They usually stand in the back, never in the way. They move with the crowd to be in tune with the action. Camera in hand, pencil at the ready, their job is to capture and record other students’ memories.

This is student journalism.

Don’t let the calm, cool, and collected demeanors fool you. Half the time these kids are ready to pull their hair out, whether it’s over a page layout, scrambling for the right light in a photo, or a deadline that looms like a monster in the closet.

And yet every one of them is filled with the same determination and grit to not only tell a story, but to tell it well.  Often times, to do this requires a bit of sacrifice, meaning a bit of their humanity. An awe-inspiring story cannot be told without a piece of a journalist, whether it’s their own fears, hopes, or dreams being poured into their work.

An excellent journalist knows that to tell a story is to make their audience feel something, be it excitement or happiness or thoughtfulness. A journalist is not a robot that spits out cold, hard facts. They go on the same rollercoasters as their subjects. They feel the same emotions. They put themselves in their shoes.

They’re only human after all. They make mistakes. They have their own private insecurities and fears. Sometimes they crack under the pressure. But they do their job, every time. Every year, the yearbook is published. Every year, the newspaper dutifully reports (even if it takes large amounts of caffeine and sugar).

That is why at every sports event, every stage production, every fundraiser, they’ll be there to answer the call. You may not see them, but they’re always there.