This FAQ page will continue to be updated to include as much information as possible for our NHSJC speakers.

What is the deadline to submit sessions for this spring's convention?

The submission deadline is Jan. 30, 2026. Please submit your proposals by 11:59 p.m. CST on Jan. 30 to be considered. 

How do I submit a session proposal?

Please visit the Call for Submissions page to learn all about this process.

I was a speaker in Nashville and would like to submit again for Minneapolis. What is my submission process?

You do NOT need to create a new speaker account, but you will need to freshly submit any sessions.

Please log into the existing Dryfta NHSJC speaker account you created for Nashville and visit your speaker profile page to update your information and scheduling availability. (This is VERY important if your availability is different, as this is the information the planning team uses to schedule sessions.)

Once your profile is updated, you can visit the "My Submissions" page to submit your session proposal for Minneapolis. You can also view an archive of your past submissions for reference by logging into the Nashville Dryfta site: https://nhsjc2025fall.dryfta.com/.

Can I submit a session I presented at a previous convention?

While we do allow repeat sessions from past conventions, we do ask for you help in keeping the convention's content fresh and relevant. Please ensure you are fully reviewing the session details and making continual updates each time you resubmit. This could be as simple as rewriting the session title to something new, or could involve reworking your lesson plan to include information specifically designed for student media work in 2025. 

If you were a speaker in Nashville, you can view your personal session archive by logging into your account on the Nashville Dryfta site: https://nhsjc2025fall.dryfta.com/. You will still need to submit a fresh session proposal application, but that information is available for easy reference.

If you need help finding past session details, please email Amber James at amber@jea.org.

What is the status of my submission? When will I receive confirmation and scheduling details?

You can view the status of your submission at any time through the "My Submissions" tab of your speaker account on this website (https://springnhsjc.dryfta.com/).

We will send out initial acceptance notices in late February, before the early bird registration deadline. Then, final scheduling details (time slot and room assignments) will be sent out in mid-March. If your availability changes at any point, PLEASE update your Dryfta speaker profile accordingly, since that is what we'll use to assign time slots.

Thank you for your patience with any delay in response to emails during the scheduling process. To help speed things up, please take some time to become familiar with this event platform and your speaker account. Many of your questions can be answered using this FAQ or by reviewing your profile page or "My Submissions" page first.

What happens if I have missed the submission deadline? Am I still able to submit?

If you miss the Jan. 30 deadline, we will first prioritize scheduling all on-time submissions before considering any others, and only on an as-needed basis. Late submissions will be added to the waitlist in the meantime. We often have changes and cancellations that occur, so we are usually able to accomodate waitlisted sessions, but we appreciate your additional patience as we figure things out.

How does convention registration work? Do session speakers receive complimentary registration? 

All convention attendees, including speakers, are required to register for the convention and pay any associated registration fees. Spring registration will open on Jan. 8. Please email register@studentpress.org with registration-related questions.

JEA or NSPA member advisers volunteering their time and expertise during the convention may be eligible for a registration discount or complimentary registration, depending on their contributions. Please visit the Get Involved page on our primary convention website to learn more. Note that this special offer expires after our early bird registration deadline.

Besides this member adviser offer, we are unable to offer complimentary registration to our speakers. If you are participating in the convention as an attendee, you will need to register online when registration opens (find deadlines and fee info here) and check-in at the registration desk onsite to receive your name badge.

If you are a featured speaker or local media professional who is not planning to attend any convention events beyond the session(s) you are presenting, you likely do not need to register. Please email us to discuss further.

I received an email that my session was accepted. What does this mean?

This means your session was accepted to the convention and we will soon be scheduling it for a time slot and breakout room.

PLEASE carefully review all acceptance notices and RESPOND to the email letting us know that you will be in attendance and are able to present the listed session, or that you cannot.

If you are unable to attend or present the session that was accepted, PLEASE let us know as soon as you receive the initial acceptance email, so we can remove you from the list before scheduling is finalized. The convention schedule is a highly complex process, so we greatly appreciate your prompt response as it is much easier to remove a session before it has been scheduled, rather than after.

I received an email that my session was added to the waiting list. What does this mean?

