It takes practice to be good at anything. The workers here make everything appear to be effortless, but it is now clear that the effortless stand-ups, stories, packages, and amazing shows were all the result of practice. The amount of practice and hands-on experience that I am receiving is the aspect of this internship that I am beginning to appreciate the most. Everyone here is invested in the advancement of knowledge and experience that each intern receives. Every time I’m out with reporters and photographers, they take the time to show me exactly how they do their jobs. On top of that, they take the time to give me the opportunity to try it myself. Even if I don’t get it right the first time, they correct me and make sure I have the ability to get it right the next time.

I always enjoy covering stories about making our community a better place. During this portion of my internship, I had the opportunity to shadow Cortez at community-improvement events. I believe it is critical that news stations highlight positive stories that call on the community to help make the area a better place.

My first interview took place at a town hall meeting for gun violence intervention and prevention. I thought I was just going to help, but photographer Cortez gave me the opportunity to interview the organizer of the town hall meeting. I happened to know the organization’s leader, which made things a little easier. But I wasn’t sure how to approach the interview at first. Cortez reminded me to stick to what I knew about the story and ask questions as if we were having a normal conversation. When I reflected on how I felt about the event, questions began to flow, and I began to gain confidence and enthusiasm for my questions. A number of community leaders made powerful remarks about what the community needed to do to stop gun violence, and the event was a success. I was happy to be a part of it.

The next event I got to observe was a city council meeting in Portsmouth to discuss new ways to combat crime. This event, in my opinion, had a significant impact on the community because all of the problems that the police force were experiencing were brought to light in an effort to create a better future for the city. It appears that the heart of the news industry is frequently associated with a tragedy. As a result, it’s nice to cover a story about violence prevention.