Contributing writer
I am surprised at how much I truly enjoy being a reporter on the newspaper staff of The Lantern, at Butler County Community College. Two years ago, when I was a student at Peabody-Burns High School, I had the opportunity to write articles occasionally for the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin.
It was always a pleasant surprise to hear that people enjoyed what I had written. I remembered this much needed positive affirmation later when I was off at college, fighting my way through 16 credit hour semesters. I spent long afternoons staring at a computer screen for my scholarship gig writing for the college newspaper, and working a couple of part time jobs. Thinking of my early writing and responses to it reminded me why I was truly committing to a career in journalism, and motivated me to put in the necessary work to achieve my goals.
At the end of my third semester last December, I found myself once again enduring the painfully long wait to meet with a counselor and plan my schedule for my final semester.
When the idea of a cooperative education program came up, I was hesitant. It sounded like a bunch of work to me and I would rather just sit in class listening to a lecture. However, once my counselor explained to me in depth, and used the word “internship,” I instantly had a great idea.
Why not return to my original outlet, the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin, and my noble mentor, Susan Marshall, the duo that served as such an impeccable starting kit when I originally began my journey as a writer four years ago?
Over the next several months, I will once again be contributing to the publication that I have been reading since I could consciously string words together.
I am so thankful to those who asked over the last few years where my articles went and what I was doing. That interest and affirmation did more work to inspire this struggling college kid than anything else could have. I again look forward to comments on my locally published writing.