Event Coverage: 2026 Southern Interscholastic Press Association Convention
Above: FOND FAREWELLS: The 2025-26 iliad Editorial Board and iliad adviser David Ragsdale stand in the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on March 7. iliad Outreach Director Jay Braswell attended the Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) Convention for the first time and became better acquainted with others during the event. “Since I didn't attend (the National High School Journalism Convention) with other (ODYSSEY Media Group) editors and the rest of the iliad Editorial Board, I didn't know what to expect,” Braswell said. “I made a lot of friends and talked to people that I didn't have the opportunity to talk to beforehand, attended fun cultural experiences and conferences and overall had a great experience (at SIPA).” Photo by Grady Dunston
Members of the iliad Literary-Art Magazine and ODYSSEY Media Group attended the 2026 Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) Convention in Columbia, S.C., from March 5 to 8.
Members of the iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Board and ODYSSEY Media Group attended the 2026 Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) Convention in Columbia, S.C. from March 5 to March 8 to engage in various journalistic, educational and bonding activities.
At the convention, educational pre-convention and breakout sessions were offered for attendees to expand their journalistic skills. Presenters at these sessions ranged from professional journalists to advisers to student journalists. iliad Managing Editor Finley Sleppy presented alongside iliad Editor-in-Chief Margo McDaniel for a presentation entitled, “We Can Work This Out: Resolving Conflict and Rebuilding Trust in Staffs.”
“(SIPA) allowed me to appreciate and reflect on the program that we are in and the amount of things that we are good at,” Sleppy said. “I think it's cool to watch my friends and my classmates present, because it shows me that we are a really dedicated and really strong program. The fact that we get to showcase that at different conferences across the region and the country, I think that's just really cool.”
Above: ARTISTIC INSPIRATION: iliad Social Media Coordinator Scarlett Alston sketches at the Columbia Museum of Art on March 6. Alston felt inspired for her own artistic endeavors by touring the museum alongside members of the iliad and ODYSSEY before pre-convention sessions. “I couldn’t help but sketch while I was in the museum. The collection (of art) was so unique, from new artists mixed in with the old,” Alston said. “Seeing everyone’s reactions to each piece was really interesting. We all had an amazing time and left (feeling) inspired.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
Outside of educational sessions, students engaged in various bonding activities before the convention started. This included visits to Frankie’s Fun Park and the Anne Frank Center on March 5, as well as the Columbia Museum of Art and the South Carolina State House on March 6.
“I really enjoyed getting to hangout with my teammates outside of the conference,” Sleppy said. “It was a great experience to see a different side of the people that I work with every day and I think it’s important that we have those moments outside of SIPA to share and remember that we’re there to have fun.”
Several students from the iliad and ODYSSEY also participated in SIPA’s Quiz Bowl, which served as its own bonding activity. While iliad Outreach Director Jay Braswell didn’t participate in the Quiz Bowl, seeing colleagues participate, including McDaniel’s team winning, was inspiring.
“Seeing people have that passion and that energy brought to the Quiz Bowl was so fun, how everyone worked together and everyone thrived in different ways,” Braswell said. “Seeing them shine in those different ways was definitely my favorite part (of the convention), getting to take a step back and admire other people's work.”
Above: SENTIMENTAL CIRCLES: iliad Managing Editor Finley Sleppy speaks to a circle full of iliad and ODYSSEY members at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on March 8. While Sleppy participated in this reflective circle at the end of the trip, she appreciated advice seniors shared when it was their turn to speak. “(I) hear about these circles every single time someone talks or brings up a conference. I think it's cool getting to hear and watch the seniors speak their words of wisdom, because a lot of them have been here for a long time,” Sleppy said. “There (are) several seniors that I knew either from middle school or from freshman year. It's cool getting to watch them thrive.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
While at SIPA, iliad members competed in Team On-site Production (TOP) competitions to create literary magazine spreads in a limited time of less than five hours, in which iliad representatives received Best Written Element and Best Overall for their spreads. The 2025 edition of the iliad, “Sound & Color,” also received several awards at the convention, including for some individual written pieces, Best of Show of literary magazines at the convention and the 2026 Scroggins Award: Best of South for literary magazines.
“Getting to show off (our) skills on-site with TOP was not only really fun to do, but also was a great way to get recognition for our art and design,” iliad Social Media Coordinator Scarlett Alston said. “Seeing everyone get called up for some kind of award (during the awards ceremony) really brought us all joy and inspired us to continue to work hard.”
To conclude the weekend, iliad and ODYSSEY members reflected and shared the most impactful moments of the trip. iliad adviser David Ragsdale emphasized the importance of community over other aspects of the convention.
“The relationships built in spaces like this last far longer than any convention weekend or any recognition. Long after the awards are packed up and the buses head home, the memories stay,” Ragsdale said. “The life lessons stay. The inside jokes stay. The friendships stay.”
Story by Margo McDaniel
Margo McDaniel is a senior and the Editor-in-Chief for the iliad Literary-Art Magazine at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. This year, she hopes to help creativity flourish at CCHS by giving student artists and writers a space to create, grow, and express themselves. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.