Hi there! My program ended just a few hours ago, but I was so eager to share with all of you the details of how my week went. On the first and second days we went to the New York Film Academy and I got to work with a team of 3 other scholars along with an Australian news reporter to create a newscast that was written, filmed, and edited by ourselves. We got to film in the Universal Studios back lot which was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The rest of the week we stayed on campus at Occidental College and worked on a digital publication of a magazine within groups. 74 students were divided among 3 groups, and we all competed against each other to see who could publish the best magazine. The theme of my group's magazine was the transition from teenage years to adulthood and life after high school. In our publication we included articles covering topics that high school doesn't touch on - such as how to file taxes, register to vote, apply for a job and dress for an interview. This morning we were told which magazine was the winner and it turns out that my group won! We published the best magazine thanks to our incredible team work and years of experience with writing and editing, which most of us had prior to attending the program. I met wonderful people and made a group of friends that I will forever be thankful to have met. NYLF gave me the opportunity to meet successful journalists and learn more about a career that has interested me for many years. Once again, I want to thank all of you for helping me be a part of this program and for supporting me in my dreams.

As I am approaching the end of my school year, I am becoming more and more anxious about attending my summer program. As a junior this year, I have grown a lot. I have become a stronger writer, a better speaker, and a more confident person. I also learned a lot about myself personally - such as the fact that I would like to major in business marketing and minor in journalism. I am very excited about my program because it will be the first time I am away from home with a group of people I have never met and also because I feel that it is the perfect program for me. I can't wait to learn about film, media, and journalism in a city that is the mecca of movie-making. I think this program will be life-changing for me due to the fact that I will meet incredible people, spend a week at an amazing college, and learn about topics that I have always been eager to learn about. I have been looking forward to this program for months and I cannot wait for July. Once again, thank you to all of you for contributing to my campaign and for supporting me throughout my journey. I will keep you updated.