The convention sometimes receives a large amount of session proposals (300-400+). While we try to accept as many as possible in the first round, we may need to create a waiting list. Once the schedule has been created, we will identify gaps in time slots or topics and use sessions on the waiting list to help fill things out.

The scheduling process is complex, so thank you for your patience with our programming manager while she works to try to fit everything in!

What should I speak about?

Please read through our topic guide on the speaker portal. While we welcome any submission related to scholastic journalism, the planning committee is especially seeking sessions on the following topics:

• Diversity, equity and inclusion in student media (the importance of representation, covering underrepresented areas, accessibility practices, building newsroom diversity, best practices for coverage, inclusive leadership, etc.)
• Broadcast and multimedia topics (video production and editing, podcasting, news anchoring, visual journalism, technology and tools, etc.)

Below are more topic ideas, based on attendee feedback from previous conventions:

• Sessions focused on literary magazine or newspaper publications 
• Sessions focused on middle school media programs
• Advanced technical skills (reporting, photography, yearbook, design, etc.)
• Photojournalism topics (all areas, including using Lightroom, camera skills, and more practical, hands-on sessions)
• Writing topics (tips and tricks, copywriting, writing leads, arts and entertainment writing, editing, etc.)
• Marketing topics (social media marketing and management for student publications, etc.)
• Design topics (typography, magazine design, color theory, non-yearbook media design, etc.)
• Sports journalism and photography
• Editor-in-chief training / student leadership skills
• Applying journalism skills to daily life, to college, to non-journalism careers, etc.
• Interviewing and storytelling skills
• The business of journalism
• College journalism
• Journalist etiquette
• Public speaking skills for journalists
• Publication productivity / project management timeline
• Tips for students who want to become journalism teachers
• Overcoming challenges and troubleshooting problems as an adviser
• Tips & best practices for new advisers
• Coaching student photographers / student leaders
• How to teach the journalism basics
• Staff recruitment, management and motivation / building classroom culture
• Yearbook grading systems
• Running a media or yearbook club
• Advising student media at a Title 1 school / small school
• Working with yearbook vendors
• Advising multiple publications / converged media
• Structuring journalism programs with high turnover
• The logistics of student media (distribution, printing, etc.)

Should I plan to present using a specific format?

The format is up to you! You can plan a lecture, workshop, panel, Q&A or whatever works best for you. All we ask is that you don't go over your time slot and that you present something that aligns with the session title and description you provide. We also require all speakers and attendees to follow our rules of conduct throughout each presentation.

Can I submit more than one session proposal?

Yes, you can submit up to six session proposals. Please note there is a chance all will be accepted, so please ONLY submit what you are actually willing to present.

If you are submitting more proposals than you are able to present, please note this on the application under "Notes for organizers." (i.e. "I am submitting six session proposals, but I can only present two total. Please select whichever two are most needed.")

How long is an NHSJC breakout session?

Our standard breakout session time slot is 45 minutes. Each session will begin at the start of the hour (i.e. 9-9:45 a.m.) and you can arrive up to 15 minutes prior to get set up as the previous session concludes.

How big will my room be and how will it be set up?

Room sizes vary depending on the venue. The room's max capacity will be listed online with your session once your room assignment is confirmed.

All breakout rooms will be set up in either classroom (rows of tables with chairs) or theater (rows of chairs, no tables) seating. If you would like to request a room with a specific set, please make note on the session proposal form. Due to the large volume of concurrent sessions, we are usually unable to provide a room set that differs from these two options. However, you are welcome to move around the chairs and/or tables in the room as long as you reset before the next session begins.

I need a big/small room for my session. How can I request this?

Please include this request in the "Notes for organizers" field on the session proposal form. Due to the large number of sessions, we are unable to guarantee anything, but we will do our best.

Please note that the more flexible you are in the scheduling availability you provide, the easier it will be to accomodate this kind of request.

How many attendees should I expect? What kind of attendees?

Session attendance is first-come, first-served, so beyond learning the max capacity of your assigned room, there isn't a good way to estimate how many attendees you can expect. We encourage you to plan a flexible presentation that can accomodate any size group. NHSJC usually has between 3,000 to 4,000 attendees, so many sessions will max out the room's capacity.

