On Monday, November 3, 2025, Stephanie Hartell, AP English and journalism teacher, took 10 of her journalism students into New York City to attend the annual Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) conference. The 16-hour day that ensued was occupied by informative classes, sweet treats, and dangerous train doors that made a memorable day, to say the least.
After arriving at Grand Central Station, the students made their way to Morningside Heights, home of Columbia University. On the subway ride over, junior Kenyiah Hill got stuck in the door and was almost swept away. When asked about her experience, Hill said “I literally got stuck in the door… It was awesome.” Fortunately for Hartell, Kenyiah did not get lost in NYC and this was the only misstep of the day.
At the conference, students broke off to attend various classes taught by Columbia professors and other notable names in journalism. Classes included “Cornflakes, Confessions, and Controversies,” an overview of censorship and First Amendment rights; “You Sound, Like, Um … Stupid? Ya Know?” a discussion about the flawed speech patterns of Gen Z; and “12 Ways to Make Your Website Next-Level with Digital Storytelling,” a session filled with advice on how to improve the website for a publication. Senior Maya Smith claimed she “got a lot of good ideas and feedback that could be used in our magazine!” Our journalists attended four sessions each, with a lunch break in the middle and are excited to apply the knowledge they gained.
Following the final session, Hartell led the group back down to the subway where thankfully, the doors cooperated with all parties. Back in Times Square, the students ate dinner at an Italian restaurant on the dime of our ad revenue (thank you to our sponsors!). Before getting on the train back to Connecticut, the group made a final stop at a bakery to satisfy senior Evalyn Tesler’s craving for something sweet.
When asked about their favorite part of the day, here is what the conference attendees had to say:
Evalyn Tesler: “Lunch! And dinner.”
Isabella Dioquino: “My sessions were super fun, informative and useful; thus they were my favorite!”
Gabriella Pagano: “I really enjoyed all the sessions. I especially liked one of the sessions about layouts and how to make out spreads unique but organized. They gave really good examples that I plan on using for our future magazines.”
Maya Smith: “My favorite part was my first session of the day because it was all really useful, relevant, and applicable information.”
Alex Seltzer & Ben Stewart: “Free food.”
Keniyah Hill: “Going out to eat in New York.”
Overall consensus, the trip was informative and fun. This trip is an annual highlight of the WHS journalism curriculum.
