Carrie Wadycki , journalism teacher at Lake Central High School, says she's a "photojournalist at heart." She admits to being "terrified" by writing stories under deadline pressure, but encouragement from her mom and seven years of experience in the classroom puller her through. "I learned it takes many talented individuals to put together a newspaper every day," Wadycki said.


Internship 'terrifying' but a 'great experience'

•By CARRIE WADYCKI
Lake Central High School

The word internship sent shivers down my spine. In my mind I was sent back in time to the days of my college internship. Just thinking about those days sends me into a panic because the whole experience was less than perfect.

I was very nervous the day before starting at the Northwest Indiana Times in Munster. First of all, I wanted this experience to be more positive than my last internship. I was also worried that I wouldn’t be able to do a good job. After all, I have been out of the newsroom for seven years.

Then my mother reminded me of something she said before I started teaching. She said, “Carrie, you love working as a photojournalist and for a newspaper, but can you teach it?” I’m starting my eighth year at Lake Central High School in St. John, IN, so I guess I can.

She then said to me, “Carrie, you teach about 150 students a year how to take pictures, write stories and all that stuff, but now can you DO it?” That didn’t help my nerves at all.

I walked into The Times on the first day and was met by Graphics Editor, Bill Thornbro. We talked for about an hour about graphics and he took me on a tour of the building. I then met with Managing Editor Gary Metro to check in and see whom I would be working under for the next couple of weeks.

As soon as Director of Photography Gregg Gearhart walked in, I was given my first assignment. I had to take a picture of land. Actually, it was a picture of the land where the future Ho-Chunk casino is going to be built. It wasn’t the most exciting assignment, but I learned the most when I returned to the newsroom. I learned how to use a Macintosh again and the proper way to save photos for publication.

I spent the next three days shadowing staff photographers John L. Hendricks, John Watkins and Christopher Smith. Each photographer had different tips and techniques to share with me on our rides to the different assignments. We would both shoot the assignment and then come back to the newsroom to edit together.

While out on assignment with Hendricks we had three different places to be. The assignments were spaced out where we had plenty of time to shoot and drive to the next location. As we ate our lunch in the car he mentioned how this was a hectic day for him.

I thought to myself…hmm…driving around with the ipod blaring, taking pictures and meeting new people all day versus spending eight plus hours with 90 teenagers, who half the time aren’t paying attention and ask ten million questions that I just gave the answer to three minutes ago? Somehow I don’t think that really was a hectic day for him.

Hendricks did teach me that kid pictures are cute, but it’s the photographer's job to make an image that no one has ever seen before. Try to do something different and new with each assignment.

Watkins taught me that electronic gadgets are addicting and the BP Amoco station has the best sandwiches for lunch.

Smith told me two things to pass on to my students. Shoot with a purpose and always look back at the scene just before you leave. You may have missed something.

After shadowing the guys for a couple of days, I was sent out on my own to cover everything from a sign on the road, children’s programs at the library, local festivals to a local band director. The first two weeks in the photo department were awesome. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun.

The third week had to be the toughest part of the internship. I was assigned to be reporting with Westlake Editor Sharon Ross. I was terrified.

All through high school and college I worked as a photographer. Sure I took the basic news writing courses at Ball State and even wrote a weekly opinion column for the Daily News, but at heart I was a photojournalist.

How could I have managed to sneak through college, my college internship and teaching without ever writing an actual news story for publication?

My first reporting assignment was to find out what happened with a puppy that was stolen from the Humane Society. I made some phone calls and struggled through what should have been a simple story to write. I realized that being a reporter is harder than it looks. After eight hours of sweat, panic and writer’s block, I had my very first news story written.

My favorite story of the week was about members of the police academy who were participating in field day training right before their graduation day. I was able to go out to the site and talk to the police officers and watch the training in action. This story was easier for me to write because I was able to observe more than if I were interviewing over the phone.

When my week as a reporter was coming to a close, I felt like running for the door screaming…but I didn’t. I learned that there are many talented individuals who come together to create a daily newspaper. Some are awesome at writing, others are visually creative and I can’t forget the individuals who are great with business and love to sell advertisements. Writing is not my strong point and it is something that I would like to work on in the future.

During the last week of my internship I spent one night on the copy desk and one night with a page designer. The copy desk taught me that I need to grill AP Style into my student’s heads. Designing front pages for eight different editions of the paper is confusing, but organization is the key.

I was lucky enough to sit in on a 3 p.m. meeting with all of the editors. They organize everything on a big dry erase board, have a conference call with the editors located at their Valparaiso and Crown Point offices and speak a crazy lingo that I figured out by the time the meeting was over. It was amazing how they keep everything straight!

I spent the last three days back in the photo department. I was fortunate enough to meet Gov. Mitch Daniels at one assignment. On the last day I finally got a breaking news assignment. A meth lab was busted in a Portage trailer park. I waited out there for three hours and was finally able to get up close to the house and talk to the police officers. It was the most exciting assignment during the four weeks and my photos ran on A1.

Overall, I had a great experience at The Times and learned a great deal that I plan to pass on to my students. I’m glad I was thrown into the reporter’s seat for a couple of days. It was a terrifying experience, but I am grateful that I had the opportunity to give reporting a try. I may not have written a Pulitzer Prize winner, but I tried my best.

 I am also very grateful that Gregg Gearhart asked me to stay on as a freelance photographer. I still love teaching. But now I can teach and continue building my portfolio as a photographer.