Thursday, October 1, 2026
Seaford High School students got a close-up look at the world of professional journalism when Emmy-winning reporter John Dias visited on Feb. 2, sharing advice, stories and encouragement with those exploring careers in media.
Dias, a three-time Emmy winner and Long Island native, spoke with about 45 students enrolled in Seaford’s Broadcasting, Filmmaking and LIU Journalism courses. The visit was organized by Patrick Kennedy, the district’s coordinator of fine and applied arts, to give students meaningful exposure to a working journalist.
“We were fortunate to hear about John’s journey from high school through his various roles in the industry, and how evolving technology continues to shape journalism today,” Kennedy said.
Dias began his career as a television reporter in Colorado before returning to New York for a position at News 12, covering stories across the city. For the past eight years, he has worked at CBS News New York, producing stories for both television and social media platforms.
Throughout his talk, Dias offered students a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a news story — from interviewing and filming to editing and delivering it on-air. He emphasized the need to balance hard news coverage with human-interest features, and the importance of maintaining neutrality, especially when reporting on controversial topics.
Students also participated in a question-and-answer session, asking about the realities of the job, including how to stay objective and adapt in a fast-changing media landscape.
Teachers Curtis Tripoli, Melinda McKee and Kathryn Miedl provided overviews of their courses and showed examples of Dias’ recent work, prompting him to reflect on the story development process.
Kennedy said students left the session with a better sense of how to approach storytelling.
“Our students walked away with a deeper understanding of the skills needed to succeed in journalism, including communication, adaptability, a strong work ethic and neutrality when reporting,” he said. “They gained real-world insight into career pathways in media and left feeling inspired and better prepared to pursue their own interests in broadcasting and storytelling.”
