On Wednesday, March 18, all journalism and yearbook classes made the drive to New York City in order to attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Journalism Workshop. This event allowed all journalism students to attend various presentations that feature guest speakers and interactive discussions. From the niches of Canva, to learning how to take the perfect photo, each conference taught unique skills. “I was able to learn more about deciding when something is relevant to our demographic,” sophomore Charlotte Hahn said. Many events were hosted by renowned journalists and programs who were able to provide insight on how to improve existing programs within McLean HS. “Our guest speakers were members of an NSPA gold medalist publication,” Hahn said. The trip came to an end Friday, March 20th, with The Highlander winning a gold crown and The Tartan winning a silver crown. The gold crown is the highest award that the Scholastic Press Association hands out and all the journalism students were ecstatic when the award was presented. “It was an unforgettable experience,” Pasha said. The convention also served as a learning experience and introduction into a deeper world of journalism for many students. “I’m currently in a yearbook class, but I attended a session on story-writing for journalism and I was actually really interested,” sophomore Sareena Pasha said. Additionally, students from all over the United States attended this convention and were able to bring new perspectives into discussions. “I met a member of the record, which is a publication based in Kentucky, and it was cool comparing their traditions to ours” Hahn said. Along with guest speakers, the convention also had various engaging events for publications such as a professional critique and newsmagazine exchanges. “Winning a gold crown was the perfect ending to our trip,” sophomore Caroline Selbe said.