The quest for knowledge, the quest for information, the quest for the truth, the quest for writing news stories that pull the readers in and forces them to feel the emotions conveyed: this is what journalists do. We convey emotion. Whether this emotion is conveyed through a picture, snapped at exactly the right millisecond, or through a zinger of a lead in for a story, student journalists are not just trying to inform, but excite and inspire their audience.

 

Two years ago I decided to join my high school’s publications class, not knowing that it would help shape my high school experience and open up a world of how just a few words, or a single picture, can change everything. In this class, student journalists write stories for the newspaper and yearbook and also use their creativity to design pages. Our class was like a family, everyone having pivotal roles in keeping our publications visually appealing, trustworthy, and accurate. This tight-knit community, working to meet deadlines and making sure every inch of every page is just right, gave me the means to escape the everyday stresses of schoolwork and sports,  and to sit down and create something out of nothing. As a first year student I was scared out of my mind. I was never an artistic person but always was amazed of how others could create something beautiful.

 

Two weeks into my first year I was assigned my own newspaper page: a blank slate waiting to be filled with quotes, pictures, and design. I had no idea what to do. And then out of nowhere, a design idea popped into my mind. My creativity thrived in the student journalist community. I was allowed to ask the tough questions, write controversial stories, and convey emotion through my work. I was just one of these journalists, but without my writing the newspaper would not be complete. Every one of us had to create something out of nothing; put these works together and you get something much greater than ink and paper.

 

I have been on the Publications class (Newspaper and Yearbook) for the last two years. I have helped write and design stories and have also been in charge of both the newspaper and yearboook as editor-in-chief. You can read more about my leadership experience in the "Leadership Experience" tab.