My name is Bry Weltz and I am newly interning here at the Platte County Citizen newspaper. I am currently a senior in high school in the Park Hill School District.
Through the professional studies program that my district offers, I was able to enroll in a class called “aspiring professionals. Aspiring professionals offered a realistic interview process, onboarding and internship designed to match what you’re looking for after high school. This allowed me to choose my internship based on what I want to focus on in my future -- journalism.
The Citizen accepted me as their intern for the semester, and editor Jeanette Faubion became my project manager who oversees my progress and assignments. So far, I’ve learned how the newspaper is formatted each week, and how they gather information for their stories.
I hope to learn the ropes of the newspaper industry, including writing articles (this is my first one!), learning how to conduct interviews, expanding my skills in reporting, and experiencing what it is like to truly work in a professional environment.
What drew me to journalism was the aspect of mass communication. Whether it’s the paper, on a zoom call, or on a stage, I’ve always loved to relay information to the public.
At my high school, I founded the broadcast announcements, The LEAD Times. I also wrote and starred in segments. After high school, I plan to attend Syracuse University and to major in either broadcast journalism or radio.
Outside of school, I keep my public speaking skills sharp by working as a DJ and announcer at River Roll Skate Center. I also write jokes and perform stand-up comedy. This upcoming fall season, I will be in the Worlds of Fun Haunt as a slider.
I am very excited to be at the Citizen and can’t wait to learn all about the newspaper production process and have real-life experience in a professional environment. I am grateful for my project manager as well as Park Hill for making this happen!