Start spreadin’ the news, Jefferson Media is arrivin’ in New York City today. From March 13 to 15, Jefferson Media members attended the 100th Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Convention. Jefferson’s yearbook won the highest honor of a Gold Crown, while the newspaper and literary magazine both earned a Silver Crown. Whether learning from leading journalists, exploring Times Square, or cracking inside jokes, Jefferson’s journalism team made iconic memories in the Big Apple.

I attended a workshop by the Deputy Photo Editor of Rolling Stone, which primarily covers music and politics. I have never attended a concert before, so I found his descriptions of concert photography fascinating. He shared the thought process behind unique photographs, such as referencing past photoshoots and finding angles from the audience perspective. It was eye-opening to see how journalists are elevating their work.

After an educational day of workshops, we enjoyed a group dinner at John’s Pizzeria before wandering around Times Square. We stumbled upon the Line Friends Store, a South Korean merchandise brand featuring cute characters. The cherry blossom koala pillow immediately caught my eye and was also on sale, which was a win-win. After shopping, we snapped some chaotic selfies in the photo booth with our new plushies.

A big tradition of the CSPA Convention trip is watching a Broadway show together. This year, we saw “Back to the Future” at the Winter Garden Theater. Even though I had not seen the movie before, I still found the plot easy to follow along. This was my first-ever Broadway performance, so I was amazed by the acting, singing, and production quality.