Class of 2026
My name is Charlize Patmon and I'm a junior at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California. I'm a writer, social media contributor, and photographer for my school's newspaper, Evolution. I'm most excited about going to Washington D.C. and working with all the other talented aspiring journalists in the program!
My name is Kamonie Crawford, and I am a 16 year old rising senior at Oxon Hill High School. During the first semester of my junior year, I took a journalism class that sparked my interest in the field. In the class, I learned the basics of journalism, such as how to find credible sources, conduct interviews, format articles, and write news stories. Since then, I’ve wanted to continue growing my skills and gaining more experience. I am excited about the multimedia opportunities in this program because I want to explore areas of journalism and learn more through hands-on experiences.
Hi! My name is Reyna Kim and I am 17 years old. I attend Freedom High School in South Riding and I am a rising senior. I am the incoming Editor-In-Chief of my school's publication Uncaged, and I am so excited to be able to have this opportunity to work with so many talented people and to advance my passion of journalism!
My name is Jahnie Turner, a 14 year old student at the Bishop McNamara High School in Maryland. At this summer program, I look forward to telling controversial and heavy stories, centered around black history and society. Before high school, I was a Media Arts major at a performing arts school in 8th grade. Along with this, I created two advertisements for a local museum, Darnall’s Chance House Museum in 2025.
Maya Abdullah is a rising 10th-grade student at Georgetown Day School, where she channels her passion for photography and writing into meaningful visual storytelling. An aspiring journalist and future writer, Maya holds strong beliefs in the power of media as a vital tool for social justice and driving systemic change. She is incredibly excited to join the Howard University summer program, where she looks forward to sharpening her media skills and collaborating with peer creators. Maya is eager to learn from professional mentors to elevate her voice and craft stories that challenge perspectives and impact her community.
My name is Gabrielle Hayden, a 17 year old attending PGCPS Online Campus, where I serve as a student ambassador. I have a passion for journalism and previously wrote for my school's magazine, where one of my most memorable projects involved interviewing students and producing a video collage exploring anti-intellectualism and its connection to fascism. Through this program, I am most looking forward to gaining hands-on journalism experience, deepening my understanding of the field, and sharpening my communication skills. I am eager to collaborate with others and share meaningful, thought-provoking stories with my community.
My name is Laila Galloway, a 17-year-old rising senior at Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas. I work as copy editor and reporter on our yearbook publication and will serve my second term on staff next year. I’m most looking forward to learning as much as I can from the professors, journalists, and college students teaching us. Gaining first hand experience in the field along with building connections with other aspiring journalists is a dream come true. The beginning of my path as a journalist will officially begin this summer, and I’m so grateful it could begin at Howard University.
Nandini Kirwin, 15, attends H-B Woodlawn in Arlington, VA. She is a journalist for her school's newspaper and is looking forward to delving into how health affects our society from a systemic and sociological standpoint as well as expanding upon her knowledge of journalism and writing in general. She is thrilled to be offered a spot in this program and hopes that it might broaden her understanding of journalism while simultaneously helping her decide if it might be something she'd like to pursue in her future. Extracurricular activities include tennis, soccer and rowing on her school crew team. Nandini is a docent at Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Alexandria. She enjoys reading, writing, word games, chess, drawing, photography, collecting coins and trying new things. She studies photography and has won Gold Keys at the Scholastic Awards.
My name is Alexa Robinson and I am a 16 year old 10th-grade student at Archbishop Carroll High School. As a member of the Jim Vance Media Program, I love storytelling, media production and creative communication. Through various school projects and media assignments, I have already gained valuable experience with research, presentations and digital storytelling. In this program, I am looking forward to gaining hands on journalism experience, improving my interviewing, production skills and learning from media professionals. I am also excited to connect with other passionate students and prepare for a successful future career in media and communications.