ASU student Saundra Wilson poses on a TV set with Hopi High's Elisa Casarez and Serena Leslie during a recent visit to the Crokite School of Journalism in Phoenix. (photo by Stan Bindell - Navajo-Hopi Observer)

PHOENIX — After attending Tribal Nations Day, five Hopi High media students went to Arizona State Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication where they learned about digital, print, broadcast and photography programs by working with ASU students.

Hopi High video student Greta Quotskuyva said she received tips that will help her in the future.

"This has motivated me to go on my path and apply to Cronkite," she said.

Serena Leslie, assistant editor for the Hopi High Bruin Times, said the ASU students are trained to get the experience of real life journalists.

"The highlight of Cronkite was to be able to sit on the set of Cronkite News and to be in the broadcast room to see what each student had to do. It was a great experience to see what goes on behind the scenes of a television show," she said. "The visit was well put together for the students."

Leslie said the trip motivated her to do more with journalism as she plans to join more print, radio and video classes.

"The journalism trip not only motivates me to keep doing journalism, but it also motivates me to communicate more and do well in school so that I could go on the trips throughout the school year," she said.

Amber Polacca, a print journalism student at Hopi High, said that she learned that if you want to go into journalism you have to be adventurous and open. She learned that photographers get to go with reporters on stories. She said Cronkite supplies its photographers with cameras.

Polacca worked with Cronkite student Jessica Clark, who let her use her camera. Polacca learned how to work the camera and how to use lighting.

"The visit could have been improved if we had a lot more time with the students and were able to go out with them to see what takes place," she said.

Polacca said the trip motivates her to do more with journalism as a writer.

"It also gave me an eye opener from meeting all of the new people and being able to see behind the scenes," she said.

Elisa Casarez, editor of the Hopi High Bruin Times, learned that there is room for every type of journalism and she learned how Cronkite performs its broadcasts. She would have liked to have interacted more with the Cronkite students.

"Going on this trip motivates me to do more in journalism. It helped me get a better understanding of what kind of journalist I want to be and what style fits my needs the most," she said.

Kyle Secakuku, a video student at Hopi High, said going to ASU Cronkite was the fun part because they had a chance to see how they do their broadcasts.

"They kept messing up, but they were practicing," he said.