff. We finished at around 3 p.m. and we rushed back to our hotels to change outfits, debriefed on what we learned from workshops over dinner, and got ready for our first time sightseeing in Seattle.

We started by walking to our first attraction, The Seattle Great Wheel. It was even bigger than I expected standing next to it and I enjoyed watching the ocean sparkle from above. My favorite tourist attraction was definitely the Space Needle because the view was breathtaking. We spent what was left of our night there taking pictures, walking around, and touring the souvenir shop.

Our flight was scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on the third day so we only attended six courses and left directly after. 

From this experience I gained tools I will take with me for next year’s journey in Insight. One of the program’s top priorities is to have a welcoming class environment, and I’m excited to help create that for next year with what I learned from the 2025 spring JEA convention.