Excelsior Springs, MO (July 7, 2024) — Mackenzie Cole, a dedicated student reporter and daughter of Jason and Courtney Cole, the founders of the Excelsior Citizen, embarked on an exciting journey early Sunday morning to attend the esteemed Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University.

Selected as a National Youth Correspondent, Mackenzie is representing Excelsior Springs, joining a distinguished group of approximately 250 students from across the United States for an immersive week-long program focusing on journalism and media. The conference, held from July 7 to July 12, offers young aspiring journalists hands-on experiential learning through decision-making simulations and interactions with renowned media professionals.

Expressing her excitement, Mackenzie stated, “This is an amazing opportunity, and I feel really honored to have been chosen to attend this program. I can’t wait to share what we’re doing with the Excelsior Citizen and learn as much as I can.”

Mackenzie was invited to participate based on her academic accomplishments and demonstrated excellence in journalism and media studies. As part of the program, she will participate in practical learning experiences designed to challenge her to solve problems and “explore the creative, practical, and ethical tensions in journalism.” The conference’s comprehensive curriculum is enhanced by sessions with prominent media leaders, including journalists, CEOs of major media outlets, researchers, and successful recent college graduates.

Previous speakers at the conference have included notable figures such as Hoda Kotb from NBC, Brian Lamb from C-SPAN, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Carol Guzy, and Susan Goldberg from National Geographic. The program is renowned for providing aspiring journalists with unparalleled access to elite practitioners and a state-of-the-art learning environment at George Mason University.

The Washington Journalism and Media Conference inspires and prepares young leaders for successful careers in the rapidly transforming field of journalism. Mackenzie’s participation is not only making the crew here at the Excelsior Citizen extremely proud, but she’s also helping to blaze a trail for the future of digital journalism. We’re looking forward to discovering what she learns during her experience and how it will help us better serve our community of Excelsior Springs.