For me this year was weird. I’m not a “newbie” in my first year on staff, but I’m not the oldest in the class. Being a middle child, I’m used to being stuck in the middle. Physically I always have to take the middle seat in the car, but also literally having an older and younger sister.
I came into this year having zero expectations because I wasn’t sure yet how the dynamic of the class was going to play out. There were a lot of new things about the class this year compared to last year. The staff was larger, and as a second year staff member I was required to take on a leadership role. There was also a new role introduced on staff this year: Business Manger. I have known for the past few years that I wanted to go into business and marketing after high school, and when this role was introduced I thought it was the perfect way to introduce myself to the business world. I won’t lie I was a little scared when I found out I was the Business Manger for the 2023-2024 year, only because I did not want to step on anyone’s toes or add anything extra to my peers’ plates. What I may have forgotten to mention in my interview with Mrs. Basinger is that I had BIG plans for this year. I remember the very first day we received our jobs and Delaney, our Editor-in-Chief, wrote down my motto for the year and dated it, ” I’m gonna make us rich rich.” I had talked with Mrs. Basinger about having a goal of being able to be financially independent and not rely on recourses like the Fine Arts Boosters to pay for our news site. There might have been talk about a drone, rolling white board, and podium… but we’ll save that for another day.
One thing about me is that when I have an idea, nobody is stopping me from achieving it. So, when my first big idea of having a media day for athletes failed, I felt defeated. I felt like I wasn’t living up to my potential or fulfilling my duty on the staff. My second big idea for the Black and Register was an Ad Sales Day. My plan was to go around to local business and sell ads on our news site. I was hesitant at first because of the last time I had tried to fundraise for our site, but Mrs. Basinger reassured me and pushed me to keep trying. The day came where we were going to go out into the community and I was freaking out. All I could think about was coming back with no money. Delaney and I were partnered up to go to some businesses in Waukee. We sat in the parking lot of Kee Nutrition for 15 minutes practicing the perfect “Hello” to make sure we got it right. I don’t think I could contain my excitement walking out of there with our first contract signed for three months of advertising on our new site. I finally felt accomplished. I felt like I was making a change in the Black and Redgister News team. At the beginning of the year I said ” I’m gonna make us rich rich,” and I believe that although we don’t have money to buy a drone, or rolling white board, we are rich in the memories we made throughout the year, and that is more than money could ever buy.
As I finish out my second year on staff, and move in to my third and final year, I feel thankful. Thankful that I have a class that motivates me to be better. Thankful that I have people who believe in me. Thankful that I have a teacher who supports me (even when my ideas are crazy). Lastly, thankful that I am involved in a community of people that make me a better person.
See you soon room 402.
