Day 3 The morning began with a strong feeling of anxiety. Unlike the previous mornings when people were in rather good spirits, faces where hidden under a thick layer of concern, because this day was the day when we would find out the winners of the contest. With a cold shudder from the brisk Italian morning air and a strong smack from the founder of HarlemLive (Richard Calton), I was up.

Still suffering from extreme jet lag, everyone somehow was able to drag themselves downstairs to try and swallow some of the breakfast that was prepared for us. Dried up bread and flaky croissants was on the menu for the morning once again. After about a half an hour we were out the door and headed for the first leg of what was to be along and tiring day.

It started out quiet at the conference. We had enough time to set everything up before the expected rush of students was to commence. Melvin Johnson, Jianna Caines, and Nicole Farrow where decked out in their finest cloths, they were to present to judges HarlemLive. The night before had been spent in much preparation for the presentation. Oscar Peralta spent many hours preparing a Power Point presentation as well; the outcome was worthy of an award. They all worked very hard for their applause.

Back at the other end of the complex, Enita Okodiko, Oba Mcknight, and I were overwhelmed with swarms of people wanting to know about HarlemLive. People of all age groups, shapes and sizes including the Mayor of Rome, Francesco Rutelli flocked to our booth bombarding us all with questions about who we were and where we come from. It was great, but after two hours it got a little tiring, we were all ready to get some rest.

At 6:00 PM we were rushed back to our hotel the Porta Maggiore for a quick change. A half an hour later we where back out the door and in another bus headed to Rome's city hall. Nothing but suits and black dresses exited the hotel; HarlemLive in all its fame and glory was "dress to the 9's" and represented to it's fullest.

That evening while sitting in Sala del Consiglio (room of the Prime Minister) of the Campidoglio of Rome was filled with great anticipation. We were inside the Senator's Palace built during the middle ages now the office of the Mayor of Rome.

After an hour of speeches in Italian they were ready to announce the winners and regrettably HarlemLive was not one of them. Some of us took it pretty hard the rest of us were trying to comfort the ones who were upset by reflecting on the fact that we had the wonderful chance to take a trip to Roma.

That night some of us went to dinner and some of us went to bed, but it was all on a good note, that we as Journalists, Web designers, Photographers, Cartoonists, Editors, colleagues and friends, are the best and we will remain the best as long as we continue to do what we do!