The JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention took place on November 13-16 in Nashville TN. Attending the convention were a number high school journalism programs into the hundreds, including some from the state of Mississippi. Two of those that were present included Tupelo High School and Northwest Rankin Middle School, there to both show their proficiencies in media as well as to further develop their students’ journalism skills.

Starting with Tupelo High School students, one of the highlights of the convention was the freedom to explore topics that genuinely interested them. Student and co-executive producer LJ appreciated being able to select sessions that felt meaningful, giving him and others a more immersive experience.

“I liked that we could pick our own classes, ones that actually interested us and would help us in the future,” LJ said.

Another student, Molly, talked about having time with a sports journalist who made a strong impression on her, giving her valuable information in that field for the future.

“He told us about their profession, what helped him get there, and gave tips for any of us who might want to go into that field,” she said.

The convention also challenged students to put their skills into action. Jada, another student in the program, described participating in hard work for a timed news package competition, something their program had prepared them well for and able to execute.

“It wasn’t easy, but it didn’t feel hard because Mrs. Berry had already taught us so much,” Jada explained. “We started early, got interviews, wrote our script, and edited everything by the afternoon.”

Back in the classroom, those experiences are already making new ideas. LJ said him and the other students took detailed notes in eight different sessions and are creating a PowerPoint to present what they learned. He also shared how past conventions have led to improvements for their own newsroom work.

“Last year I brought back an idea for recognizing our staff with ‘member of the week’ and ‘member of the month.’ We try to bring ideas back and build them into our program,” he said.

Katrina Ivy, Tupelo’s journalism program advisor, said seeing her students work at a high level was both exciting and validating, especially with WTHS Media earning recognition as a Broadcast Pacemaker finalist, the highest honor awarded by the National Scholastic Press Association.

“Each group brings different strengths, and this year’s students are working hard to purposefully make each show better,” she said. “Being named a Pacemaker finalist is a big deal, and I’m proud of how much they’ve grown.”

Students also enjoyed the social side of the trip, getting to see and interact with hundreds of others. They described meeting peers from across the country as some of their favorite parts, especially during the awards ceremony where several Tupelo students were recognized.

“Meeting new people and seeing what they do, and how we can learn from each other, that was really important,” student Jada said.

But Tupelo was not alone in schools representing the state at the convention. They were joined by Northwest Rankin Middle School, where the convention offered both inspiration and a confidence boost. One student talked about how the professionalism of the event stood out immediately, highlighting the significance of the journalism field.

“The professors didn’t just want to teach us, they wanted us to be engaged and actually do the things they were talking about,” the student said.

“Journalism reaches so far into the world. People from so many different places came to this national convention,” another one added.

What made this convention unique for Northwest Rankin was the fact they are a middle school program, full of younger students with much to still learn, though holding their own quite impressively when stacked up to the numerous high schools present. This was one of the standout factors the students had in their time at the convention, with them having both a sense of shyness that turned into a desire for respect.

“We were some of the youngest people there, and it was kind of scary at first,” one student said. “Middle school journalists don’t always get enough credit for the work we do.”

While the students quickly discovered that they belonged among the older high schoolers, their advisor Genifer Freeman was validated by the conversations she had with professionals at the convention, reflecting back on the development of her students.

“Someone from Iowa told me, ‘Those are your kids? They ask better questions than the high schoolers,’” Freeman said. “They were asking about scholarships and interviewing the booth staff. People were impressed.”

Freeman added that during a yearbook trivia contest, Northwest Rankin Middle School was the only school to get certain questions right, making her proud of what her students have learned and retained.

“They were so prepared. They knew the vocabulary without us having formal tests,” Freeman said. “They just use the terminology regularly, and it was great to see how much they’ve absorbed.”

Freeman also highlighted a session on libel that she felt was especially meaningful for middle schoolers, showing their potential even this early on and having her proud for her role in their success.

“Libel is so important for future journalists. We don’t deal with heavy investigative stories yet, but they need to understand it. Seeing them choose sessions on their own based on what they wanted to learn was exciting as an educator.”

Both Tupelo and Northwest Rankin felt validated and benefitted from their trip to the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention  For both schools, the convention offered more than workshops and competitions. They recognized it as an opportunity to grow, connect, and see how their everyday work fits into the larger world of journalism and media.  Whether it was a Tupelo’s high school broadcast team being recognized on a national stage or Northwest Rankin’s middle school students surprising professionals with their knowledge and maturity, the convention showed that Mississippi’s student journalists are up and coming to have an impact in the future of journalism.