ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Board members pose in front of the Ryman Theater in Nashville, Tenn. on Nov. 12. Editors explored the city upon arrival, visiting tourist attractions and participating in various other team bonding activities like shopping at the Opry Mills mall and participating in the Great Big Game Show. “The bonding activities that we do are the most valuable part of this trip,” Senior Copy Editor Cooper Jones, a senior, said. “At the end of the day, the most unique thing that you’re gonna take away from this trip is the time that we’re spending with each other.” Photo by Grady Dunston
Seventeen ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Board members attended the National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville, Tenn. from Nov. 12-16.
More than five thousand students from across several countries and 46 states converged under the neon lights of Nashville, Tenn. for the National High School Journalism Convention, which took place from Nov. 13-16.
The conference was hosted by the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association, with this year being the largest NHSJC since the COVID-19 pandemic with 5,3222 announced registrations.
ODYSSEY Media Group Journalism I Facilitator Grady Dunston, Adviser David Ragsdale, Senior Copy Editor Cooper Jones, News Editor Emlyn McKinney and Variety Editor Adah Hammon (from left to right) pose at the Great Big Game Show in Opry Mills Mall on Nov. 12. Jones found the bonding activities to be a much-needed addition to the trip. “As an Editorial Board, it’s really important for us to have strong connections with each other,” Jones said. “Taking advantage and fully participating in things like bumper cars and karaoke, (even) talking to people when maybe you’re a little tired, or it’s been a long day.” Photo by Grady Dunston
On the first day of the trip, students had the opportunity to explore Downtown Nashville as well as compete in the Great Big Game Show at Opry Mills Mall. For Senior Copy Editor Cooper Jones, a senior, the team bonding activity was a great way to end the first day.
“We knew we’d be at the convention center for most of (the trip), so getting to do something like (the game show) outside of the hotel was nice,” Jones said. “All in all, it was a great way to spend time with each other and have the chance to just goof off.”
The next day, after travel and team bonding in Nashville, editors attended various preconvention sessions, including “Law of the Student Press” and “Broadcast and Video Storytelling”. Business Manager Merren Hines, a junior, and Alumni Outreach Coordinator Gillian Williams, a senior, attended the Preconvention class “Branding Your Student Media Program” with Phillip and Holly Caston, where they engaged in hands-on projects geared towards learning how to increase audience engagement.
“This preconvention class was way more structured towards my job position,” Hines said. “All the (other pre-cons) that I’ve been in, there was nothing specific towards branding or marketing. This was one that I was like, ‘I relate to that, I can incorporate that.’”
On the third day of the trip, board members engaged in a variety of sessions to build upon their journalistic knowledge. Managing Editor Peter Atchley, a senior who has been to three NHSJCs, attended “Critique like a pro: Coaching photographers” presented by Lori Oglesbee and Samantha Jo Berry which stood out to him among his other sessions.
“I really enjoyed this session because it gave me extremely tangible things to critique in every photo I see. When conferencing over photographs, I learned to focus on first praising the photographer, then touch on something to improve on,” Atchley said. “I plan to talk to all of our staff photographers as soon as possible after this session, especially (helping) them improve their own work.”
The ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Boards attend the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association’s National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville, Tenn. from Nov. 13-16. As a first-time attendee, Beat Editor Izzy Hammock, a sophomore, felt NSPA was a lot more tight-knit compared to other conferences. “I really enjoyed NSPA because the quality of the sessions and the closeness of the group made the experience more elevated than previous trips I’ve been on,” Hammock said. “How small the group of attending editors made it easier to enjoy all the different activities we did and provided a sense of independence.” Photos by Grady Dunston
On the fourth day of the convention, after qualifying for the Quiz Bowl competition round as No. 16 seed, News Editor Emyln McKinney, Digital Editor-in-Chief Lea D’Angelo and Sports Editor Liya Taylor, all juniors, and Jones competed against the No. 1 seed DuPont Manual High School in the first round.
“Doing Quiz Bowl at a national level was really shocking. Honestly, I think preparing and studying with your team is actually the best part about Quiz Bowl, as we get to learn and work with each other, so I was just grateful for the opportunity,” McKinney said.
ODYSSEY Media Group Digital Editor-in-Chief Lea D’Angelo (left) and Managing Editor Peter Atchley (right) pose in front of their presentation “Leading a Convergent Model Publication” at the National Scholastic Press Association conference on Nov. 15. With D’Angelo and Atchley already having presented the session during the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Fall Conference conference in October, presenting at NSPA was a more seamless experience. “I feel like we interacted well in the room, we knew our timing, we knew where we needed to slow down and speed up,” D’Angelo said. “We were asking questions, we made sure to engage with (the audience), Peter was really good (with) active listening and talking back with attendees.” Photo by Emlyn McKinney
On the fourth day, OMG and iliad adviser David A. Ragsdale, Journalism I Facilitator Samaya Ellis and Atchley and D’Angelo presented back-to-back sessions to convention attendees: “Walking the Walk: Leading by Example,” “Y’all Lead the Way” and “Leading a Convergent Model Publication.”
