Cortez is a CSUN alumnus and wrote in a tweet, “[So] awesome to be part of this 26 years after I was once a kid attending the same conference. Full circle.”
CSUN’s Department of Journalism hosted the event in collaboration with the Southern California Journalism Education Association, L.A. Times High School Insider with additional support from CalMatters and the LA Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Thank you to the 21 journalists and presenters who volunteered to judge contests, record workshops and meet with the next generation of reporters.
Workshop speakers
Eric Sondheimer, L.A. Times sports reporter
Jaimie Ding, L.A. Times general assignment reporter
Andrew J. Campa, L.A. Times staff writer
Dawn Burkes, L.A. Times fast break desk assistant editor
The Pearl Post Editors Delilah Brumer and Gabrielle Lashley, adviser Adriana Chavira, and moderator Jason Shepard, Cal State Fullerton Communications Department Chair
Mitch Ziegler, JEA California State Director
Contest presenters
Andres Soto, ESPN Project Production Assistant
Ariana Hoshino, filmmaker
Neil Chase, CalMatters CEO
Quinn Hettich, CSUN athlete
Adviser session: Supporting scholastic journalism
Michael Lozano, CalMatters Youth Journalism Initiative Manager
Gaby Doyle, SCJEA President
Competition judges
Andres Soto
Tae Kim
Adriana Guzman
Kate Kotlyar
Julio Cortez
Mitch Ziegler
Jesse Zaragoza
Shehreen Karim
Laila Wheeler
Isabella Balandrán
Competition winners
Broadcast video
Third place: Hannah Sakai, Marshall Fundamental Secondary School
Second place: Jenica Felicitas, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
First place: Kimberly Fickerson, Foothill Technology High School
Photography
Third place: Jason Arevalo, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
Second place: Ella Chan, Temple City High School
First place: Grant Asner, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
Sports
Honorable mention: Brianna Tong, Temple City High School
Third place: Sam Noah, Foothill Technology High School
Second place: Joshua Zuniga, Maywood Center for Enriched Studies
First place: Ava Nicols, Mira Costa High School
Opinion
Honorable mention: Claire Denne, Temple City High School
Third place: Tessa Shinden, Foothill Technology High School
Second place: Aiden Ford, Marshall Fundamental Secondary School
First place: Delilah Brumer, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
Feature writing
Honorable mention: Keilana Pang, Temple City High School
Third place: Noah Shifter, Temple City High School
Second place: Michelle So, Arcadia High School
First place: Kate North, home school
News
Third place: Elizabeth Rose, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
Second place: Zaineh Saleh, Hollywood High School
First place: Gabrielle Lashley, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
Thanks to:
California State University, Northridge Journalism Department
Stephanie Bluestein, Department Chair
Linda Bowen, Professor
Tawnya Castro, Administrative Support Coordinator
Kyle Faber, Information Technology Consultant
Emma Galloway, Student Assistant
Emily Garcera, Student Assistant
Kate Kotlyar, Journalism Student
Jennifer Lu, Administrative Analyst
Southern California Journalism Education Association
Gaby Doyle, President
Greater Los Angeles professional chapter, Society of Professional Journalists
Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, President
CalMatters
Michael Lozano, Youth Journalism Initiative Manager
Los Angeles Times
Rebecca Castillo, Special Projects Lead, Los Angeles Times High School Insider
Isabella Balandran, Co-Producer, Los Angeles Times High School Insider
Shehreen Karim, Co-Producer, Los Angeles Times High School Insider
Laila Wheeler, Co-Producer, Los Angeles Times High School Insider
and all our presenters, judges and advisers who made J-Day possible