Student Perspective of USC High School Journalism Day

Attending USC's High School Journalism Day, DCI interns learn about various topics, including social media marketing, video production, and newscasting, while having the opportunity to use professional technology. Five students from various Journalism Days relay their personal and DCI-influenced perspective of the event. 

"I went to USC journalism day in the fall. Many other high schools in the LA district came, and DCI members were dispersed into separate groups so that we wouldn't all be stuck together. I missed my friends, but it was also a great opportunity to meet new people. At USC, we met several professors who taught us about the importance of media and how easy it is to tell a story. Honestly, we had already learned many of the discussed topics in DCI, but it was great to see the professional equipment offered at USC and understand the ambiance of the campus itself. I personally don't plan to apply to USC because I'd like to go to a school outside of California, but I would still say that USC is a great college to apply to and has an excellent journalism program."

—Estelle Hooper

"USC Journalism Day was the first time I ever stepped foot onto a college campus. It opened my eyes to what people do at college when they are not studying or focused on exams. It was like entering a little community with people who have the same interests as you. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of visiting the journalism sector of USC, Annenberg."

—Vivian Kwang

"As I took my first steps onto the USC Campus, I was amazed at the serenity of it all. It was my first time at USC, and seeing how the bright morning sun glistened off the red brick building of the Wallis Annenberg Hall took my breath away. Stepping inside, I was greeted by smiles as I took my seat in the lecture hall. A few moments later, keynote speaker Brian De Los Santos of the Los Angeles Times began a powerful message on how journalism changed his life and how he hopes to, one day, change the world by publishing his story in the papers.
As the day progressed, we were split up into different workshops to learn more about journalism and civic engagement. The Mobile Journalism Workshop introduced many tools for mobile video recording and was also a nice refresher of many tips taught by DCI, such as the iMovie workshops that we have every year. My favorite workshop was discovering the Annenberg Media Center, as I was able to get a glimpse of all the tools used by professionals to produce TV news segments, podcasts, and videos. Overall, my day at USC provided a deeper insight into the world of professional journalism."

—Brandon Chen

"A few months ago, I participated in the USC High School Journalism Day with DCI. Not knowing what to expect, I went into this event open-minded and excited to not only learn more about journalism but to also learn more about USC’s journalism accommodations and prestigious programs. Nevertheless, while I did learn a great deal about Public Relations and Marketing and such, I also learned some things about journalism in relation to myself and my experiences. I. Journalism is not for me. Before attending this event, I always considered the profession of a journalist as a prospective occupation for the future. However, upon spending a few hours learning about journalism, I realized that this is not what I expected journalism to encompass. Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate that I was able to get a taste of collegiate journalism so that I know what I would be getting myself into. II. DCI is advanced. It wasn’t until this event that I realized how fortunate us interns are to be able to not only participate in this program, but to also have access to tons of resources such as the utility of DSLR cameras, podcast apps, and weekly workshops. Many of the skills that were covered in the Journalism Day have been covered by DCI on multiple occasions and upon experiencing this, I realized that DCI is truly a prestigious and professional group to be a part of. III. Journalism is everywhere. While the entirety of the day may have not appealed to me, one profound thing I learned that really resonated with me is that journalism is everywhere. From the billboards we see on the freeways to the thousands of posts we see on social media, journalism—the sole spread of information—takes part through countless forms in our lives. In this day and age, information is disseminated in a matter of seconds—and it is through journalism that this is able to happen.
Although I discovered that journalism is not ideal for me, I was able to reflect and truly appreciate the role that journalism has in my life from this USC Journalism Day."

—Ella Cho

Annenberg Media Center

"The very thought of being at USC, attending USC High School Journalism Day, awed me. The giant ornate buildings towered over a neat brick square, accurately described by my peer as 'Hogwarts in real life'. After listening to inspirational keynote speakers, all high school students attended mini-workshops that briefly covered journalism topics including social media, video production, and choice of media. Throughout the classes, I learned a little and reviewed a little; DCI had already covered many of the topics presented there. However, something I had never seen before was USC's breathtaking Annenberg Media Center, a giant room filled with cutting-edge technology: a TV channel program control room, news anchor filming studio, and a green screen corner with a teleprompter. This part was eye-opening and very new to me. While I will be majoring in computer science and not journalism, I'm grateful for the opportunity to attend USC's High School Journalism Day and gain exposure to higher-level knowledge and technology."

—Sandra Tang