It is funny to think a childhood Christmas gift from my grandfather would impact my career choice. At 10 years old, I never imagined that a point-and-shoot camera had so much power. However, I took that camera everywhere with me and it quickly became more than just a utensil to take photos; it became a way to express myself. It allowed me to create art.
In high school, I had a tremendous freshman year, but I was missing something. At the end of freshman year I heard about the Legend yearbook from a staffer, Karina Quinones, who assured me that my passion for photography would be well received. She said she knew I could bring greater depth to the staff in this area. What she didn’t know is how much this suggestion would develop my career choice.
When I applied to staff a sense of nervousness hovered over my body, but it soon dissolved when I received an acceptance email from the adviser, Renee Burke. I spent sophomore year learning design, photography, writing, and law and ethics, as I did not take the introductory class, Journalism 1. Coming into the program without the prerequisite presented me with a huge challenge. Almost every first-year staffer came onto the yearbook staff with one year of journalism fundamentals. I did not have this advantage. But, through staying after school on countless occasions and asking upperclassmen an abundance of questions, I gained the knowledge needed to succeed.
At the end of my sophomore year, my adviser created a new editor position, Digital Media Manager, to help improve BoonePubs’ social media presence. I immediately applied for this leadership role and felt excited to learn she chose me. Over the summer I worked with Matthew Casler, the senior editor-in-chief, on developing a new BoonePubs brand and advertisement videos. Through this process, I discovered hidden talents in design, video editing and writing. Throughout the year I focused on challenging myself as a journalist to produce content in all areas of journalism.
At the end of the year, I earned five state and one national award for my work, which helped me feel validated as a journalist. Knowing others began to recognize my talent fed my desire to continue improving. Through my high school journalism experience I have learned and developed my time management, interviewing, writing, photography lighting, videography, web posting, and teaching skills. Being proficient in all of these areas will not only help my future career, but it has allowed me to help the younger staffers.
Knowing that I’ll be graduating soon, I’ve concentrated on not doing, but teaching the less experienced staffers how to do things I may be able to do more quickly. I know that if I continue to just do things for them, then they will be at a disadvantage next year. Instead I’ve helped our staff gain crucial knowledge in areas of photography, writing, design and web posting. I’ve also picked my protegé and helped prepare him for my position next year. This helps him, Mrs. Burke and the 2018 Legend staff.
Journalism has taught me that there are countless people and stories out there that still need to be told. I look at all the random people in the world and wonder what their story is, and if it will ever be heard. If it is, who will tell it? I hope to be that person.
My experience in high school journalism did more than teach me how to write, design and take photos, it allowed me to develop my future endeavor: film production. As I proceed into film school, with an emphasis on documentary filmmaking, I know it is my journalism skills that will benefit me most. In the past three years, I learned how to interview and tell a honest, well reported story. I’ve opened my own freelance business focused on telling human stories in a visual manor. I use my journalism skills on a daily basis, but especially when interviewing a talent.
In addition to being helpful in my current and future business, I now realize that journalism also reflects how important ethics are in our society and how easily information can be misrepresented. As I head to college, and adulthood, I understand how important it is to read and write credible news stories. Our democracy relies on journalists providing accurate information in a variety of outlets.
Pursuing high school journalism allowed me to see the world in a whole different perspective. I am a news buff. I see how important politics and world news are, even at a young age. As I pursue documentary filmmaking in hopes of telling journalistic stories, locally and nationally, I will never forget laws and ethics or news values. These are vital to keep in mind when creating any kind of journalistic work, no matter the level: high school, collegiate or professional.
It is my hope that as a person looks through my portfolio he/she can see that I’ve been a reflective journalist, as I’ve learned and grown from each experience I’ve tackled. I’ve experimented with a variety of writing and videography and matured from each piece I’ve completed. I know that the hard and soft skills of this class within deadlines, interviewing, photographing, editing and writing makes me a more knowledgeable and marketable individual, and it is my hope that my high school awards are just the beginning of a long and fulfilling journalism career.
