On Thursday, Oct. 8, about 1,300 middle school and high school students will arrive on the Colorado State University campus for Journalism Day.

J Day, an event put on by the Colorado Student Media Association, will be held in the Lory Student Center, attracting thousands of young journalists from all over Colorado.

There will be 14 exhibitors, 45 speakers (plus seven Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation editors), and 49 sessions scheduled starting at 9:30 a.m. This will be the event’s second year in the Lory Student Center since the $50 million renovation that took place in 2014.

The hosting organization recently changed its name from the Colorado High School Press Association to the Colorado Student Media Association.

“We include all media,” said Jack Kennedy, CSMA executive director and an instructor in CSU’s Department of Journalism and Media Communication.

Because this is some students’ first time on campus, CSU advisers as well as campus community members will be available to help organize and welcome the high school and middle school students.

“It’s always sunny on J Day,” Kennedy quipped.