by Aaron Mesh
"Hello?" The police dispatcher answers the phone.
"Hi there," I say brightly. "My name is Aaron Mesh, and I'm from the News Chief. Could you please transfer me over to Maj. Mariani? I need to
ask her a few questions about the wreck over on Havendale Drive this morning..."
This is my job. I'm an intern reporter at the News Chief, a daily newspaper in east Polk County, Florida. I've been on the job for
the past 27 months. Once a week, I come into the Chief's newsroom and get to work: conducting interviews, gathering information, writing stories. Most of my life, I've had a strong interest - some would call it an
obsession - with newspapers and journalism. From a young age, I was drawn to the paper, running out to grab it off the driveway and devour the contents. I may be the only 17-year old with an edition of the Associated
Press Stylebook and Libel Manual sitting in his bedroom for light reading.
Working for a newspaper has helped develop one of my best skills: working with information. I've always enjoyed gathering facts, interpreting
them, and explaining to others what I've learned. My internship at the News Chief has let me discover what it takes to find out what's going on in the world, and to understand and relate events to people in a fair,
objective way.
Weaker areas have also been strengthened by my News Chief work. I have become much better at working in a group setting, making friends and generally being socially adept. (On the other hand, I still
haven't learned to type properly. We all have our faults.) Although my News Chief employment is far from my only interest - I could spend multiple paragraphs relating my love of the 4-H program, for starters - working
with a newspaper has been a unique and defining facet of my high school experience. Perhaps most importantly, it has helped solidify my goals for the future. My love of the print media has congealed into a desire to
work in that media. My goal, at least at this point of my life, is to become an educated, well-rounded journalist - one with a strong grasp of history, philosophy and literature. This understanding will allow me, while
recording and dispersing the facts about current events, to communicate the truth in a deep in meaningful way. I want to become an editor or reporter who can report fairly and objectively, while still standing for
absolute morals and truth - without succumbing to dogma and rhetoric.
In simpler terms, I want to be a good journalist, part of a rare breed. That's where Hillsdale comes in. I'm looking for a school that can provide
me with a deep understanding of history, with all its intricacies and twists. I'm looking for one that will help me develop my writing and reporting skills. And I'm searching for a college with professors who will work
with me one-on-one, sharpening my mind and preparing me for the future. Hillsdale, I believe, may be that school. I'm hoping higher education at "the most politically incorrect school in America" will help
guide me on a career path that has begun with work at the News Chief.
And, of course, you can bet I'll be on the student paper.
