The Inside Scoop on Journalism Programs

Isabella Ruiz, News Editor|May 2, 2019

Motivated to find eye-catching ways to improve the school’s publications, the Triton Yearbook and The Point leaders attended the annual JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Anaheim during the last weekend of April. The journalism teams participated in informative workshops to better develop writing, photography, design, leadership and teamwork ethics taught by university and high school advisors within journalistic media.  

PVHS engaged in sessions and Write-off competitions with over a thousand student journalists from yearbook, newspaper, magazine and broadcast news programs across the country, as well as Canada and Taiwan. The yearbook staff took home five Superior awards, one Excellent award, and two Honorable Mentions. The newspaper’s editor-in-chief Phoebe Lai was awarded an Honorable Mention in the newswriting category.  

“I learned much more than I thought I would learn,” Lai said. “The workshops were a large part of each day during the convention but it didn’t feel like it because we were always having fun with our staff and absorbing so much information.”

Newspaper advisor Cynthia Ruiz found that bringing a large group of 11 students was an excellent for collaboration.

“As an advisor, it is wonderful to see my students come together and develop their friendships along the way because that is ultimately what I hope for The Point newspaper staff to be like,” Ruiz said.  “When I was in journalism in middle and high school, I loved traveling to conventions and becoming friends with the rest of the staff, so I hope I can create that family kind of environment as well.”

Senior and copy editor Seren Cho remarked on the bittersweet experience.

“Going to my last convention was definitely sad because I’ve been going to them since my freshman year and they’re something that I always look fondly back on when I think about my high school experience,” Cho said. 

“But I also think that this was my favorite convention out of the five that I attended, because I got to be surrounded by so many people that I love and can’t wait to see grow as human beings and as journalists.”