If you want to feel ancient, strongly consider spending three hours with a high school sophomore.
On Thursday, I staffed the “Career Exploration Experience” table. So I stood behind newspaper clippings from the past 1000 years and talked to a bunch of kids born around 2009 about the world of communication.
I, like the John Deere rep next to me, had no experience using the restroom while some of my fellow kids were filming TikTok videos. However, I had to answer some of the questions they had in store, such as “What is the biggest challenge you face in this profession?” “Are there opportunities for growth and advancement in this area?”
This is not a complaint. Good reflection! And even though I’m old enough to work in a newsroom cutting out printouts, running them through hot wax machines, and gluing them onto large-format layout pages, I’ve always said 100% I’m also young enough to be honest. The desire for stories, for informative explanations about the world around us, for answers to questions, especially those in power, do not want to discuss.
Whether the medium of that work is dropped into a driveway once a day or enters the audience’s consciousness in some other way, in many ways we simply process life only through what we directly experience. This is irrelevant to the larger truth that quality information is essential.
From a practical journalism perspective, I answered questions about education, training, and skills, explaining that audiences are always evolving, so it’s wise to research everything. Every weekend, I watch sideline videos from Shaw Media’s Friday Night Drive staff and am impressed by how my sportswriting colleagues continue to adapt to modern demands and stay at the forefront of high school football coverage. I am.
The event coincided with last week’s announcement by the Illinois Education Association touting the results of a June member survey (tinyurl.com/IEApoll2024) that found nearly 60% of those questioned were considering leaving the profession. It seemed appropriate that this was shown to be the case. What percentage of your colleagues are likely to say the same?
My favorite questions from children were about how my personality matches the demands of my career and how my work impacts and contributes to society. This column is specifically about government over politics and information over my personal opinions, but these questions (and the questions about work-life balance) should make us all think a little bit about life beyond a paycheck. may be helpful.
Sometimes work is just that. We all need money to survive. Efforts outside the office can serve an important purpose.
It may be a midlife thing, but it’s healthy to do some self-reflection from time to time. If you can’t get there on your own, the right teenager can provide the perfect motivation.
• Scott T. Holland writes for Shaw Local News Network on state government issues. Follow him on X @sth749. Contact him at sholland@shawmedia.com.
