From Nov. 4-8, students from Gables’ publications attended the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) convention held in Washington, D.C. The five days of cold adventures included everything from visiting monuments and museums to admiring the autumn leaves. Setting the site-seeing aside, students also gained new perspectives about journalism from a variety of speakers in each of the sessions they attended.

Upon arrival, the 11 journalism students and chaperones, Mrs. Gonzalez and Ms. Zaldivar, settled in at the hotel hosting the convention. After countless subway stops and endless walking, they took the long journey to see several significant landmarks, such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the National World War II Memorial. They even managed to get a vivid view of the White House, and made visits to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Newseum, the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History.

“Washington, D.C. was an entirely different world… My favorite part was the White House; everyone was so paranoid about something happening to the President. There were police officers in every corner and even snipers up on the roof! It was great,” sophomore Gleudis Medina said.

While the site-seeing had ended, the learning didn’t stop there. The Cavaliers started their day at 8 a.m., grabbed breakfast and headed to their sessions. The session rooms were filled with students from all over the U.S. Guest speakers included advisers from different schools and several news reporters. They shared their knowledge about the journalism world and provided the students with advice on making their publication the best it can possibly be. On Friday, students participated in On-the-Spot contests, which included writing in their specialized area or answering specific questions. At night, each school formed teams to take part in Team Trivia Night, where they were asked questions about books, TV shows and movies.

“My experience at NSPA was an unforgettable one. Not only did I get to learn more about and expose myself to the world of journalism, but I also bonded with my classmates. Most of the sessions I attended were informative, but the one that struck me the most was a sports journalist who had conquered the field as a woman in a male dominant field. Overall, I had the time of my life learning about something I love alongside really amazing people,” senior Natalie Escalona said.

Five days later, it was time to head home. Each student experienced visiting all of the monuments and learning facts about journalism. Gables currently waits for the contest results and looks forward to the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA) competition taking place next spring.