ODYSSEY Media Group Print Editor-in-Chief Liza Larson, a junior, and OMG founder and adviser David Ragsdale stand by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Fall Conference check-in table in the University of Georgia’s Tate Student Center on Oct. 28. Along with informational sessions for students to attend, GSPA has played a role in integrating the OMG and Iliad Literary-Art Magazine with the Journalism I class. “Every experience that I’ve had (at GSPA) has been so vastly different than it was previously as an underclassman, and then with the position I carry now,” Larson said. “But, I’ve enjoyed being able to interact with the Journalism I class because I haven’t been able to talk to them at all this year, so that’s exciting.” Photo by Sarah E. Freeman
ODYSSEY Media Group, Journalism I and Iliad Literary-Art Magazine students attended the annual Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Fall Conference on Oct. 28.
The Georgia Scholastic Press Association held its annual Fall Conference at the University of Georgia’s Tate Student Center on Oct. 28, where 43 members of the ODYSSEY Media Group staff, iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Board and Journalism I class were in attendance.
Students attended sessions presented by experts in the field on a variety of topics, including photography, student press rights and journalistic writing. Among those in attendance was Journalism I student Violet Dockery, a CCHS freshman, who was attending the conference for the first time.
“Before GSPA, I thought I wanted to learn more about journalism so I (could) help my writing,” Dockery said. “Now, I think I have taken away (advice) to help me with my writing, but also about the whole journalism world.”
Digital Editor-in-Chief Lea D’Angelo, Managing Editor Peter Atchley and Journalism I Facilitator Samaya Ellis presented at the conference. D’Angelo, a junior, co-presented “Leading a Convergence Model Publication” with Atchley, a senior, followed later in the conference by Ellis and Scholastic Media Programs Manager Amy Smedberg, for the Southern Interscholastic Press Association, presenting “Y’all Lead the Way: 5 Practices for Exemplary Student Leadership.”
“This was my first time in my four years attending GSPA that I’ve ever presented a session,” Ellis said. “I was worried, but I had people from ODYSSEY watching me, and if I got anxious, I would just look to the crowd. But, I was only anxious for the first (few) minutes, and then I felt like I was leading a class like I do at school to Journalism I kids.”
Along with students presenting, Photography Editor Iliana Tejada participated in the GSPA On-the-Spot Photography Contest, where she placed second.
“When I saw that I got second place I was shocked and surprised. I honestly wasn’t expecting to get top three or five, let alone second place,” Tejada said. “But, it was such a great feeling to be able to get recognition for my photo because I really enjoy taking photos. Seeing my hard work pay off means a lot to me.”
Members of the ODYSSEY Media Group Production staff and Journalism I class and members of the iliad Literary-Art Magazine attend the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Fall Conference “Pulse” in the University of Georgia Tate Center on Oct. 28. A total of 43 OMG students attended the event, which allowed them to explore their journalistic interests. “I’ve always kind of liked the idea of cameras, but it was kind of an idea for me to do photography and ODYSSEY, and then this presentation,showed me what you can actually capture with photography, and how fun it looks and what the opportunities are,” Journalism I student Oscar Malec said. “(During) my last session, I was thinking back on the photography session, I was looking at different things, (thinking), ‘What could be a cool shot?’ I even got to use one of my colleagues’ cameras to take pictures during lunch.” Photos by Grady Dunston and Iliana Tejada
This year, GSPA held its first 2025 First Edition Competition for publications, where the ODYSSY Media Group and iliad Literary-art magazine received nine awards in total.
Of these winners, News Editor Emlyn McKinney was placed first place in Newsprint: Feature for her story “Scott’s support,” which was published in the first issue of the 2025-26 ODYSSEY Newsmagazine.
“I really didn’t expect to win an award from GSPA, so it was really cool to know that someone read what I wrote and liked it enough to recognize it, ”Mckinney said. “Profiles aren’t my strong suit, so it’s satisfying that I was able to put enough work in to get to this point.”
The 2025 GSPA Fall Conference marks Print Editor-in Chief Liza Larson’s fifth GSPA conference during her time in the OMG, and she has seen how it supports herself and the program.
“GSPA is (an) opportunity to grow and build connections in a really low-stakes environment,” Larson said. “GSPA offers a lot of really cool opportunities like news magazine evaluations, website evaluations (and) evaluations of other components of our program, so it’s always a really exciting opportunity to see how I can grow through the rest of the year.”
“I was worried (about presenting), but I had people from ODYSSEY watching me, and if I got anxious, I would just look to the crowd. But, I was only anxious for the first (few) minutes, and then I felt like I was leading a class like I do at school.”
— Samaya Ellis,
Journalism I Facilitator
Through the various competitions the conference offered, OMG founder and adviser David Ragsdale wanted to provide OMG students the opportunity to not only learn, but to see how their work stacked up against others.
“It was a good feeling (to) be able to submit the first issue of Volume 23 of the ODYSSEY, the OMG website and the iliad website for competition,” Ragsdale said. “Irrespective of any outcome, I want our team to feel good about their process and product. They’ve worked hard this year after losing a great deal of depth to graduation in May.”
Staff Awards
2025 On-the-Spot Photo Contest: Second Place: Iliana Tejada
2025 First Edition Competition
ODYSSEY Media Group
Newsprint: Feature: First Place: Emlyn McKinney: “Scott’s support”
Website: Features: First Place: Abby Holloway and Lea D’Angelo: “Inkspired”
Newsprint: Sports: First Place: Kye Streetman: “Lighting up death valley”
Website: Sports: First Place: Cooper Jones: “Safe speeds”
Website: Opinion: First Place: Liza Larson: “Social commentary: Jaws”
Newsprint: Opinion: Second Place: Adah Hamman: “Authentically Adah”
Website: News: Second Place: Liza Larson: “CCSD and Get Comfortable Partnership Expansion”
iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Website: Front Page: First Place: iliad Literary-Art Magazine: “iliad website”
Website: News: Third Place: Finley Sleppy: “Sketching success”
