using lies as alibis

i am scheduled to go to a conference next week. i got a scholarship to go, its in DC, you make contacts and get to enjoy the city life. the thing is i fucked up my fall semester. its about as bad as Leah Young will ever do for a semester and i need to rebound those grades with a stellar spring. i wont be attending every program for my org, i probably will just attend meetings. the thing is this conference it the first week of class and i will end up missing two quizzes on that friday. so i dont want to go but i am kind of obligated because i was supposed to present during scholarship day at my school in april and keep a log of my events but i dont want to miss this week of class. so i am thinking of a good lie. i am leaning toward death in my family in lousiana but wouldnt that kind of be inviting it to happen? i need suggestions because i am torn, school is very important to me. why does this stupid conference have to be the first week of school?????