Stewart ponders people’s love of horror

By Kelly Stewart Opinions Editor SEATTLE – The killer slowly removes the blindfold from his victim’s head, revealing a terrified young man. He turns and looks pleadingly at his murderer as the hunter brings the chainsaw towards his face – … And the video cuts back to the director’s grinning face as he reiterates the mood and message he was trying to convey with the scene. I shake my head and remind myself that I am not in the world of the movie Hostel, I am in a museum, although the intricate detail and overall creepy atmosphere of the exhibit is making it hard to remember that a man with a chainsaw is not going…

Sidekick students to mentor fellow journalists in media convergence

Thomas Hair Staff Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. – For the hundreds of journalism students gathered at the Marriot Hotel for the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, Friday was an extremely busy day. It was the first full day of sessions, where knowledgeable professionals mentor the aspiring students on all aspects of journalism. The sessions continue on Saturday, the final day of the convention. Over the past several years, The Sidekick has established itself as a frontrunner in the conversion of high school newspapers to the online realm. For the Sidekick students attending the Convention, Saturday will be a far more important day, the culmination of several days of preparation for the Convention. Sidekick students in…

Journalist’s experience inspires students

Key note speaker Laura Ling shares about her experience being held captive in North Korea and the importance of journalism in the world. Photo by Aditi Shrikant. Crossing the border into hostile North Korea is not something anyone would expect a sane person to do. Then again, Laura Ling is not a sane person: she’s a journalist. Today in Anaheim, Ling and her sister Lisa attended the JEA/NSPA National Hight School Journalism convention and  shared their journalistic experiences with newspaper and yearbook students from across the nation, including some of our own Sidekick staff. In her speech, Laura talked about a terrifying time in her life, when, on assignment in China, she wandered across the…

Ling inspires with story of experiences

Kelly Stewart Staff Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. – On Saturday at the JEA/NSPA Nation High School Journalism Convention in Anaheim, well-known reporter Lisa Ling gave an enlightening speech on her life and how she came to be a journalist. “I thought [the speech] was really interesting,” centerspread editor Lauren Ussery said. “I mean, I see her on talk shows all the time, but I felt like in person she had more emotion and it’s nice to hear an experienced journalist talk.” Accompanied by her sister Laura, Ling regaled her experiences, from dreaming of becoming a star on TV so that she could have a better life, to getting her own show on OWN (Opera Winfrey Network) entitled…

Anaheim trip teaches staff about more than journalism

Michelle Pitcher Opinions Editor ANAHEIM, Calif. – Whenever school clubs or teams go on a trip together, they always seem to return to the halls of CHS exhausted, slightly sunburned, but most importantly with a renewed sense of team pride. I have always felt truly uncomfortable when forced to do team-building exercises, and whenever I hear the term “ice-breaker” my hands start to get clammy. I have never understood how standing in front of the class and saying my favorite animal (cats) will do anything to bring us together as friends. I do not, however, underestimate the value of a close-knit classroom. Today I attended a seminar advertised to be about ways to keep the…

Sidekick students continue to lead in Anaheim

Lauren Ussery Centerspread Editor ANAHEIM, Calif. – In fall 2009, The Sidekick took a trip to Washington D.C. for the JEA/NSPA high school journalism convention. The 9 seniors and 2 juniors (editors, at the time) who attended did the paper proud. Almost a year and a half later, and the staff is at it again. On April 14, 11 members of The Sidekick traveled to Anaheim, Calif. to once again compete with newspaper and yearbook students from schools across the country, and attend sessions designed specifically for high school students and their advisors. Upon arrival, students from all schools were able to choose which sessions they would dabble in.  For the first time ever, The…

Students pursue interests at National High School Journalism Convention sessions

Thomas Hair Staff Writer Journalism is an incredibly diverse field, with numerous specialities ranging from television broadcasting to web page designing. At the 2011 JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention from Thursday April 14 to Saturday April, journalism students from all over the nation have the opportunity to attend a wide range of sessions covering every possible branch of journalism. The convention is being held at the Marriot Hotel in Anaheim, California. Today, hundreds of students checked into the hotel in preparation for the initiation of the sessions on Friday. Among this throng of aspiring journalists are the students from Coppell High School. Members of The Sidekick Newspaper, KCBY, and the Round Up Yearbook…

Universities use JEA/NSPA journalism convention to advertise

Sammy Robben Staff Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. – To kickoff the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention on Thursday in Anaheim, Calif., a number of universities and groups set up booths to advertise to attending students and teachers. Many of the booths are giving out free items, ranging from note pads and pens to stress balls and lollipops. Among the universities in attendance are the University of Southern California, Ole Miss University, University of Oregon and Kansas State University. Many had ways for students to sign up for various ways to receive information about the different schools. The Kaplan PSAT Program, Jostens Yearbooks and others are among the groups attending the convention. Jostens has award…

Lisa and Laura Ling to speak at convention

Sammy Robben Staff Writer ANAHEIM, Calif.- Throughout the convention there will be three keynote speakers. One, Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times columnist, gave the keynote address at the opening ceremony tonight. Lisa Ling, Co-executive producer and host of “our America” on the Oprah Winfrey Network, and Laura Ling, host and reporter on “E!Investigates,” will give the Keynote Speech at the JEA/NSPA journalism convention tomorrow. “I am really inspired by Lisa and Laura Ling because they are great reporters and I know I can learn a lot form what they have to say,” Mary Whitfill said. Laura Ling was known around the world in 2009 as she was kidnapped while reporting in North Korea. She was…

Sidekick members travel to Anaheim

Sammy Robben Staff Writer ANAHEIM, Calif.- Today 11 members of the Sidekick Newspaper staff traveled to Anaheim, California for the JEA/NSPA journalism conference. Tomorrow the staff members will be participating in a number of sessions, and this year they are putting a major emphasis on the use Technology. Many of the students will be dabbling in computer technology sessions such as InDesign Beginner and InDesign creativity as a way to use computers to learn more about the creative things they can do when designing pages. Students can also go to multimedia sessions where they practice creating journalism packages including writing, audio, and video. Other examples of technology sessions are include the online sessions, which will…