Central Carolina J-Day draws 100-plus high school students to campus

Fall Break didn’t mean a quiet campus. On Oct. 16, the School of Communications buzzed with activity as 130 high school students and advisers arrived for Central Carolina J-Day, a daylong workshop dedicated to scholastic journalism and media education.

Hosted in collaboration with the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association (NCSMA) and The News & Observer, the event featured educational sessions, roundtables and media tours aimed at inspiring the next generation of storytellers.

For photos from J-Day, visit the school’s Flickr gallery.

The day began with an engaging opening session titled “Sports Journalism and PR,” moderated by Monika Jurevicius ’27, a journalism and public health studies double major. The conversation brought together Steve Wiseman, longtime college basketball reporter and sports editor for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun, and Jacob Kisamore ’24, assistant director of athletic communications for Elon University Athletics.

Together, the panelists offered insights into building trust with sources, managing relationships between journalists and public relations professionals, and the realities of working in sports media. Wiseman shared anecdotes from his years covering ACC basketball, while Kisamore reflected on his transition from student reporter to professional communicator within collegiate athletics. Jurevicius guided the conversation, providing a student perspective that connected both the academic and professional sides of sports storytelling.

“Panels like this help students see the collaboration and challenges that shape sports coverage,” said Colin Donohue, director of student engagement and special projects and assistant professor of journalism, who helped coordinate the daylong program. “It’s a great opportunity for them to learn directly from both journalists and PR professionals who work together every day.”

Following the panel, attendees participated in three rounds of workshops held across the school’s complex. Sessions covered topics such as sports writing, photojournalism, yearbook design, media law, and broadcast storytelling.

Professional journalists from The News & Observer led several sessions, including Thad Ogburn (managing editor), Ethan Hyman (photojournalist), Lexi Solomon (emerging news reporter), Martha Quillin (environmental reporter), Josh Shaffer (general assignment reporter and weekly columnist), and Nathan Collins (investigative reporter).

Elon presenters included Max Negin, assistant professor of cinema and television arts; Pate McMichael, director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition; Nicole Triche, associate professor of cinema and television arts; and Bryan Baker, director of technology, operations, and multimedia projects.

Additionally, two guest presenters shared specialized expertise, including Stephen Daily, lead director of the Charlotte Hornets broadcast on the team’s regional sports network, and Brenda Gorsuch, former Dow Jones National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year and current JEA mentor, who discussed yearbook trends and design.

Between sessions, students toured Elon’s award-winning student media organizations, including Elon News Network and WSOE, as well as Live Oak Communications, the school’s student-run strategic communications agency. While visiting the school’s studios, students stepped behind the news desk to read from a past broadcast script and experience what it’s like to anchor a show. The program concluded with a luncheon, journalism trivia contest, and a lighthearted session led by Donohue that explored narrative structure.

“J-Day gives high school students a glimpse into what’s possible,” Donohue said. “I hope they’re leaving campus more confident, more curious, and more excited about the future of journalism.”

Participants represented schools from across the region, including Kerr-Vance Academy, Cardinal Gibbons High School, West Davidson High School, Green Hope High School, Durham Jordan High School, Athens Drive Senior High School, Davie County High School, and Woods Charter School.

Donohue worked closely with Monica Hill, director of NCSMA, to coordinate Central Carolina J-Day, one of four regional workshops presented by the scholastic media association during the fall.