On October 24, 2025, students from Oak Lawn Community High School newspaper, journalism, and yearbook programs attended the South Suburban Conference Publications Conference at Reavis High School, where they had the chance to learn from media professionals and connect with other student journalists. The event brought together schools from inside the conference areas to celebrate student media and promote excellence in storytelling, newspaper, photography, and design.
Throughout the day students participated in workshops covering topics such as news writing, photography techniques, layout design, and leadership in media. Junior Brody Ivey says, “I learned about the structure of how to write and a lot about how to quote and incorporate into my stories.” Brody is willing to learn new things to help himself improve and succeed in his writing abilities. He also says, “The field trip was fun. I learned a lot of valuable information and it was great to work with experts and experienced journalists.”
Advisers and guest speakers encouraged students to use their voices to tell authentic stories that represent their communities. Senior Haley Meskill says, “The field trip was good, it was fun to be out with club members and spend the day with them. I learned some new ideas for our school newspaper to make it more engaging and have more content.”
This experience inspired new ideas to members that they hope to bring back to improve the newspaper and yearbook. The SSC conference provided a valuable opportunity for students to network and build connections with peers from different schools. These interactions fostered a sense of community and collaboration, allowing students to share ideas, learn from each other’s experiences, and establish long lasting relationships within the field of journalism and newspaper.
These collaborative environments further enhanced the learning experience, inspiring students to push their creative boundaries and strive for excellence in their respective media programs.
By the end of the day, Oak Lawn Community High School students left the SSC conference feeling motivated and full of new ideas for improving the school newspaper and yearbook. The trip not only strengthened their journalism and newspaper skills but also reminded them of the impact student media can have in shaping school spirit and communication.
