On Friday, November 8, a group of dedicated student journalists from Abington Friends School attended the National High School Journalism Convention, a gathering of young writers, editors, and photographers from across the country. The students left the convention not just with new skills but with a deeper appreciation for journalism’s vital role in society. From getting ideas enhancing Upper School’s student-run newspaper, The Blue and White, to expanding their professional networks, this experience empowered AFS students to lead, innovate, and inspire. Below, they share some of their reflections.

Freedom to Explore and Learn

“The JEA/NSPA conference was an amazing experience for a writer like me. I was able to get a variety of different sessions in, from networking one on one with a professional (local) journalist to learning in informative sessions about reporting on the Paris Paralympics or how to up my interview game. Not only was the conference extremely informative, it was also incredibly inspiring and rekindled my urge to write and report!” Priyal Sanathara ’25

“You had a lot of freedom to do choose what sessions to go to, and the session with a professional journalist was amazing—a small group setting with students from different areas. I learned how to make mine and others time more productive in interviews, how to uplift our website, and what a career as a journalist can look like.” Orla Maxcy ’25, EIC of The Blue and White

Practical Skills for Real-World Impact

“The Journalism Convention was an incredibly valuable experience for me as a Blue and White editor, teaching me a significant amount about various facets of journalism in a more specific, centralized way than I could’ve gotten from school. Given the myriad of professionals on offer at the convention, there was talk about basically any subject you feel you could benefit from. I took away a lot of things about ethics, thoughtful engagement with sources, and writing for specific sections. Going to this convention was an incredibly valuable experience and will likely influence the way I approach journalism going forward.” Liam Hilliard ’26

“I came away really thinking that this career is incredibly important to society. There are so many important skills you can learn from journalism: how to create deep connections with people you are interviewing (or people in general); How to talk to people; How to do research; How to be professional; How to ask the right questions; and how to write within guidelines. I also learned how to grow my network—I met a professional at Philadelphia Magazine and can now reach out to contact him.” Serafina Kubersky ’26

Building a Professional Network

“Aside from the fun of the actual conference, it was so cool meeting people from all over the world. I met student photographers like me from Brazil, Idaho, Florida, and so many more. We got to exchange information and share eachothers work. I got to meet people who are in the position I want to be in. I met a real photojournalists for the Philadelphia Inquirer and she was telling us all about her job. We even got to exchange information and now I have a new person in my professional network. I also got the opportunity to learn new skills about running not just yearbook better, but other things that I lead. I wrote notes down for ideas for the Black Student Union, Black Excellence Night, and even running conversations.” Nevaeh Brown ’25

Something for Teachers, Too!

“The National High School Journalism Convention was an incredible opportunity to learn and to connect with work being done at high school newspapers around the country. It was a pleasure to see how students were electrified by their learning from peer and professional journalists. I also presented a session on using comment sections to create community around online newspapers. I connected with local Friends school newspaper advisors in preparation for a future gathering that The Blue and White is planning of Quaker school student journalists.” Daniel Benjamin, Upper School English Teacher and Club Advisor for The Blue and White