On Friday, October 27th, Tinley Park High School hosted the South Suburban Conference annual publications event. Area schools from the South Suburban Conference came to hear two guest speakers speak on “From Headlines to Heartlines.” 

The speakers, Vicki Baftiri and Samah Assad both work for CBS News.  Vicky Baftiri is an Emmy Award Winner and is currently a supervising producer and fill-in executive producer at CBS News Chicago. She has produced and written an array of stories – from entertainment and lifestyle – to investigative and hard news.  

Samah Assad is an award-winning investigative journalist and producer with CBS Chicago. Together this powerhouse team was able to share and inspire all who listened about what they have been able to create with their gifts. They were able to show segments of productions they created together, which were awe-inspiring. The audience was taught some of the ins and outs of what it is like to be a journalist in the industry today. Vicky and Samad encouraged students to follow their passion and not to be afraid. They shared that things were not always easy for them and they just did not fall into their current roles so students should work hard for what they want. 

After leaving the main session, students had the opportunity to attend three breakout sessions.  These sessions ranged from yearbook activities, graphic design, team building, Canva, and IHSA journalism prep. Schools ended the day by having the opportunity to fellowship over lunch and talk about their takeaways from the conference. 

Overall, the conference was a great success and a great experience for all who attended. The Titan Times Newspaper staff and TPHS Yearbook staff cannot wait until next year to see what the conference is all about when this event is hosted at Eisenhower High School.