PAREF Southcrest School fourth-grader Maxine Dy placed among the top 5 in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) news writing competition, competing against student journalists from Grades 4 to 6 in her first division-level press conference.
Dy earned her spot on her school’s official DSPC delegation after passing two rigorous evaluation rounds. Joining the press conference had been a longtime goal, but she entered the competition mainly to test her abilities rather than expecting to win.
Dy was also among the youngest participants in the SunStar Junior Journo News Writing workshop over the summer, where she honed her skills alongside other aspiring student journalists.
“I feel happy about winning DSPC and being part of the top five because, as a newbie and a first-timer, I was really shocked,” Dy said. “There were so many schools and it was mixed from Grades 4, 5 and 6, yet I still won.”
Even after being selected for the competition, Dy said she remained uncertain about whether she would place until the results were announced.
“I was really thinking of it the entire day — will I be qualified or will I not be qualified?” Dy recalled. “When I got selected for the real DSPC competition, which I didn’t expect, I said yes because I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could win. I was just joining for fun.”
She credited her Junior Journo training as part of her preparation, but also made a conscious effort to strengthen her skills by following current events and studying news stories.
“During the summer I attended the Junior Journo workshop,” Dy said. “When I was selected, I read current issues and current events in the newspapers and practiced writing news articles.”
Beyond the competition itself, Dy said one of her biggest challenges was finding time to prepare while juggling academics and other activities.
“I have only one struggle, which is time management,” Dy shared, noting that she was simultaneously preparing for school exams, attending weekly journalism sessions, competing in mathematics contests and participating in sports. “It was a very hard time balancing everything, but then in the end, I managed to learn time management.”
For other young journalists hoping to compete, Dy stressed the value of consistent preparation and taking advantage of every opportunity to learn.
“Just study and prepare for the DSPC by reading news articles, practicing writing them and attending trainings or workshops, whether it’s in school or not,” Dy said.
She also encouraged students not to give up after a setback, reminding them that one rejection does not have to end their pursuit.
“If you’re not selected, just try again next time because there’s always another chance,” Dy added. “And, of course, just ask for guidance and help from the Lord because He will give it to you.” / Irish Sevilla