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Junior High student Isla Utterback from Munster High School, tells her story on how she fell in love with journalism. She is now the lead Broadcasting Personality for Off the Cover News Inc.   

 

I fell in love with journalism in seventh grade. I had just moved to Munster, Indiana, and was thrown into the unknown. It was scary being in such a new place, but I found comfort in writing. Getting a glimpse into people’s lives became my world, and telling other people’s stories shaped who I was.

 

When I first joined the newspaper, it started as simply an after-school activity to meet new people. But as I grew, it became much more than that. Journalism is the backbone of free speech and democracy, and it is crucial now more than ever to provide people with unbiased reporting.

 

That is why I love journalism. It is my contribution to this world, my way to provide to the people who need it most.

 

With every lead I pursue, a new picture is painted. My sources become brushstrokes, each providing their own unique colors and silhouettes. When every detail is precise and every brushstroke fits into place, a panorama is created, and I can step back and see the bigger picture. I am not just typing words on a keyboard — I am creating a visual of precise moments in time. Moments that, if not for the power of news reporting, would inevitably be forgotten.

 

I think what motivates me most to be a journalist is my ability to make a change in this world bigger than myself. My writing has the power to keep people informed and give voices to those who need it. There is so much power that journalism holds in today’s society. It is one of the only ways to hold those in power accountable and give power to those who have none.

 

I remember the first time I realized journalism can have an extraordinary impact on people. It was an article I wrote about the attacks on Venezuela. Afterward, one of my sources approached me and thanked me for allowing her to share her story. It made me realize how much of an impact my passion can have on this world. For me, it was just a typical story, but for her, I gave her a platform to share her and her family’s story — one that will stay with her forever.

 

I think the most important part of journalism is remembering the weight words have. I have spent hours looking at an article, picking apart every word. Precision in word choice is such an important factor in writing. The smallest changes can make the biggest difference. For example, the difference between “quick,” “rapid” and “swift.” It seems small, but when considered in context, it can change the entire weight of an article. This goes beyond definitions. Connotation — how a word is perceived positively or negatively — makes a world of difference when writing.

 

That is something I never expected to love about journalism, but I have grown to appreciate it. Articles can be broken down almost like a science. Reporting is the study of human behavior in ways that might be unexpected.

 

All in all, it is difficult to pinpoint just one thing I love about journalism. It has seeped into every aspect of my life. I see possible leads everywhere I go. I can see the picture forming in my head as I develop stories. As I write, I become the voice of the people. Journalism is an art, a science and, most importantly, a way to take pieces of a puzzle and connect them to create a picture that will last for centuries.