My first experience with journalism was in my fourth grade English class. My teacher had assigned each of us to write a mock article; mine was about the mythical Loch Ness monster. The assignment was not typical; it allowed creativity, which is why I loved it so much. Still, turning in my assignment, I was a bundle of nerves. I had never done as well as I had hoped in her class, but when I got my grade back I was surprised, and even more so when she followed up with a question that has echoed in the back of my mind since: “Have you ever thought about being a journalist?”
As a senior, I’ve realized that the trajectory of my life would be incredibly different without my passion and interest in journalism. Despite having more interest in my humanities classes, I was determined to go into the medical field as a freshman. STEM felt like a practical path; however, I never let go of the idea that I could go into journalism, politics, or anything else instead. As it turns out, in my freshman year I excelled in English and History more than I did Math and Science. So, when course registration for sophomore year rolled around, I told my parents I was signing up for Journalism at school to get more immersed in humanities courses.
That was a choice I will never forget. My first year in journalism I was excited, but nervous. I was scared to go up to people at school and conduct interviews that warrant unpredictable responses. I was scared people would judge my writing, and I was scared that I wasn’t cut out for the career I hoped for. That fragile hope grew into strong confidence when I was promoted to managing editor the following year, second to editor-in-chief and in charge of so much more than I was in my first year.
My job was stressful but helped me grow more than I could have ever imagined. I got my first taste of leadership; I helped my peers brainstorm ideas, edited others’ papers and exposed myself to different viewpoints, which I don’t think I could find somewhere else. I became a leader of a unique student body at MRHS that shared one common interest: writing. Subsequently, I was promoted to editor-in-chief my senior year; this role was one I had been aiming for after my first day of class in sophomore year.
I initially thought I would learn everything I needed to know about leadership as managing editor last year, but my experience as editor-in-chief has only allowed me to grow further. Editing papers became second nature, and I have utilized those skills in my other classes to find mistakes I would not have otherwise caught. I have led classes, taught lessons, and learned how to work with people who have opinions differing from my own. Every experience in this class has allowed me to become more confident in myself and my future career, so my academic endeavors to go into the STEM field therefore became non-existent.
Though course registration has ended for the school year, I could not be more insistent when I recommend that you should try to take Journalism at Marriotts Ridge at some point in your high school career. Journalism at MRHS provides students with opportunities that are not commonly found in other academic classes. The class dynamic is incredibly unique, and one that I could not find or recreate in another. The course is fun, but also academic; it allows people to follow their own passions in the form of writing that does not adhere to typical English class standards — people can openly express their opinions and add touches of humor and personality in every article. Journalism provides such a wide scope of opportunity that you could, and certainly should, write about any field you want to go into, any interests or hobbies you have and anything you are passionate about.