From session speakers, to writeoffs, to workshops and awards, this year’s Echo trip to Denver is full of experiences to further staffers’ journalistic abilities.

The Echo newspaper staff is attending the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association (JEA/NSPA) National High School Journalism Convention in Denver, Colorado according to Echo adviser Lori Keekley.

Keekley said the itinerary for the students is very busy and full of learning experiences for the students attending the trip.

“The students will go to pre convention workshops and learn everything from design, to writing and photo,” Keekley said. “After the keynote they have a whole smorgasbord of class options that they can go to they get to pick what they want to go to and cater their experience.”

Keekley said she hopes students will learn valuable skills from the trip and incorporate them into their work as journalists.

“I find the trip very beneficial for students because they get exposure to people other than me and they learn different opinions,” Keekley said.  “They get to network with other students and learn what other staffs do and also learn from professional journalists and other high school journalists.”

Junior Allison Cramer said she is looking forward to the trip because she wants to expand her horizons on designing and story writing.

“It sounds like a really good opportunity, and I’m excited to learn new things about journalism, writing and design and to meet other journalists from around the country,” Cramer said. “It seems like it will be fun to spend time in Denver with friends.”

Cramer said what she learns in Denver will benefit her journalism skills for the Echo.

“I’m most excited for the seminars and the classes we get to take,” Cramer said.  “I hope I’ll learn how to more effectively design pages and use inspiration.”

Junior Celene Koller is going on the trip and said she wants to improve on her photography skills and her journalistic abilities in general.

“I decided to go on the trip because going to a journalism convention would be very helpful to learn new skills,” Koller said. “I feel like I’ll come back with much more skills in photography than I have ever been able to show so far this year.”

The convention will be from April 16-19.