Natchitoches, LaAfter a two-year absence, Journalism and Media (JaM) Day 2021 returns to the Northwestern State University campus.

The half-day event, sponsored by the Department of New Media, Journalism, and Communication Arts, again offers a great roster of challenging writing, reporting, on-air and online competitions as well as panel discussions to high school students from three parishes and Texas.

The goal is to excite high school students about future careers in journalism or professional communications.

When the pandemic forced the Department to cancel JaM Day last fall, it organized a special, virtual JaM Day in March. “The virtual JaM Day was okay but having these high school students back on our campus to compete will be so much better,” Dr. Brian Gabrial, JaM Day coordinator, said. “It’s what JaM Day is all about.”

The department’s new chair, Dr. Jessica Zhang, said she hopes that high school students take away this idea when they head back to their high schools after JaM Day: “Communication works for those who work at it,” she said.

JaM Day is Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. – noon, at the Friedman Student Union Ballroom.