NSPC is the highest stage, but what's next once it ended?

Shutter opens and closes in an ecstatic place — one day during the first half of the year, people flock in an arena filled with the rattling sounds of maxed-out speaker volumes. 

The atmosphere is intense, with the fleeting excitement of reaching the highest dream that every campus journalist  aspires to achieve — NSPC. 

The National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) is the Department of Education’s highest annual journalism competition, bringing together the best campus journalists from the 17 regions of the country. With thousands of young writers and broadcasters competing, starting from the district or division levels, few are fortunate enough to compete in what was dubbed to be the Olympics in Campus Journalism. This event is in line with RA 7079 or the Campus Journalism Act of 1991, which upholds the development and promotion of campus journalism as a tool for student expression and democratic participation.

All might have wanted a podium spot — but for sure, at this point where the moment fills the exact fulfilment, there is nothing more to lose. For many, the NSPC represents the highest stage in their campus journalism career, having to mingle with their greatest contemporaries. With the implementation of the new DepEd mandate that only the top one regional qualifier per category advances to the national level, the competition has become more selective and intense, raising the stakes and prestige of making it to the NSPC arena. 

But what’s next for these young journalists after the NSPC?

Perhaps the real test: how the experiences and lessons learned at this stage can translate into the realities of the world beyond the contests.

Press conferences  plays a pivotal role in shaping young minds, equipping them with the essential skills to communicate effectively with the masses. The journey fosters a passion for the field, inspiring dedicated students to hone it further for the embodiment of the greater lessons it imparts.

As for Ricky Ambray, a three-peat NSPC winner, also hailed as one of the Most Outstanding Campus Journalists of the Philippines in the latest edition of NSPC in 2024, he described his undertaking of a communications degree as more of a “natural path” to continue what he started in campus journalism.

For Ambray, getting involved in journalism was a turning point. He realized the power of the media to amplify the voices of others, to tell stories that needed to be told, and its role in shaping the perspective of the people.

"Making it to the team and practicing campus journalism made me realize that being a [campus journalist] is not just about competitions — it’s about being a voice for others and telling stories that matter, even beyond the campus walls," he told. 

But his journey extends beyond his personal achievements. His dedication to campus journalism also involved mentoring fellow student journalists, helping them hone their craft and express themselves more effectively. Now, as the president of his university's communication organization, he continues to instill in others the same skills and values he learned during his stint as a campus journalist.

Much like Ambray’s experience, for many, stepping at the NSPC stage is just the beginning of a larger journey. He states, evident coming from his anecdotes, “tThe future ‘Batang Dyornos’ will carry the lessons they’ve learned, continuing the mission of informing, empowering, and serving the nation.”

Aldrin G. Callena, a student journalist from Cagayan State University (CSU) Lal-lo campus and a staff writer for The Innovator, shares his own JOURNey.

"Ngayong college lang na-mold ang journalism skills ko as I enter the official student publication of CSU Lal-lo, The Innovator. Hindi ko inaasahan na matutulungan ako ng publication na i-build ang confidence ko sa pagsulat, paglathala at maging sa pagguhit ng mga ilustrasyon,” Callena stated.

Beyond the pedestal of NSPC lies a deeper, more urgent reality — society needs real journalism that does not only teach students how to write but also how to use their words to empower, inform, and inspire. One that amplifies the voices of the marginalized, challenges injustice, and sheds light on every issue. 

“More than contests, mas na-inspire ako sa journalism because I am able to voice [out] what my fellow students want to [say] and also sa labas ng campus,” Callena shared. 

Along the way, they are shaped by values that run deeper in this highly democratized world: critical thinking, credibility, and integrity. These are the pillars that keep them grounded, no matter how glaring the situations can be. The true power of campus journalism isn’t in the contests — it is in the journalists themselves, the ones who will serve its essence for the reality this world faces.

Each Batang Preskon has their unique story. But one thing intersects among these driven individuals — passion. Their passion pushes them through weariness, moments of doubt, and failures, all in the pursuit of their highest dream. But campus journalism at its core isn’t about competition — it’s about purpose.

On the way to finding their calling, some journalists have chosen to pursue careers aligned with their media endeavors, while others have ventured into greater callings far from the press world they once navigated. Regardless of the paths they take, one thing remains essential: the values, ethics, and lessons learned from campus journalism that must be carried into the real world. The ability to think critically, uphold integrity, and communicate truthfully transcends any profession and is crucial in shaping the world today, ensuring that the mark of a journalist extends far beyond newsroom.

NSPC may be a week-long gathering of the brightest campus journalists in the country, but the need for truth-tellers never disappears. Society still needs people who will rise when it matters most, who will carry the torch of justice and speak when others was silenced. It is a challenge not to be defined by the accolades but by the greater movement that campus journalism aims to establish — being a catalyst committed to serving society, no matter what it takes.

Whether one makes it to the NSPC stage or not, what truly matters is the commitment to tell the truth, to have the courage to speak, and to have the persistence to keep writing stories that shape the world. 

In that pursuit, every campus journalist writes a story that truly matters.