Two months down, more to go

Rooted In Clay, $5 and available at the Times office.

It's been over two months since I joined The Brazil Times's staff. I've learned countless journalistic ideals and met numerous community members in that time. I am still learning, but I never tire of learning.
My internship at Providence Health Care at The Woods taught me that deadlines are daunting. However, my training didn't prepare me to create an entire magazine in 3 days. I was nervous and stressed. I wanted to make the best magazine in a short time frame. It took time for me to get back into graphic design and to create a page layout, but once I fell back into the groove of something I love doing, it was as if no time had passed. I watched as plain white pages became a fascinating historical look at our community in the 1800s.
This magazine is the second edition of Rooted in Clay, and I wanted to make it visually attractive while still educational. I created Saint Mary-of-the-Woods literary art magazine in 2019, and it was one of the best experiences of my schooling. I also had over a month to work on that magazine. However, I was able to be more creative with Rooted in Clay, and it turned into something I am incredibly proud of. I hope others will enjoy the liberties I took with creativity. Rooted in Clay Volume 2 came out at the end of June and is $5 and available at the Times office at 531 E National Ave, Brazil.
In addition to Rooted in Clay, I have done many articles for The Brazil Times. In my time here, I found I especially enjoy doing human interest stories. The Red Hat Society story was one of my first stories and will always hold a special place. The ladies were fascinating, and I enjoyed getting to know them and hearing all the tales of their adventures. It was the first time I was indeed a journalist. I had my reporter's notebook and camera in hand. I recorded our interview, with the lady's permission, of course. It's challenging to quote and remember everything someone has said. Taking notes of essential things is helpful, but sometimes writing can become cluttered and unclear. This is why recording the interview is so significant.
Becoming a reporter has put my introverted tendencies aside. It has brought me out of my comfort zone and has made me much more confident. I enjoy getting out in the community, attending events, and meeting local citizens. I've lived in Brazil all my life but have only attended the 4-H fair once I was to report on it. This was a new experience for me and one that I surprisingly enjoyed. It's an event I will go back to, even if not reporting on it.
I genuinely enjoy being a new reporter, following my dreams, and pushing myself to become a better version. I can't thank my co-workers enough. As a new reporter who has never worked in a newspaper setting, Ivy Jacobs has been instrumental to my work at The Times. I appreciate her willingness to teach me the ways of the newspaper world. A mentor and friend, I look up to her and look forward to learning more from this intelligent, funny, strong-willed woman.