MHS Viewpoint: An Exceptional Senior Heads to Johns Hopkins University

By Sonia Tsuruoka

Writing is difficult.

Whether you deal in ledes or rhyme schemes, "wordwork" – in any capacity – requires more than just thick skin, discipline, and caffeinated drinks.

Why then, are young Montclairites still churning out poems, stories, and articles by the dozens? And if the prospects of turning a profit are slim, why bother writing at all?

For me, the answer has as much to do with my experiences at MHS as it does with my own personal resolve.

I'm from a family of writers. Journalism – and a hand for creative writing – are literally in my blood. My parent's dinner table dialogue consisted of everything from Faulkner to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and I grew up asking questions, digging up explanations, and juggling my more creative instincts with my passion for political discourse. On top of this, my mother and father ensured that I read voraciously – that I always had a new book on my bedside table – and I remember being captivated by tales of my father's globe-trotting days in Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo, where he worked as a foreign correspondent in his 30s.

Yet I was never steadfast in my intentions. Like a lot of young people, I went through a phase of commitment-phobia where I found myself recoiling from the world of writing to nurse haphazard aspirations of becoming a filmmaker, historian, and at one point, a lawyer. Finally, after many years marked by trial and error, I grew to realize I had left behind something so necessary – and so critical to my identity – that nothing else could ever "click" with me in the same way.

After my freshman year at Montclair High, I made up my mind to seriously pursue a career in journalism, and continue writing creatively on the side. I studied blogs, columns, and feature stories in every newspaper and magazine imaginable. I tweaked my style, made a lot of mistakes, and in the end, had dedicated myself to it so wholly and completely that I couldn't – and still can't – imagine myself in another profession. But the wisest decision I ever made over the course of my high school career was to ask my 9^th grade English teacher to write me a recommendation that would allow me to join MHS' student newspaper – the Mountaineer – as a sophomore, though staff members were typically limited to juniors and seniors.  

I started as an Assistant News Editor, quickly graduated to Head Opinions Editor, and by my senior year was working as one of two Co Editor-in-Chiefs at the Mountaineer. Here, I gave section-by-section guidance to the Mountaineer's 26-member staff and nourished my interest in political science by authoring numerous editorials, eventually landing a steady writing and editing gig at ScoopDaily.com – a college-age national online political publication that's been featured in major news outlets like the New York Times, CNN and the Washington Post, and in 2009, received a 250K Knight Foundation Grant to expand its capabilities. 

My experience with both the Mountaineer and ScoopDaily.com was not smooth-sailing. It was difficult, at the Mountaineer in particular, to reconcile my responsibilities as an Editor and a Writer, and I quickly learned to familiarize myself with the strengths and weaknesses of my staff in order to improve quality and expand scope. When mistakes were made, I accepted culpability, and learned to press both my staff and myself in order to redeem our reputation as MHS' "student voice" in the remaining issues.

Journalism, however, isn't glamorous. There were many times where, hours before going to press, we came incredibly close to disaster, with vanishing graphics, unverifiable quotes, and last-minute editorial decisions pouring out of the woodwork. But at the 12^th hour our staff managed to pull it together every time, and by our 5^th issue – the last one I oversaw as Editor-in-Chief – had shown so much improvement that our final body of work was completely unrecognizable. We weren't muckrakers, but had managed to provide fair – but pointed – coverage of Governor Christie's visit to Montclair High. We weren't the Onion, but had delivered an incredibly well-received April Fool's issue documenting everything from Mr. Walter's fake radio show to Mr. Feinstein's ability to psychically "communicate with elephants."

In the end, I wouldn't trade my experiences at the Mountaineer for the world. Though proudly college-bound, I'll miss my staff's passion, energy, and focus, and thank them all for an unforgettable three years at the high school!

Next year, I'll pursue a double major in International Studies and Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University. I'll continue writing creatively on the side, and after a four-year stay in Baltimore City, will begin making efforts to crack into the competitive world of foreign correspondence.

To most, it might seem strange that I aspire to spend the rest of my life glued to a keyboard. 

But I'm in it for the long haul.