After five days of meetings, interviews, speeches, and media coverage, the Presidency and the Press completed its final day of events. This year’s group consisted of 27 students either currently attending high schools or about to attend a college or university.

Students came from around the country, from as close as Peterborough, New Hampshire all the way from Florida and Kansas. A group of the students, five of whom are Fitzwater Scholars, are enrolled at Franklin Pierce University for this coming Fall. The students stayed in Cheshire Hall during their time here but were in the Fitzwater Center working on projects most of the time.

Interview with Rick Santorum

Their time at Presidency and the Press included a meeting with former US Senator Rick Santorum, classes with Professor Paul Bush, a visit to Mitt Romney’s New Hampshire campaign center, and trips to the Manchester campus where they were able to meet Marlin Fitzwater himself. The students interviewed Marlin and made packages and stories about their experience.

On the last day of the Presidency and the Press, students were given certificates handed out by President Birge for their hard work. They were also shown a video compilation of all the work they have done for the past five days.

The Presidency of the Press is a yearly event intended for high school students interested in journalism and press. According to the Presidency and the Press website, “This conference reaches out to our nation’s high school media. In one short five day span, we will introduce some of the country’s most engaged youth to the dynamics of presidential election politics, the role of the media who cover it, and the relationship between the two. Every speaker, every tour, every interview is designed to give these young people the skills and information they need for full participation in the Presidential Election.”

 

Mitt Romney's NH campaign center