Early mornings and late nights, that is the life of a journalist.

For 51 high school students from across the country, this summer offered a free opportunity to meet and experience some of the top journalists in the nation during the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Journalism Conference.

The all-expense paid, five-day conference brought 51 upcoming high school seniors together to learn about their passions: politics, social media, news and journalism. Chosen from applicants all over the country these 51 students received an all- expenses- paid trip to Washington D.C., for the conference, and will be recipients of a $1,000 scholarship to their college of choice.

West Virginia’s journalism representative was Alicia Life, of Lewis County High School.

Life, now a senior at LCHS, earned the award based on writing, broadcast, and photography samples as well as letters of recommendation from advisers.

“It was experience like no other.  It was hard and strenuous, but it helped me develop a better understanding of the craft,” Life said.

Life’s words were reinforced by the dozens of presenters during the conference.

“Start writing as quickly as you can,” spoke Sara Ganim to the youngsters attending the five-day conference. Writing is exactly what the student journalists did all week.

All students were expected to attend the conference as journalist. They were to take notes on the presentations and speeches from some of the most influential journalists of the 21^st century. These journalists included: Ganim, Susan Goldberg, Dr. Charles C. Haynes, Val Hoeppner, Susan Page, Chuck Todd and m

any more.

The five days consisted of interviews, panels, educational videos, lunch buffets, tours and journalistic humor.

“The future is now,” Charles Hayne told student journalists during his presentation about photography to the state representatives.

During the five days, the students learned about our government and the First Amendment and how it affects them.

The students and their mentors visited the U.S. Court House where they learned about their First Amendment rights, responsibilities and resources as high school journalist. To end the program, students were part of a mock trial with Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth.

The Senate building was visited by 51 enthusiastic students to learn more about the government and their role as free press. The students toured the Chamber, galleries, radio-tv gallery, press gallery and the house gallery.

During the Free Spirit Conference the students visited the historic monuments of our country. Students listened to informational lectures before they took tours and practiced their new knowledge about photography on the scenes before them.

The week ended with a farewell party for the young aspiring journalists. They attended a dinner and dance party on the water aboard the double-decker v

essel “Miss Mallory.” The students sailed along the Potomac River as they ate American-style burgers and drank refreshments as they danced to the latest pop hits.

That night the students gathered together one last time in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Central / White House saying their goodbyes.

That morning the students did not say goodbye but “see you later” to their new colleagues and the memories they had made together.