I'm just lucky to have a job this summer. Thank you, Eric Mills! And Richard Harwood for establishing The Richard L. Harwood Fellowship in Journalism.
It's a surprising internship environment. I came in prepared to get people's coffee and instead they treat me like any other reporter. I have a desk, a personal extension, and a computer with my name programmed in as the owner. I'm even labeled as a reporter in "falcon," they're online submission database.
And believe it or not, my quick on-the-scene reporting already earned me a front page story!
Ok, so it's a smalltown local paper that mostly covers suburban and rural news, but still!
It's a surprising internship environment. I came in prepared to get people's coffee and instead they treat me like any other reporter. I have a desk, a personal extension, and a computer with my name programmed in as the owner. I'm even labeled as a reporter in "falcon," they're online submission database.
And believe it or not, my quick on-the-scene reporting already earned me a front page story!
Ok, so it's a smalltown local paper that mostly covers suburban and rural news, but still!
At first, I think they wanted me to feel out the waters. I wrote a story about a fire truck being for sale. Writing it was as bad as it sounds and I was nervous I was going to keep getting the "doesn't really matter" articles. It was so boring, it hasn't even been run yet.
After that, though, they just let me go at more interesting things! My front page article was about the special olympics preliminary game that was held at Francis Scott Key High School in Carroll County. That was tough, because I went out that morning for the event and then had to write the article for the paper the next day, AND I had to go to a doctors appointment during the day. I'm working on making appropriate deadline, which is 3pm for the first read through, but it can be difficult when you're used to a weekly paper like The Elm.
I also wrote about a community outreach program that was at the Westminster Rescue Mission that gave out over 7,000 pounds of food to hungry people. Good, good stuff.
Now, I'm working on an article about mosquitoes (they're supposed to be worse this year because of the rain), and elder abuse awareness clip that is being shown in the Town Mall of Westminster movie theater, and a local youth event.
I can't wait to see what next week brings!
Read my stories:
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/05/29/news/local_news/1special_olympics_francis_scott_key.txt
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/05/29/news/local_news/6westminster_rescue_mission.txt
Photo by Kyle Nosal
After that, though, they just let me go at more interesting things! My front page article was about the special olympics preliminary game that was held at Francis Scott Key High School in Carroll County. That was tough, because I went out that morning for the event and then had to write the article for the paper the next day, AND I had to go to a doctors appointment during the day. I'm working on making appropriate deadline, which is 3pm for the first read through, but it can be difficult when you're used to a weekly paper like The Elm.
I also wrote about a community outreach program that was at the Westminster Rescue Mission that gave out over 7,000 pounds of food to hungry people. Good, good stuff.
Now, I'm working on an article about mosquitoes (they're supposed to be worse this year because of the rain), and elder abuse awareness clip that is being shown in the Town Mall of Westminster movie theater, and a local youth event.
I can't wait to see what next week brings!
Read my stories:
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/05/29/news/local_news/1special_olympics_francis_scott_key.txt
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/05/29/news/local_news/6westminster_rescue_mission.txt
Photo by Kyle Nosal
