PTSA Scholarship Application
Spring 2003

I imagine myself on stage one day, in front of a group of journalists, as I recount my childhood. "When I was five," my joke will go, "I wanted to be a trash man. Ever since, I’ve wanted to be a journalist. Of course, many people would argue that those are two and the same." And then there will be an eruption of laughter. Of course, whenever I tell that joke now, it falls on deaf ears. Sadly, though, journalists will find it true -- that many people do not respect the profession. My vision in life is to serve the public as a honest and independent journalist.

The trash man joke is true, for the most part. When I was 7, I aspired to be a meteorologist – even though I was terrified of thunderstorms. By the time I was 10, though, I knew journalism was the career for me. I created "sets" in the basement for my "newscasts," using a pool table, dresser, and other pieces of furniture as the anchor desks. I printed out dozens of pages of wire copy, and rewrote newspaper articles. By the year 2000, I had set up three television sets in one room – not for Y2K fears, but to watch the news coverage of the turn of the century. My mom was not surprised to find me awake on the couch at 2am on Election Night, or well before dawn the morning of September 12th, 2001. Journalism captivates me in a way nothing else does.

My vision now is similar to the childhood vision of myself, but it is not without differences. I had always assumed I wanted to report on television, until my latter years of high school, when newspaper reporting became an exciting option. Since 9th grade, I had aspired to become the Editor of the Damascus High School student newspaper, The Observer. By 11th grade, I was News Editor, and last May, I was named Editor-in-Chief. It is the most predominant example of my work as a student to achieve my future goals. I have significantly shaped the paper, redoubling its efforts to appeal to all students while still including important content on issues in and out of the high school walls. I thrive on the deadlines, for turning in final drafts and sending the Observer to print. In addition to serving as Editor of the Observer, I write a monthly column for the Damascus Gazette and correspond with several professional journalists via email. My three years of experience with the Television Production class has also benefited me. I believe that this real-world experience will help me to achieve my vision.

I have realized that an effective journalist should be able to work with many forms of media – television, radio, print, electronic. I hope to "sell" myself to employers as a versatile, multi-faceted journalist who can work across many forms of media. I believe that my specific goals and aspirations, and my passion for the field of journalism, will allow me to excel in the years to come.