NHSJC attendance is roughly 80% middle and high school student journalists and 20% journalism advisers, teachers and professionals. Standard session attendance is open to all attendees, so please note that even if your session is geared toward advisers, students may still choose to attend (and vice versa). Please plan accordingly.

Is there any compensation, reimbursement or registration discount for speaking at NHSJC?

Presenting a NHSJC session is an unpaid volunteer opportunity to benefit the education and professional development of student journalists and their advisers. JEA and NSPA are unable to reimburse speakers for travel and lodging expenses. 

All speakers will need to register for the convention. Advisers, if you are interested in learning how to qualify for discounted or complimentary registration, visit this page for more info. Students, there are no fee waivers for speaking, but you are welcome to apply separately for our student scholarship opportunity. 

Featured Speakers and Break with a Pro speakers who are invited to participate by the Minneapolis local committee will receive complimentary parking at the event venue on the day(s) they speak. These specially designated individuals, who will not otherwise be attending the convention, do not need to pay to register - please visit the Speaker Check-in desk (near registration) upon your arrival to receive your name badge.

When should I arrive for my scheduled session?

You can arrive up to 15 minutes prior to your scheduled time to get set up as the previous session concludes. For example, if your session starts at 11:00 a.m., you can arrive at 10:45 a.m. We recommend arriving at least 10 minutes early. If you are speaking during the first session of the day (8:00 a.m.) you can arrive up to 30 minutes early.

What audiovisual equipment is NHSJC able to provide for my session?

We can provide a "standard breakout set" which includes a screen and projector with HDMI hookup. Additionally, if your presentation will include audio elements (music, video, etc.) we can provide a simple laptop speaker that can connect to your computer via a headphone jack, but only if you make this request on your session application.

Due to the large volume of breakout sessions at the convention, we are unable to accommodate A/V requests beyond these basics. Please note in your proposal what equipment you will need. Remember, if you fail to note this correctly, your assigned room may not include that equipment.

NHSJC is not able to provide laptops. Speakers are required to bring their own laptop with all presentation materials preloaded and ready to go. If your laptop does not have an HDMI port, please bring an adaptor. We may have a couple adaptors available, but the quantity is limited as there are usually 20-30 sessions happening concurrently.

We are also not able to accomodate microphone requests for breakout sessions, as those decisions are based on room size. If you are assigned to a room that is big enough to need a microphone, there will be a microphone available at the podium.

Will there be speaker Wi-Fi?

Yes! However, it is limited, so we ask that you only use it during the sessions you are speaking at. NHSJC is unable to provide attendee Wi-Fi. 

We recommend that you ensure all your presentation materials are available offline whenever possible. Live events have an odd tendency to invite technical difficulties and internet issues.  

What should I bring to my session?

• Any materials you will use during the session (i.e. handouts, etc.)
• A laptop with your presentation downloaded and ready to go. We recommend having your presentation available offline, if possible - while we do provide speaker Wi-Fi, it's never a good idea to rely on internet during a live event.
• An HDMI adaptor for your laptop, if needed (Apple users, we're looking at you!)
• A flexible mindset! NHSJC breakout sessions are first-come, first-served and there are usually between 20-30 presentations happening concurrently. While it can be a little chaotic and unpredictable, it can also be a lot of fun, especially when you're prepared to embrace flexibility and creative problem solving when needed. For example, even if your session is primarily intended for advisers, students may still decide to attend - we encourage you to be ready for any audience!

Do I need to submit any of my materials ahead of the convention?

No. Due to the large volume of sessions at each convention, we are trusting that your presentation materials will align with the session description you provided. Additionally, please ensure all session materials align with the convention's Rules of Conduct. If we receive any reports from attendees about a violation of those rules, you may be subject to disciplinary action.

What happens if I run into a technical issue with the room's AV or internet?

If you will be using AV during your session, you will be in charge of connecting your laptop to the projector and/or audio speaker. If you encounter any issues, we will have some tech support available. To request support, please call the convention hotline (the number will be listed on a piece of paper on the podium in your session room). We recommend arriving no later than 10 minutes before your session start time, just in case troubleshooting is needed.

Question not answered here?

Visit the speaker portal for more guidance. Please email Amber James at amber@jea.org with any other questions.