The De Soto High School journalism team packed up and headed to Topeka early Monday morning for the Kansas Scholastic Press Association 2017 Journalism Conference on Sept. 25- 26.

KSPA helps keep young journalist active and involved.

During the conference, the team attended seven different sessions to sharpen its journalism skills.

“KSPA was very interesting and broadened my horizons to my future career. It was very cool seeing all the schools come together for one event,” said sophomore Camryn Robinson, a staff reporter for the DHS student newspaper.

Besides attending seven hour-long classes ranging from Photoshop and photography skills to how to push through writer’s block, the journalists listened to two keynote speakers.

One of the most popular keynote speakers among the journalists was Mary Beth Tinker.

Tinker is an American free speech activist who is known for her  role in the 1969 Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District Supreme Court Case.

“It’s one thing to hear and learn about Mary Beth Tinker, it’s another to sit and listen to her tell her story in person,” said sophomore staff reporter Hayley Moss.

The conference wasn’t just about the journalism. There was some serious dance battles happening at the mixer.

DHS had a friendly challenge with Mill Valley High School to the dance battle of the century.

Overall according to The Green Pride’s co-editor-in-chief Reaghan Wharff the conference was “a great experience that brought the staff together in ways that would not have otherwise occurred. I believe that KSPA definitely made us more of a family.’’