BENJAMIN MAYA
Ben Maya is a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San José, California. He’s an alumni of WJMC 2023 and besides journalism has an interest in foreign service, sports, spending time in the outdoors, and radio and broadcasting. His favorite classes his Senior year are Literature of the Counter Culture and Spanish AP. Ben strives to be a source of fun and positivity for those around him.
VEGAS DODDS
Vegas Dodds is a senior at Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute in Jamestown, TN. They plan to pursue an English or Communications major at a university in Pennsylvania. They joined their school journalism program, the Dragon J.Staff, in their sophomore year, and they accepted the position of General News Editor for the school newspaper – The Pine Needles – in their junior year. Currently, they are the Copy Editor for all school publications. Outside of academics, Dodds enjoys the performing arts and playing with their cats. They are thrilled to be a member of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), as the 2023 Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) was a truly monumental experience for them.
THOMAS HUGHES
Thomas is a senior at Trinity School at Meadow View in Falls Church, VA. Thomas is part of his school’s debate club, yearbook club, and founded the school’s journalism program. He aspires to major in journalism, and to specifically focus on sports journalism. Outside of school, Thomas actively participates in Ninja Warrior, having made it to nationals this past year, and owns his own small business, which sells T-shirts for ninja competitors.
TEMI SAMUEL
Temi Samuel is currently a senior at Lawrence E. Elkins High School in Houston, Texas. She is one of 3 students who represent her school on a district level and also second in command of her AFJROTC unit. Temi enjoys baking, reading fantasy and dark academia books, public speaking and engaging in conversations with her peers about pressing issues in her community and the world. Temi has also always had a strong passion for writing and is planning on publishing her book before she graduates High School. With the writing skills she has acquired overtime Temi plans on ensuring that WJMC 2024 is more than a success!
SARAH KELLY
Sarah Kelly is an avid reader and writer from Purcellville, Virginia. At home, she loves to spend time with her family and dogs out in nature. During the school year, she’s further north studying journalism at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When not reading fantasy or typing up stories, she can be found spinning a flag with the UMass colorguard team.
TARIQ JOHNSON
Tariq Johnson is a class of 2024 Senior from Concord, North Carolina; who has had a long-time passion for journalism and the realm of media. Fashion, music, politics, culture, reality TV, working, and community involvement also consume his passion. Johnson had the experience of a lifetime during first session of the 2023 WJMC! Listening to the stories of successful journalists, meeting students from all across the country who also love journalism, and the fabulous locations that the conference visited within the week was life-changing. Johnson hopes to continue the lovely experience he had this summer while serving on the YAB!
SAMANTHA PACH
Samantha Pach is from central CT and is a rising sophomore at Penn State University! She intends to major in Broadcast Journalism and minor in Digital Trends and Analytics and Theater. At Penn State she is a comedy host on a late night talk show, Nittany Talk, and helps run the
social media for the schools longest running newspaper The Daily Collegian. She attended WJMC in 2023, and is so excited to be back this summer as a JFA!
REGAN WEESE
Regan Weese is a senior at Mercy High School in Baltimore, Maryland, and a 2023 WJMC alum. She took her school’s Design, Writing, and Publishing course in her junior year and was previously her school’s copy editor for the newspaper, The Shield. In her free time, Regan spends time with her family, listens to a variety of different music, and volunteers at her church. Regan is excited to be a part of planning WJMC 2024 and hopes to return next summer as an intern!
MINA MITCHELTREE
Mina Mitcheltree is a Junior at Concordia Preparatory School in Towson, Maryland. She is a part of her school’s varsity softball team and worked as the stage manager, assistant to the director, and tech assistant for each performance at her school since she began attending. She loves to read a wide range of genres and enjoys listening to music and creative writing in her spare time. She works as an office assistant for North Hill Tree Experts in Pennsylvania and interns in the Marketing and Communications department at Berman McAleer in Timonium. She loves science and aspires to work in forensic science one day. She attended WJMC in 2023 and hopes to make WJMC 2024 an even better experience.
MAXWELL NICKEL
Maxwell Nickel is a 16-year-old high school Junior from Forsyth, Georgia. He’s been involved in writing and journalism from a very young age. He has written for his county newspaper, for online publications, and has worked for local sports shows. Max was born in New Jersey and moved to Georgia after a few years. He loves writing and had a great time at the 2023 Washington Journalism & Media Conference.
