Students from high schools across Kansas crowded the Fort Hays State union on Tuesday. Those who signed up would have the opportunity to learn how to do a plethora of things.

Attendees from the school include sophomores Isabelle Braun, Kaitlyn Brown, Mackenzie Fagan, Emily George, Hannah Harman, Kayli Potter, Jacie Robinson and Taylor Schiffelbein, juniors Amiyah Gonzalez and Lacey Gregory, and seniors Peyton Augustine, Brianna Brin, Kara Brooks, Maddison Crees, Jordyn Dake, Sierra Eichman, Tiana Lawson, Kristen Nease, Hannah Norris, Hannah Thomasson, Savannah Unsworth and Anniston Weber.

The fall conference provides a place where students can learn from different presenters about journalism.

“It could be about newswriting, photography and social media,” advisor Bill Gasper said. “Things like that in which kids can learn a little bit more.”

The event was open to everyone involved in newspaper or yearbook. Due to the fact that most schools focus more on yearbook activities, the conference held more yearbook students.

“Some schools bring just their editors,” Gasper said. “Some bring entire bus loads. Generally, for me, it’s been kids that didn’t have a heavy load in their classes or wanted to take the time and go.”

Those who went sat in on three lectures a piece. Nine options were available every forty-five minutes.

“I’m going to some interesting year book type classes,” George said. “Yearbook design, yearbook page design, and delivering yearbook info without writing a story.”

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Sophomores Kaitlyn Brown and Taylor Schiffelbein talk about what the day will hold.

George spent her first year there and said that she would attend again.

“I’m going to be able to write better stories now that I know how to write them,” George said.

She wasn’t the only one who’d never attended. Brown learned different layouts and formats that you can use for yearbook while Fagan learned different techniques and writing styles for newspaper.

Even those who have been before learned new things to progress them father in their writing or photography career.

“I learned how to use a lot of googles tools,” Crees said.

Crees attended a google lab with Weber and the two learned how to embed google maps into stories and how to translate when you are speaking with someone who doesn’t speak their language.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Weber said. “I especially enjoyed Jalisco’s afterward.”

19ibraun@usd489.com