Anne Rogers Johnston High School Johnston, IA
They say high school is the best four
years of your life. While I’m not sure that’s
entirely true, I have realized that they tend to leave out how much people change in high school. I can see how much I have changed as a student, as an athlete, as
an individual. To what do I contribute that
change? Words. Journalism has changed me into a stronger, better person. Being a part of the newspaper staff in the J-Lab is hard explain, but the bond I have created with the people, with the classroom, with the old grungy couch, with my adviser,
and with words, has shown me that jour-
nalism is as much a part of me as football
is a part of the QB 1. I am a journalist, and I am proud of it. This is why.
I am a journalist because I have
insatiable curiosity. I thrive on stories that I learn alongside the reader. My junior
year, I took on a story that had to deal with some controversy between administra-
tion and our Student Council. The adviser quit because administration broke a rule
stated in the Student Council constitution. There was a time where we did not know if we would have a student body govern-
to hear- that will change lives, motivate
this generation was failing. But I also had
year, I wrote a story about the severe and
it was just what people needed to read in
some, and inspire others. My sophomore
profound classroom, room 211, at our high a time where we are avoiding the imperschool. This is where the kids in wheel-
fections the world presents. My article was
day learning. I helped out in this room
ity in our world, and how we can achieve
chairs with severe disabilities spend their sometimes and I thought it deserved an
article because the bond I saw between
those kids and their teachers was incredible. I tried to explain it through a story,
any answers. But I had an advantage
because I could get those answers. So I
talked to many people who did not want to talk to me, and they made that clear. I did the research on the constitution. I went to school board meetings. And then I wrote
the story, which received over 5,000 views on our website. Without that craving for
the truth, those answers would not have been found.
I am a journalist because I have a
dream of telling people accurate storiesstories that are hard to believe and hard
people to change those flaws.
I am a journalist because I believe in
I want to become a journalist. I had some
articles that mirror the world and have the
lished and tell me they were going to start
to enlighten people. I have to find those
people come up to me after it was pubvolunteering in room 211 because they
world address it’s imperfections, I have stories and inform the world. My senior
want to make a change in those kids’ lives year I became the editor in chief of the like the teachers were making. I realized
school paper. It was a big job with many
ling enough for people to want to make a
lenge and I could not have been prouder
that the power of words can be compeldifference in someone else’s life. It was thought provoking for me; it made me
wonder what else I could write about for people to look at the world in a different way, a different perspective.
I am a journalist because I want my
the mirror and address it’s imperfections.
kid in my English class who didn’t have
going on under the surface, and I want
enlightening the unenlightened. In order
real story. Why did administration break
of the school? I was just as curious as the
that. I want people to think about what is
school. I often cite this story as the reason for me to have insatiable curiosity, to write
articles and interviews to be a mirror of
this rule? What does it mean for the rest
a mirror that showed why we need equal-
and it was well-received by my peers at
ment the next year. Since I was the journalist reporting on it, I needed to get the
many people who liked my article, saying
the world, and I want the world to look in
My senior year came along and I realized how much I had changed. I went from a
shy and timid girl to a strong and power-
ful young woman, and I realized that I did
responsibilities, but I took on the chal-
of how this year is turning out for “The
Black and White.” In this day and age, it
is hard to not be surrounded by the news. That is what encourages me even more
to share this news that surrounds us. The
staff this year has gotten the student body to really think about the world we live in. It has sparked intense conversations about religion, gay marriage, abortion, politics,
and even athletics. It has gotten people to believe in themselves and in the people they are growing up with.
Change can be good. It can be hard,
not care what people thought of me, for
uncomfortable at first, yet in the end,
myself. And I was proud of myself. So I
immensely over the course of my high
all that mattered was what I thought of
decided to write an opinion on feminism, a topic that is quite controversial in my
generation’s world. I stood up for what I
believed in that opinion- that equality matters and women should receive the same amount of respect as men all around the
world. I received some pretty nasty comments on my article. I was called mean
names; I was even told I was the reason
change is empowering. I have changed school years. I have no doubt I will
continue to change. Yet I will embrace
that change. My generation is different
than any other generation. Our mindset is different, we think about things differ-
ently, and I think we are not opposed to
progress. We have the power to change
the world into a better place. And I will be there to report on it.