Lana Cromer

I have been working as an intern at the Columbia Basin Herald for the last several months through a program called Work-Based Learning. I am a junior at Moses Lake High School and I was able to come down to the Columbia Basin Herald during my fourth period class. My experiences at the paper have been interesting to say the least.

From juvenile paper fights to the emotional farewell of two reporters, my experiences here have been unforgettable. The reporters and employees I interact with daily are caring and helpful, and they treat me as one of their own. I have never felt out of place working with them.

The knowledge that I have gained from working at the paper is irreplaceable. I have learned how to write in Associated Press style and have learned how a newspaper is run and "works."

I also have been able to expand my photography skills while working at the paper. I have taken pictures of basketball games, dog shows, stamp collecting conventions and fly-in breakfasts. Being able to work with the CBH cameras has been awesome. Being behind the camera lens and capturing the perfect picture is just one of the rewards of being a photographer.

These crazy and exciting adventures that I have been able to photograph and write about helped me decide on my future career. I want to go into journalism and photography because it is fast-paced, exciting and there is something different everyday. Being a journalist and photographer also requires skills, which I have been able to develop and improve by working at the paper.

Two things I will never forget included being able to suit up with the Moses Lake Fire Department and take photos as the firefighters practiced their skills by burning down three old buildings. The other thing I won't forget is going up in an airplane to take aerial photos of the Columbia Basin. Everything looks so different from the sky.

The people I have met and talked to have left a definite mark on me. I would like to give a special thanks to Erin Stuber, the managing editor, for taking me under her wing and giving me helpful tips and advice and helping me become a better reporter. Here's a shout out to Matthew Weaver and Aimee Hornberger, both of you keep things lively down at the office.

My time as a journalism and photography intern at Columbia Basin Herald started at the beginning of the second semester at Moses Lake High School this year, and I will be returning next school year. During the summer I plan on working, and taking pictures here and there for the CBH.

Lana Cromer has served as a journalism and photography intern at Columbia Basin Herald for the past several months.