As Act 1 of my school career comes to a close, I want to reflect on my journey being a part of the Feather. At the end of junior year, I sat down with Adviser Kori James and asked about the Arts and Entertainment section of the student newspaper. I expressed my love for theater, movies, and the arts. She was delighted to hear of my interest and encouraged me to join the team.
Stepping into something new senior year is always a risk; It can make or break your year. The Feather, however, was a delight.
From the moment I walked into the lab, my training began. I learned how to gather information, conduct interviews, and sharpen my writing skills. To be a journalist, you have to learn a variety of skills. I began by learning the importance of an interview and how to ask the right questions.
One skill I especially enjoyed learning is the making of infographics. Infographics are used in many forms for a variety of purposes; such as reminders, lists, announcements, presentations, and diagrams. Learning this new skill allows me to make an infographic for any occasion. I can use this skill for college and eventually a job.
I have had several opportunities to teach this year. I began by teaching my peers the basics of making an infographic and how to use Canva. This was a good beginning experience to prepare for teaching a session to strangers at the Columbia Journalism Conference. Both of these teaching opportunities allowed me to grow my public speaking skills. I now feel more confident when speaking in front of people and teaching others. These teaching opportunities have been a great way for me to gain experience and prepare for the future.
As an editor, I had to step into a leadership role on the team. I quickly showed my leadership and organizational skills, helping make infographics for articles and keeping students on task in class. Being a leader on this team has been a joy, I have learned how to work under pressure and the importance of being a team player.
I was able to take my passion for music, movies, and theater and become the Arts and Entertainment editor. This role gave me several experiences that have grown my love for the arts. My favorite opportunity was being able to see Hadestown on Broadway. This was the experience of a lifetime in the theatre world. The show had both Jordan Fisher and Lola Tung who were only on the cast for about a month run.
When we entered, the theatre was dimly-lit with a buzz of excitement from the audience. I was beyond excited for the show to begin. The music brought the theatre to life as the actors made their first appearances on the stage. Throughout the show, the actors did an excellent job portraying their characters and moving the show along. I left feeling empowered and wanting more of what Broadway has to offer. When the team returned from NYC, I began writing a review on Hadestown.
Though my time on the Feather team has been only a year, I am so incredibly grateful for it. I have truly found a little family. Each member is unique and adds a special flavor to the team. In a year of many transitions and uncertainties, the Feather was a place I could go to get away. It was a safe, fun environment where I got to talk about my passions.
I will attend Point Loma Nazarene University in the fall to study history. Using the skills that I have learned on the Feather, I hope to continue writing for the newspaper on campus. If I hadn’t taken that risk during my senior year at Fresno Christian, I would not have discovered the importance of journalism or my love for writing reviews.
Thank you to everyone on this team who has truly become a little family to me. To Kori James, thank you for believing in me and trusting me with the Arts and Entertainment section. Finally, thank you to my family and friends for continuing to support and encourage me. With one final bow, goodbye FCS and the Feather.
For more of my reviews, New ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ show excites fans , Hunger Games franchise adds prequel to its collection or Concert Review: Eras Tour dazzles fans, worth every penny
