Over 700 middle and high school students attended the 47th annual South Florida Journalism Day, co-sponsored by the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA), the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at FIU and FIU CARTA on Oct. 26 at MMC.
FIU welcomed FSPA District 6 with the mission of encouraging more effective student media through participation in seminars and hands-on experience, including on-the-spot writing, photography, and broadcast contests. The event was chaired by Dr. Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, dean emeritus and professor.
CARTA Dean Brian Schriner opened the day with welcome remarks and encouragement to the students who would be competing in the various contests. The keynote speaker was Alex de Armas, award-winning anchor for 7News WSVN.
Students attended workshops focused on a broad range of topics, from learning video storytelling to making copyright law, including some led by FIU Journalism + Media professors and advisers: Dr. Karla Kennedy, Neil Reisner, Dan Evans, and Lillian Abreu.
The full-day event was a success, educating and empowering student reporters from Miami-Dade and Monroe counties and giving them new ideas to take back to their campuses to create better student media.