By: Joe English

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association is an 87 year old organization dedicated to the betterment of high school media.  As part of their annual national media competition, the University sponsors hundreds of workshops for the students and club advisers that attend each year.

This year, the Eagles Media Center sent nearly a dozen Galway students to the CSPA Spring Conference to learn the tricks of trade from the top journalists in the country.

During the three day conference, EMC’s most involved leaders and staff members opened their eyes to the vast world of media and journalism.  Sessions were taught by a variety of people; club advisors from media groups attending the conference, professionals in countless fields, and college professors comprised just a portion of the instructors.  Due to this diversity, there was also wide range of topics covered by the workshops.  Anything from TV lighting for school television networks to the most effective fonts to use in newspapers to tutorials in digital camera shooting could easily be found.  During the intense three day conference, each EMC staff member had the chance to attended nearly a dozen workshops, soaking up the latest ideas and philosophies for their branch of EMC.

However, after the day’s sessions ended, group members immersed themselves in the lively culture of New York City.  On the first night, EMC took everyone to Little Italy and Chinatown, where they enjoyed a delicious, traditional Italian meal and bargained for watches, designer bags, and sunglasses.  On St. Patrick’s Day, the staff attended a famous event called The Moth, at a cozy Manhattan coffee house called Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, where New Yorkers shared stories and memories.  Afterwards, the group walked through a dazzling Times Square, eating pizza, taking pictures with policemen and Batman, and seeing the stunning sights.  On the final day, the group got a chance to walk peaceful paths in Central Park and visit St. John’s cathedral near the Columbia campus.

A lively combination of Columbia’s journalism workshops and night excursions through the city that never sleeps, made EMC’s trip one to remember.  Not only did the staff discuss cutting-edge ideas and concepts for media and journalism, but the outing allowed everyone to experience the wonders of the city as part of a group of truly remarkable people.