I had heard much about the Journalism course here at Santiago well before I decided to take it. It sounded really fun; who doesn’t want a place where they can discuss issues and concerns they find important to report on? Now, I may be just a little bit biased, but I am really glad I decided to take this class, and I think you will be too.

Personally, I find journalism to be a lot more than just a simple course in order to get elective credit. We really have a community in our classroom where we talk about important matters, and we work really well as a team. We all work together in order to produce the best pieces of journalism that we individually can. I love the ability to discuss my opinions with other fellow reporters, to get helpful and constructive feedback from peers and from Mrs. Larson as well.

It is a very interactive course in the sense that you really do have an important role to play. Your words make a difference and can be read by just about anyone. I do not find this to be pressuring at all, however, because I am confident in my ability to report, inform, educate, and apprise. It is a really cathartic course to take; it is not very rigorous work-load-wise, and you have a large amount of time to really put your heart into what you are writing. We are given two weeks to write an article, which sounds like a long time, but you do have a responsibility to create the best piece that you can in that time period. As a journalist, you have a responsibility to report only the most recent and accurate information, to fact check your sources, and really to add something important to the Shark Attack as a whole.

You can ask anyone who is currently enrolled in journalism or anyone who has taken it before, and they will always say that they really, really enjoyed it. Especially students who have a knack for writing, a desire to hone in on these skills, and to learn new, modern techniques and tools to further their writing abilities. You do not need to be a “fantastic writer” in order to enroll either; you may join at any skill level; it is an entry-level course. If your passion is there, I would suggest enrolling! It does qualify for your A-G credits if that is a concern as well.

So, if you want a safe place to have your opinion be heard, an opportunity to report accurately on current events that interest you, and even interview staff and students for a Shark Story, enroll in journalism next year!