I remember looking at the high school course guide in eighth grade. As a very organized person, I carefully reviewed every class available to me over the next 4 years and planned when I wanted to take courses. One class stood out to me: journalism. Since sixth grade, I knew I wanted to become a sports broadcaster, and journalism aligned with that. I wanted to take it my freshman year but could not so I tried again for sophomore year but that did not fit it into my schedule either. But then, junior year, the stars finally aligned and I could take the class. I was so excited.
I remember walking into class fourth hour on the first day of junior year with such anticipation. I don’t remember exactly what we did, but I remember how my excitement continued. I learned a lot in the class, like how to write an article, how to write a lead and so much more. But what I learned that stuck with me the most was how to build connections with others. Most of the people in the class I had either never seen before or just hadn’t talked to. The class and Mr. Rauch pushed us to get to know each other, and I believe that was part of the reason why I had such a blast in that class. The class was not just about reporting on school news; it was about building connections and relationships that outlived the class material.
My biggest takeaway from the junior year class was that connections and relationships are essential to build. This was instilled in us from the Bucks Journalism and PR Day trip, the tour of Fox6 and the talk from Karley Marotta, TMJ4 Sports Director. I continue to work towards building positive connections with everyone I meet.
As time went on, I had a blast learning about how to edit and publish articles and improve the website. Learning about social media and how to manage accounts was interesting as well
Then came senior year, and I was coming into the class as a veteran and leader. I enjoyed the role of teaching the new journalists about the ins and outs and all things journalism. From how to cite a quote to how to write a lead, I took all the things I learned in my first year and taught them during my second year. I loved continuing to grow as a reporter during this new year and learning even new things like filming and editing video news reports.
I will never forget all the fun times we had in both of my years. Like watching The Simpsons before breaks from school the first year and playing Imposter almost every class the second year. But most importantly, I’ll never forget all the people I’ve met along my journalism path and how they’ve helped me grow as a person.
Although I am no longer on the road to becoming a sports broadcaster, I still wish to take journalism classes in college. It’s been one of the best parts of my life these past two years and I’m not ready to let it go yet. I have fixed feelings about graduating. I was never one of the kids who loathed school and was so excited to leave. Although I have complained a lot, and those close to me can attest to it, I’ve had such an amazing four years here and I’m still not sure if I’m ready to say goodbye. But good things must always end, I guess. I will be attending Northern Illinois University, studying marketing, and being a part of the Honors Program.
Head Editor and Social Media Manager out.
