Forty-two students returned home after intensive journalism training in the sweltering East Coast heat.
AAJA's J Camp brought together the multi-cultural group of high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from across the country for the program, July 29 through August 3 at New York University.
They participated in Q&A sessions with 20 top print and broadcast journalists including "60 Minutes" correspondent Ed Bradley, People magazine executive editor Jeannie Park, and Sports Illustrator photography editor James K. Colton.
Breakout sessions in print, television and photography gave students a chance to prepare and write/shoot stories in the community with Kyndell Harkness, photographer at the Star Tribune; Chris Macias, pop music critic at the Sacramento Bee; Jessika Ming, producer at KCAL9/CBS2 in Los Angeles; Kristi Nelson, reporter at NBC5/KXAS in Dallas-Fort Worth; and Curtis L. Taylor, health writer for Newsday.
'I can honestly say that it was an experience that changed my entire life. I've learned so much about the field, networked with professionals, made new friends, developed new skills, and so much more.
You have given me a chance to succeed. And I will never forget that. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity. I am incredibly grateful.'
----Vanessa Perez, in a message to AAJA a few hours after de-boarding her plane on her way home to Montrose, Colorado.
J Camp 2006 was made possible by major support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and The McClatchy Company.
Additional support was provided by Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal the Coca-Cola Company, The New York Times, and the Asian /Pacific/American Instititute at New York University.
Individual students were sponsored by the following AAJA chapters: Arizona, Chicago, Hawai`i, Los Angeles, Minnesota, New England, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Texas.
To see a list of the class of J Camp 2006, see the initial news release.
To read more about J Camp or sign up for early sponsorship of J Camp 2007 here.