The break-out sessions that conclude with an award ceremony and the collective first amendment symphony led by Jack Kennedy, encompass the timeless traditions at J dayThis year for the Red Ink Staff, J-Day meant something different, something more. For the small 2023 Red Ink Staff, it was an opportunity to win an award, learn more, and improve from within.
During the early months of the 2023 school year, the Red Ink Staff wasn’t busy with the normal welcoming-in of the new school year, the Red Ink staff was hard at work to release an eight-page newspaper to be distributed to the school and to be submitted for Best of Show in 3A online news at J-Day 2023. The work began in late August, only about one or two weeks into the school year. With only seven staff members, Red Ink Staff began to plan on how to give themselves the best chance to win an award when the opportunity presented itself
When that time arrived, Red Ink accomplished what they set out to do early in the school year. The Red Ink Staff was awarded first place in online news for 3A/4A Best of Show. This was a huge deal for the staff, Editor-in-Chief, Maddie Fisher(24) said, “I’m happy we won the award considering we have a small staff and we took on this early school year challenge very well.” Although a bittersweet ending for seniors of the staff, Fisher added, “Being my last year, I will miss looking forward to the fun that J-Day brings, such as the sessions, the excitement, and the new opportunities.” Many senior staff members will miss J-Day and the opportunities it provided to improve their journalistic abilities.
The impact of J-Day is not something to be taken lightly, according to Mrs. Green, adviser of the Red Ink Staff, “J-Day is an opportunity for students of all ages from different schools from across Colorado to come together and learn more about their passion for Journalistic Writing. Journalistic writing and production is essential in our daily lives. It helps us navigate our worlds with the provided information we get from news and media sources”.
This couldn’t be further from the truth, Journalism can be seen from all over in just simple everyday tasks. The ability to have a voice and spread the truth is a very honorable position to be in. The importance of J-Day for Colorado is massive, working towards the goal of cultivating influencer’s of our future and inspiring kids from all ages. The information learnt is important to the Red Ink Staff as the 23/24 staff looks forward to inspiring beyond the halls of EHS, and J-Day is a big step to learn how to inspire better.
As the year goes on, the Red Ink staff hope to utilize what was learned on CSU’s campus and apply it to write meaningful stories that won’t just inspire the student body of EHS, but the Eaton community and beyond.
