A Deep Dive into Journalism

By Charlotte Lone '27

Before I left for the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) at George Mason University, I had one problem that had nothing to do with journalism: I had never flown alone before.

Standing in Logan Airport, I quickly realized I had no idea what I was doing. As I made my way through the winding TSA line, I kept looking back at my mom for reassurance. At the security checkpoint, I fumbled with my wallet and bag as I tried to keep track of everything I needed. After getting through security, I found my gate and stayed there for hours, too nervous to explore the terminal because I did not want to miss my flight. As I waited, I watched the departure board and thought about what the week ahead would bring. 

WJMC is a weeklong journalism conference for high school students from across the country. Students are selected to participate through either a nomination or an invitation, and after receiving an email about the program, I decided to participate because I had spent the past year becoming more interested in journalism.

At Lamplighter, NMH’s student newspaper, I have written about issues at school, politics, and other topics that interest me, including articles on how the teachers, students, and administrators at NMH responded to and discussed the assassination of Charlie Kirk; student gambling culture; and the environmental impact of food waste on campus. I also write a local history column for my hometown magazine, West Bridgewater Living. WJMC seemed like an opportunity to build on those experiences while learning from other students, journalists, and media professionals.

When I arrived at George Mason University, I quickly realized I was in a very different environment than NMH. I was one of the only participants from Massachusetts. Most people came from Virginia or other parts of the South. While we shared an interest in journalism, we grew up in different places and experienced different school systems, communities and regional cultures.

Throughout the week, we discussed censorship, student newspapers, media ethics, the responsibilities journalists have to the communities they cover, and First Amendment rights. Because everyone came from different schools and states, conversations often expanded into how different schools allow or restrict what students can write about. We also learned about pitching stories and what editors consider when accepting a story.

We heard from journalists, broadcasters, photojournalists and media leaders with different career paths. For example, independent news creator Chris Cillizza described being laid off from CNN and turning to Substack and YouTube to support his family. He offered an honest perspective on the lack of job security and rapidly changing media landscape facing journalists today, while also discussing the growing opportunities for young people to build audiences through platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Freelance photojournalist Anna Layden also stood out to me through her photography and presentation, showing how powerful storytelling can be through images as well as words. We also explored Washington, D.C., visited museums and memorials, and spent time together outside of the scheduled programming.

One of my favorite experiences was my field assignment with D.C. United. I have played soccer for years and regularly watch the New England Revolution, so I was especially interested in seeing what happens behind the scenes at a professional soccer club. We met members of the communications staff and former professional player Bruce Murray, who now works as a color commentator for D.C. United. After the press conference, I had the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one.

Some of my favorite conversations, however, were not part of the schedule at all.

On our last night, my three suitemates and I came back from a dance and started talking. We talked a lot about politics and philosophy — how people form beliefs, where we stood on different issues, and why we thought the way we did — but also about sports, drama and stories from our hometowns. We talked about things that had happened during the week, things happening at home, and whatever else came up. By the time we looked at the clock, it was almost 4 a.m. That conversation captured what I enjoyed most about WJMC: I had made real connections, but I was also surrounded by curious people who were genuinely interested in thinking about and discussing the world around them.

When it was finally time to fly home, Logan Airport did not feel nearly as intimidating. I even left my gate to get Five Guys and explore the terminal. While I was eating, I noticed two students I recognized from WJMC but had never talked to. One had missed her flight and was trying to figure out what to do next. Later, they passed by again and told me they had sorted everything out. Before they left, I gave them my extra fries. A few days earlier, I had been surrounded by people I didn’t know. Now I was sitting in an airport, sharing fries with people I had only recently met and saying goodbye.

I do not plan to make journalism my career, but WJMC reinforced why I want to keep writing. I came home with new friends, a better understanding of journalism and a little more confidence in navigating an airport on my own. More important, I came away with a better understanding of what I enjoy about journalism: learning about complicated subjects, asking questions, listening to different perspectives, and trying to understand something well enough to explain it to someone else.

Charlotte Lone is an NMH senior from West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Photos from top: Charlotte (front left) with other conference participants and Sherri Dalphonse, editor-in-chief of Washingtonian magazine; Charlotte (front right) and other students hear from Andrias White Murdaugh, broadcast journalist at WTVR CBS 6; Charlotte and fellow attendees outside the U.S. Capitol
Photos courtesy of Charlotte Lone.