About Me
Cancer. A word no 8 year old wants to learn about, especially when it involves your parent. When I was in second grade, my father was diagnosed with Epothiolied Angio Sarcoma. It is a rare bone cancer. My dad's watermelon size tumor was in his left hip. My dad underwent chemotherapy, radiation and eventually a surgery to remove the tumor. Due to the extensive size of the tumor and a few complications, we learned a few months later that my dad would never walk again. That is a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a second grader.
The summer going into third grade my mom signed me up for an audition for a local community school theater program. The show was Beauty and The Beast. I was in the children's ensemble. I quickly found the love of performing. I began taking singing and acting lessons. I love being able to express myself though singing. I have performed all over Northwest Indiana over the last 9 years.
Fast forward to High School. When I had to pick out my freshman year classes, I decided to take a Radio/TV class. I quickly discovered that I also love journalism. In my first day of class my teacher Mr. Gloff stood up in the front of the class and told us what he wanted us to take out of the class the most was not journalism; but was to help us find our voices.
Over the course of the school year I learned the essentials of radio broadcasting and television journalism. I learned there are many components to journalism including radio, tv, photography, newspaper and so much more. I began to volunteer at football and basketball games and really enjoyed the directing and producing side of the program. I knew I needed to continue on in the program and take the advanced class my sophomore year. My sophomore year started off strong when I was named the director of all live broadcasts for Crown Point High School. Football season was great and our team even made it to the State Final game in Indianapolis. Our crew was able to broadcast live from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Although, our team fell short of a victory, that experience was one I will never forget. At the start of my second semester, I was given a rare opportunity. A spot had opened up for the only live daily radio talk show at our school, "The Morning Bark". I was invited to be a host for a day to see how I would jive with the other two co hosts. That day turned into the rest of the semester and I quickly realized I found another aspect of journalism that I loved. At the end of the year, I decided that I would want to one day be a journalist and I knew I would want to study journalism in College. My junior year got off to a great start with being chosen to not only be a host for the The Morning Bark, but also the show's producer. I continued my role as the Director for Live Broadcasts. Our football team had another great season as well as our boys basketball team. I submitted some of my broadcast journalism work into many high school contests. I was chosen as a finalist for best on air personality for the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters High School Competition. I also was nominated and won two Crystal Pillar awards from the National Academy Of Television Arts and Sciences; Chicago Midwest Chapter. I had amazing growth in myself and I was finally beginning to find my own "voice".