Journalist of the Year Portfolio
North Dakota
Freedom of speech and access to information is the mark of a true democratic society. In a world where we cannot always trust our elected officials, it is the responsibility of the press to give honest information to the public. Katharine Graham, former president of the Washington Post, once said, "News is what someone wants suppressed. Everything else is advertising." In terms of student journalism, it is easy to fall into the rut of only writing about athletic statistics and upcoming events. Although these topics are important to the school, at the end of the day they are simply that: advertising. Student journalists often face pressure to not write about major events that effect their school, such as critiques of their administration or drugs use, because they are viewed as not age-appropriate. This pressure to suppress the harsh realities could not be further from the true purpose of student journalism. Student journalists should be encouraged to search for stories that are outside of their comfort zone and push the envelope. Teaching students to be brave and adventurous about their news reporting not only helps them develop as a person, but helps the future of the industry that several have called the most important aspect of democracy: journalism.
In the five years that I have been involved in student journalism, I have covered a wide variety of topics on a wide variety of platforms. From broadcast packages about upcoming plays and sporting events to print and online articles about students' drug abuse and a teacher's experience monitoring protests at the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Gathering interviews has helped me to learn to talk to new people and has changed my outlook of my school multiple times. Most of the time, like my classmates, I am initially only somewhat aware of issues such as drug abuse and homelessness in my school. Conducting interviews and writing about these topics has helped to broaden mine and the student body's perspective of the school and the community. A recent interview with an anonymous student about a sexual assault will help students understand that these so-called "not age-appropriate" topics affect the people that they see and interact with every day. That is the most fulfilling part about being involved in the Mustang Post. From helping my staff with editing and composing their articles to doing my own, I am constantly given opportunities to alter the perception of the student body and the community.
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Photo courtesy of Renee Clasen from Ten Little Chickens Photography.
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