On May 21, 2024, 15 students from Peekskill High School had the exciting opportunity to attend the BASH 2024 Awards at Hofstra University. This prestigious event, which stands for Broadcast Awards for Senior High, celebrates the best in student journalism across Long Island and the greater New York area. It brings together young writers, editors, and photographers to recognize their hard work and dedication.

The BASH Awards showcase extraordinary talent in various categories including Best Opening Segment, School News Package, PSA, Arts and Culture Package, Community Feature, Anchor Team, and BASH Promo. This year’s event was no exception, with hundreds of students from numerous schools, including Ossining and Peekskill HS, gathering to experience this event.

We students were thrilled to be part of this inspiring atmosphere. The day began with an entertaining welcome, followed by breakout workshop sessions and p

anel discussions led by Hofstra alumni professionals. These sessions covered a wide range of topics from investigative journalism techniques to the future of digital media, providing insights and practical advice for aspiring journalists. Students were also encouraged to have a little fun at the experience, giving out bingo boards for all the participants to use and engage with all the other students.

The bus ride, albeit long, gave the 15 students an opportunity to see the beauty of Long Island and participate in playful banter amongst each other. They also got to see part of the vast and pretty campus of Hofstra University.

A special highlight for Peekskill High School was when our alumni, Mya Guardino, received the 2024 BASH Legacy Award. Mya, who is currently in London working on her Master’s degree, couldn’t attend in person, but shared a heartfelt video-recorded acceptance speech. In her message, she personally encouraged Peekskill High School students to pursue their dreams in the journalism industry, emphasizing the importance of passion, perseverance, and continuous learning. Her words were truly inspiring and resonated with many of us. Because of the circumstances, the award for Mya was accepted by junior D’Andre South & senior Karen Perez-Herdandez.

Our own senior, Mek’ell Nube Rivera was given the amazing opportunity to present awards for the Best Sports Package category. After his time on the stage, Mek’ell expressed his nervousness atop the big stage in front of such a large crowd, however, he was also very hon

ored to play such a big role in this large event.

All and all, participants at this event learned a variety of skills from the many engaging breakout sessions such as advice for the perfect interview. Students also were given ideas for their own video submissions through our prize winners’ examples and interviews in all aspects of high school life.

We are already looking forward to applying what we learned and preparing for next year’s competition. Attending the BASH 2024 Awards was not just about winning; it was about celebrating the passion and dedication that drives student journalism. Here’s to many more stories to tell and awards to win in the future!