Minnesotan Seeking Foggy Cliff

Hello All!  After hearing wonderful praise for the Reynold’s Institute at a JEA convention, I have been hoping to be one of the lucky participants, and now here we are, only a week away!  Last year was my first year serving as the adviser to our high school newspaper.  Similar to many of your stories, in years prior to my appointment, the newspaper had switched adviser hands enough times to earn a reputation of a paper not worth reading and near to extinction.  Knowing nothing about journalism, I took on the newspaper adviser position along with teaching the newly offered Journalism course.  Two years later, the newspaper has turned around enough to have students and teachers excitedly asking about the next issue – which has meant a lot to my students and me after much learning via trial and error.  As an adviser, I try to learn as much as I can through reading, conferences and of course working with my students…but still have felt that I’m missing the mark on what it takes to actually be a journalist, since I have never experienced being one in my own school years and still have much to learn.  I will admit that I’m nervous about taking on this journalist identity at the conference next week, but it’s the same feeling I had when agreeing to take on the adviser position – like diving off of a foggy cliff. Advising the newspaper has now become the best part of my job.  So, with this familiar feeling of nervous-anticipation, I expect that the next two weeks are going to bring a huge learning curve and newfound journalistic passion.  I am really looking forward to meeting and working with all of you – see you next week!