More than 500 high school students from across Alabama participated in J-Day at Troy University’s Hall of School of Journalism and Communication on Thursday.

The annual event provides high school students the opportunity to experience the journalism and communication world through a series of informative and practical workshops and provides a better understanding of the career field.

Many high school newspaper and yearbook staffers attend the event to pick up tricks of the trade to make their own publications stronger.

“For more than 20 years, J-Day provides these high school students and their advisers an opportunity to learn more about the various aspects of journalism and communication,” said Dr. Jeff Spurlock, director of the Hall School. “It gives students interested in pursuing careers in the field exposure to the faculty and programs available here at Troy University.”

Student workshops included topics such as layout and design, public relations, reporting, interviewing, blogging, feature writing, radio, sports reporting, ad design, live field reporting and TV newscast production, among others.