Having to borrow a different car every day has lead to confusion and ultimately embarrassment for this student.

During the course of my reporting for a story on jai alai, a crazy sport sort of like handball that’s long been a part of Florida culture, I came across a place called American Amateur Jai Alai in North Miami Beach, Fla.

Today is the first day of the 2009 New York Times Student Journalism Institute. In the next week, my fellow students and I will be working in a functional newsroom run by staff of the New York Times Company.

Richard Berke, an assistant managing editor of The New York Times; Diego Ribadeneira, a weekend metro editor and Lizette Alvarez, a reporter, offered pointers on how to obtain good quotes for great stories.

Richard Berke, an assistant managing editor of The New York Times; Diego Ribadeneira, a weekend metro editor and Lizette Alvarez, a reporter, offered pointers on how to obtain good quotes for great stories.