“If you asked me freshman year if I’d be presenting, I would have actually laughed at you. I did not talk in middle school, I did not talk in (Journalism I), I didn’t think I could present, honestly,” D’Angelo said. “To see myself presenting, and being a leader in that way is really weird. I think even from presenting at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s fall conference to now, I grew.”
The day and the conference culminated in an awards ceremony at which Variety Editor Adah Hamman, a senior, received ninth place for Best of Show Reporting and Writing: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, her first award earned at NSPA.
“I’ve never won an award at the national level, so I was shocked when I heard that I had won. Since this is my last NSPA, it felt all the more special, and I am glad to have reached this part in my scholastic journalism career,” Hamman said. “I hope to win more awards, even if they’re not at the national level, in the next few months.”
The ODYSSEY Newsmagazine was one of 19 publications to be named a Pacemaker by the NSPA. Class of 2025 alumnus and former ODYSSEY Media Group Editor-In-Chief Wyatt Meyer, now a Harvard University freshman, oversaw production of three of the four magazines that were nationally recognized.
“It feels incredible. I’ve written a lot of reaction quotes to the general effect of, ‘It shows the hard work and commitment of a staff,’ and this is just the ultimate version of that sentiment. I’ve never felt so proud of an award and of a staff,” Meyer said.
ODYSSEY Media Group founder and adviser David A. Ragsdale poses with members of the 2006-07 ODYSSEY Newsmagazine staff on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. on Nov. 9, 2006. Since that first trip to Nashville, Ragsdale has led student ambassadors to 10 in-person and two virtual NHSJCs, which were during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a totally different experience on this end of my career. When we first came, the ODYSSEY was still in its infancy, we’d just switched over to an all-glossy magazine and thought we knew everything,” Ragsdale said. “That trip taught us humility, to revise our systems and processes and to commit to excellence. The younger kids on that staff went on to lead us to All-Georgia in state and influenced our first Pacemaker Finalist staff. It’s a full circle moment for me.” Photo from the ODYSSEY archives
The evening and conference closed with a reflective circle where OMG and iliad Editorial Bard members reflected on the conference and shared their commitments to continued success beyond the trip. For Taylor, holding herself accountable to listen to and internalize advice to execute within the program is her goal.
“The circle was really emotional and it’s so surreal to realize how little time we really have left, especially with the seniors who have really shaped my ODYSSEY career,” Taylor said. “I get so caught up in being right and getting work done that I forget about how much support I have around me, (and) this trip really reminded me of that.”
Ragsdale, who led his first delegation of CCHS students to the NHSJC to Nashville in 2006, enjoyed the return to the Music City.
“It’s a totally different experience on this end of my career. When we first came, the ODYSSEY was still in its infancy, we’d just switched over to an all-glossy magazine and thought we knew everything,” Ragsdale said. “In subsequent trips, we began making headway: presenting sessions beginning in 2008, earning national recognition in that same time period and eventually feeling as though we’d earned our place at the table among the powerhouse schools in the nation. Being here has been a full circle moment for me as an educator, I’m grateful to have had so many opportunities to work with amazing young people through the years.”
NSPA Individual Award winners
Digital Story of the Year: Feature Story: First Place: Wyatt Meyer and Lea D’Angelo: “After Apalachee”
Story of the Year: Feature Story: First Place: Wyatt Meyer: “After Apalachee”
Story of the Year: Sports Story: Second Place: Wyatt Meyer: “CCHS vs. Apalachee High School varsity football”
Best Use of Social Media: Social Media Reporting: Second Place: Edie Ash, Liya Taylor, Peter Atchley and Lea D’Angelo
Best Use of Social Media: Social Media Promotion: Second Place: Peter Atchley, Lea D’Angelo, Liya Taylor and Wyatt Meyer
Multimedia Journalist of the Year: Third Place: Lea D’Angelo
Digital Story of the Year: Multimedia News Story: Fifth Place: Kimberly Sanabria-Amya, Mzee Pavlic, Wyatt Meyer, Janie Ripps, Liza Larson, Andreas Dillies, Jesse Dantzler and Lea D’Angelo: “2024 Election Package”
Writer of the Year: Honorable Mention: Wyatt Meyer
Digital Story of the Year: Multimedia News Story: Honorable Mention: ODYSSEY Media Group staff: “Looking back on Black History Month”
Story of the Year: Feature Story: Honorable Mention: Wyatt Meyer and Emlyn McKinney: “The Weight of the Scale”
Story of the Year: Opinion: Honorable Mention: Wyatt Meyer: “Letter from the Editor”
Best of Show at NSPA
Website (more than 1,800 students): First Place: ODYSSEY Media Group
Reporting and Writing: Feature Story: Fifth Place: Liza Larson: “Understanding Safety”
Editorial Leadership: Fifth Pace: Peter Atchley
Editorial Leadership: Seventh Place: Lea D’Angelo
Design: Newspaper/Newsmagazine: Eighth Place: Liza Larson: “Between the Ropes”
Reporting and Writing: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Ninth Place: Adah Hamman: “CCHS Hispanic Heritage Festival”
Reporting and Writing: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Tenth Place: Edie Ash, Sasha Barkan, Senya Kero and Kye Streetman: “Crafting Success”
Newsmagazine (more than 1,800 students): Tenth Place: ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
