Dean of the P .I. Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University, Christine Martin, will speak to top high school journalists from across the nation at the Allen H. Neuharth Free Spirit Student Journalism Conference in Arlington, Va., this weekend (Nov. 4).

Named for the founder of USA Today and sponsored by the Freedom Forum, the conference is designed to inspire young people to become journalists. Students also will examine the roles of journalism and the First Amendment in a democratic society.

Martin, the only journalism educator to address the high school students, will give a presentation entitled,”Learn to be a Journalist and Cool Things Will Happen To You . . . Everyday.”

Journalists from national publications such as USA Today and The Washington Post also will speak at the conference.

The nonprofit Freedom Forum’s mission is to foster understanding between the public and the news media. In 1999, Martin was named Freedom Forum Teacher of the Year.