Roger Boye looks on as Lauren Baldwin (left), Leah Sheesley (center), Lindsay Tuchman (right) learn to use the control screen in 217 Fisk.

Each summer, Roger Boye walks into 217 Fisk and welcomes a new group of cherubs to the journalism program at the National High School Institute by quoting Confucius.

“Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life.”

Boye, director of the program and an associate professor emeritus at Medill, has welcomed many classes with the quote. He joined the NHSI staff in 1971.

Since then, he said he has seen many changes in the journalism profession. But he believes the heart of the cherub program has remained intact.

Being able to communicate well is as important today as it was in journalism years ago, Boye said. Fundamental writing skills are still the main priority of the cherub program.

Thorough critiques of papers and the personal relationship between instructors and students are integral parts of the program that have not changed, Boye said. Traditions like the all day story have always been part of the cherub experience. But what keeps Boye coming back is the students -- their energy never changes.

“I get to work with the cream of the crop, young people who are interested, involved and motivated,” Boye said. “This is not a random, typical group of high school students.”

Changes in the journalism industry have affected the program. For example, broadcast journalism wasn't a significant part of the curriculum when Boye came to the program in 1971. The Web site wasn't constructed until 1997. Issues of privacy have become more relevant because of the Internet. And students now are producing blogs, vlogs, podcasts and slideshows.

Boye said future trends in journalism will depend in part on the influence of new technology. Newspapers will continue to be printed for years to come, while the number of people using the Web for news will undoubtedly grow. But the heart of the cherub program -- a community of highly talented high school journalists and distinguished teachers who work together on writing and reporting -- will remain the same, he said.