Internship Experience

By Suzanne Redekopp
Summer 2011 Intern

Honestly, technology and I don’t get along. It has some mission, driven by a pure, inner hatred, to make my life miserable every time I try to use one of its new components or programs. So when Cindy informed me that, as part of my internship with the People’s Press Project branch, High Plains Reader, we would be using various forms of technology that I’d never heard of before, I thought I’d have to tell Cindy to find another summer intern. But under the supervision of Cindy and Duke, I learned that it’s necessary – and actually pretty easy—to integrate different technological facets into a community newspaper in order for it to be successful.

HPR works with a limited budget, so it is important that they utilize ways of enhancing the paper at little to no cost. For example, QR codes are used every week in HPR for almost every story. A QR code is free generated code that readers can scan with their smartphones, which takes them to a certain website, Youtube link, schedule of events, etc. Basically any website that will add to the story’s content. At the beginning of my internship I remember a story that HPR published about an arthritis walk. I’d never heard of QR codes by this point, and Cindy explained that this particular QR code was inserted into the story because it brought readers right to the donation page of the arthritis walk’s website.  It was amazing to me that readers could be reading a story and, if they were feeling inspired to donate, could click their phone and donate to the cause in a matter of seconds.

I also appreciated Cindy and Duke’s ability to create a learning environment with interns, writers and other contributors on all levels of experience. I came to HPR with only six months of journalism experience under my belt. Being in an environment where I could feel comfortable to ask questions and where I knew that, even though I knew that I had a lot to learn, Cindy and Duke were willing to help me grow.

Another reason that HPR is successful is because they treat everyone like family. The HPR office was in the process of being moved to a new location, so all layout days took place in Cindy and Duke’s personal home. I remember my first day at layout and Cindy right away offered me something to eat. I was hesitant to take anything because my parents raised me with the idea that eating at a stranger’s house was rude. Cindy sensed my hesitation and replied, “You’re going to be here a lot. You should think of this as your house too! Let me fix you something.” I had only met Cindy a few times, but she had already welcomed me into her home and placed a good deal of trust on my shoulders. I instantly felt more comfortable and relaxed.

Lastly, HPR helped me build my confidence in reporting, assigning stories and editing. My personality is naturally on the shyer side, and I was required to go out of my comfort zone if I wanted to get anything accomplished quickly and successfully. Sometimes I was required to make calls to confront someone about the status of their story, ask them if they could take a story, ask for help editing, etc.,  which is all part of the journalism world. I’m not used to that sort of confrontation, or even calling and emailing a lot of people I don’t know, but it was one of the best learning experiences I had all summer.

Cindy greatly helped me along my path to becoming a better journalist. I’ve now seen what it takes to keep a community newspaper up and running, and the strong people like Duke and Cindy behind it that are necessary for its survival. Thanks to HPR and People’s Press Project, I feel better equipped to continue honing my writing skills.

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[PPP Organizer’s note: PPP would like to thank Jessica Ballou and Suzanne Redekopp for their dedicated work during their PPP summer internships. PPP will continue to offer internships, train journalists in multi-media production and continue to develop community based media. Keep up to speed by reading the .gov section of HPR for reports from PPP.  PPP will be offering Media Justice trainings and multi-media workshops at our new space at the Brownstone. Meanwhile, “Like” PPP and HPR on FaceBook and watch for an invite to join us for our open house and fall fundraiser. Your support and participation will expand the base of independent media in the Fargo-Moorhead region. For more information about PPP go to http://thepeoplespressproject.org ]