Work experience student Archie Jennings pumps out some stories for the Riv.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Campaspe News welcomed a fresh face to the newsroom recently, with work experience student Archie Jennings joining the team to get a taste of life as a journalist. The Rochy Tigers under 16 footballer - under 18 next season, enjoyed a week of interviews, stories, deadlines and even a brief modelling career. Here’s what he had to say about his time with us.
By Archie Jennings
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My time at the Riverine Herald was an opportunity to step out of the classroom and experience what it is really like to work in a professional media environment.
Going into the week, I was interested in writing and journalism, but I didn’t fully understand how much thought, communication and teamwork goes into producing a newspaper.
Being able to work on real stories and see how they are developed gave me a much better understanding of the industry and helped me develop skills that I can take with me beyond school.
During my time there, I got to work on several different articles and interviews with people from around the community.
Despite my lack of experience, it gave me an opportunity to practise and ask questions, allowing me to become more comfortable and hear people’s stories.
Work experience student Archie Jennings practises his interview skills.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
It showed me how much more interesting a story can become when it includes the different perspectives of the people involved.
I also worked on Reflections pieces, which gave me the chance to experience the past in newspaper form.
The contrast between eras gave me a sense of what life was like in a time that was slower and less complex compared to the no-barriers world of today. I enjoyed rewriting these pieces and creating them into a message speaking from another time.
Something that stood out to me throughout the week was the sheer amount of editing and attention to detail that goes into even a short article. Seeing my writing change through editing showed me that writing is a process and that making changes can make a story much stronger. I also became more comfortable communicating with people, asking questions and putting my own ideas forward.
Work experience student Archie Jennings steps in for a photo accompanying a story about first aid and CPR training sessions.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Looking back, I really enjoyed my time at the Riv. It was different from my normal school routine and gave me the chance to work on real stories that were connected to the local community. I finished the experience feeling much more confident in not just my writing and communication, but my idea of working in journalism and what it is actually like working on something that has a real purpose.
I even added ‘model’ to my journalism résumé for the week, posing as a ‘slightly unconscious patient’ for a photo to accompany a story about first aid and CPR training sessions.