High school journalism reflects far more than just an elective. It’s a hands-on, real world, 21st century-learning-at-its-finest-class.
In high school, I had a tremendous freshman year, but I was missing something. At the end of freshman year I heard about the Legend yearbook from a staffer, Karina Quinones, who assured me that my passion for photography would be well received. She said she knew I could bring greater depth to the staff in this area. What she didn’t know is how much this suggestion would develop my career choice.
When I applied to staff a sense of nervousness hovered over my body, but it soon dissolved when I received an acceptance email from the adviser, Renee Burke. I spent sophomore year learning design, photography, writing, and law and ethics, as I did not take the introductory class, Journalism 1. Coming into the program without the prerequisite presented me with a huge challenge. Almost every first-year staffer came onto the yearbook staff with one year of journalism fundamentals. I did not have this advantage. But, through staying after school on countless occasions and asking upperclassmen an abundance of questions, I gained the knowledge needed to succeed.
At the end of my sophomore year, my adviser created a new editor position, Digital Media Manager, to help improve BoonePubs’ social media presence. I immediately applied for this leadership role and felt excited to learn she chose me. Over the summer I worked with Matthew Casler, the senior editor-in-chief, on developing a new BoonePubs brand and advertisement videos. Through this process, I discovered hidden talents in design, video editing and writing. Throughout the year I focused on challenging myself as a journalist to produce content in all areas of journalism.
At the end of the year, I earned five state and one national award for my work, which helped me feel validated as a journalist. Knowing others began to recognize my talent fed my desire to continue improving. Through my high school journalism experience I have learned and developed my time management, interviewing, writing, photography lighting, videography, web posting, and teaching skills. Being proficient in all of these areas will not only help my future career, but it has allowed me to help the younger staffers.
Knowing that I’ll be graduating soon, I’ve concentrated on not doing, but teaching the less experienced staffers how to do things I may be able to do more quickly. I know that if I continue to just do things for them, then they will be at a disadvantage next year. Instead I’ve helped our staff gain crucial knowledge in areas of photography, writing, design and web posting. I’ve also picked my protegé and helped prepare him for my position next year. This helps him, Mrs. Burke and the 2018 Legend staff.
Journalism has taught me that there are countless people and stories out there that still need to be told. I look at all the random people in the world and wonder what their story is, and if it will ever be heard. If it is, who will tell it? I hope to be that person.
My experience in high school journalism did more than teach me how to write, design and take photos, it allowed me to develop my future endeavor: film production. As I proceed into film school, with an emphasis on documentary filmmaking, I know it is my journalism skills that will benefit me most. In the past three years, I learned how to interview and tell a honest, well reported story. I’ve opened my own freelance business focused on telling human stories in a visual manor. I use my journalism skills on a daily basis, but especially when interviewing a talent.
In addition to being helpful in my current and future business, I now realize that journalism also reflects how important ethics are in our society and how easily information can be misrepresented. As I head to college, and adulthood, I understand how important it is to read and write credible news stories. Our democracy relies on journalists providing accurate information in a variety of outlets.
Pursuing high school journalism allowed me to see the world in a whole different perspective. I am a news buff. I see how important politics and world news are, even at a young age. As I pursue documentary filmmaking in hopes of telling journalistic stories, locally and nationally, I will never forget laws and ethics or news values. These are vital to keep in mind when creating any kind of journalistic work, no matter the level: high school, collegiate or professional.
It is my hope that as a person looks through my portfolio he/she can see that I’ve been a reflective journalist, as I’ve learned and grown from each experience I’ve tackled. I’ve experimented with a variety of writing and videography and matured from each piece I’ve completed. I know that the hard and soft skills of this class within deadlines, interviewing, photographing, editing and writing makes me a more knowledgeable and marketable individual, and it is my hope that my high school awards are just the beginning of a long and fulfilling journalism career.
High school journalism reflects far more than just an elective. It’s a hands-on, real world, 21st century-learning-at-its-finest-class.