Two weeks before journalism camp, I lost my contacts while taking them off. How does one fumble a simple task so badly? I honestly don’t know, but it meant a group of people now think of me in glasses as if I have always worn them.
It’s true, however, in a way the camp did bring out a side of me that wasn’t immediately apparent before. Here, I can discuss journalism in depth with peers who share the same interests and be as nosy as I want about other people’s lives, aspirations and deepest fears — all in the name of journalism
As the program ends, I’m beyond grateful for being a part of this amazing community and for getting to know all my spectacular peers, mentors and RAs. In these short seven days, I got to take portraits of extremely photogenic people, witness uncontrollable laughter in the cafeteria and interview a cagey college administrator, as well as write an important article about supporting adult learners.
Before the program, I had jokingly described it as a seven-day free trial for college dorm life, but now I can say that my expectations were more than just met — they were blown off the face of the earth.
Just as my emergency glasses help me see my surroundings in crisp details, the program lets me clearly see where my passions lie. The lessons I’ve learned are invaluable and I hope to use them well in the future.
— Clio Koh, Lake Oswego High School
This story was produced by student reporters as part of the High School Journalism Institute, an annual collaboration among The Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon State University and other Oregon media organizations. For more information or to support the program, go to oregonlive.com/hsji.
