Over the past two weeks, 24 budding journalists pounded the pavement across New Orleans, searching for ledes, sources and that juicy, undiscovered story. After long nights of producing copy, captions and performing painstaking editing with Photoshop and Avid, we’ve constructed a mosaic of information on New Orleans.

The New York Times Student Journalism Institute brought us to Louisiana to define, augment and test our abilities outside of our comfort zones. The Web pieces, slideshows, photos, graphics and video produced tell a story of a small big city that sharpened our professional skills and challenged our limits.

We’ve covered the news and features of the city with a hunger and focus that bears witness to our drive to succeed in the journalism world. Now, as Institute faculty and participants proof the last pages of the print edition and update a few remaining Web stories, my fellow students and I are able to take a step back and reflect upon our experiences in the Big Easy.

I have tackled Avid film editing software and lived to tell the tale, producing a gripping video. I’ve also learned to be flexible and find a different story angle at a moment’s notice. The lessons learned at the Institute vary, but all are an integral part of our journalistic journey of the past few weeks.

Here are our closing thoughts:

1. NEW ORLEANS: For some of us, being in New Orleans opened up a world of new experiences and opportunities to explore. The Gulf oil spill also gave us the chance to prove how innovative our news coverage could be.

Brandon R. Coley

When coming to Louisiana, I first thought I would be amazed by the friendly New Orleanians, food seasoned to perfection, and the overall “Big Easy” experience. But after spending time with the locals and interviewing longtime residents, I found that New Orleans is still in a very sensitive state.

I am learning there is (almost) always more truth than what is given. I am new to journalism, and seeing what I’ve seen and hearing the stories behind the stories of the locals has heightened my interest in getting information out to people. Not only did I meet some of the greatest people in my life at this Institute, I have a whole new respect for journalism … in its entirety. 


Lelan LeDoux

My best experience was going to the Lower Ninth Ward and meeting some of the people who were hit by Hurricane Katrina. These people now live in the homes being built by Brad Pitt’s foundation. They talked about a very touchy subject and how they lost family members. I was blessed to meet them. Gloria Guy, the first person to get a Brad Pitt house, cooked us food.

That experience really shows that people have open hearts and care for others. Guy even talked to me for about an hour and a half about staying positive and to keep moving forward in life. It was a great blessing to meet these people in the Lower Ninth Ward. I will never forget that.

Rodney W. Hawkins II

Reporting on the oil spill in Venice, La., has been one of the greatest experiences I have had at the Institute.

The first half of the day, fellow Institute students and I had no direction on what each of our stories would be. After contemplating whether or not to waste several hours waiting for a boat ride, we followed our instincts and decided to leave and search for our story, rather than wait for it.

Twenty minutes later we drove down a random street off the highway and found a neighborhood of shrimpers. Had it not been for this random stop, I would not have had the main interview I needed for my story. From this experience I learned that as a journalist is not only about writing but having initiative and being persistent.

2. NEW OPPORTUNITIES: For many of us, new experiences have allowed us to not only discover new talents, but to balance multiple skills and become better with technical elements.

April Buffington

Coming to the New York Times Journalism Institute has been a life-changing experience.

Being that I’ve interned at The Advocate, a Baton Rouge daily newspaper, and that I know their style, I thought I could bring that style to the Institute. Learning that you have adjust to the style of the publication you are working for has broadened my mind to shooting differently, not being stuck to shooting a certain way.

Here at the Institute I thought I could get away with just taking great photos but I also have to write. I feel privileged to have worked with a team of people from The New York Times and Boston Globe that helped me to not think of writing as writing but as talking and expressing my thoughts on paper.

I know coming to the Institute was the best thing for me, because in order to have a great photo I have to know what I am shooting and do my research. I will never depend on the reporter to get the info meet and greet; I’ll get it myself.

Myeisha Essex

To be chosen to participate for the Institute is like the New York Times saying I am worthy of being a journalist, and that is a compliment beyond compare.

I was able to report, write, and learn video. I also designed pages. Designers organize articles in such a way that the reader can easily absorb the material. The design team is the last to see the pages, so the process of getting pages to the printer on deadline can be hectic. I was able to perfect my craft, learn new mediums and receive career advice from professionals and for that I am truly grateful for this maximum-security journalism boot camp!

Nate Taylor

This Institute has given me so much knowledge and perspective on journalism. The insight the instructors have given to me have been so valuable.

During these two weeks, I’ve learned how to become a better self-copy editor, and I was able to get more experience in producing videos and slideshows. The best part of this Institute for me was how many opportunities I had to write.

I want to be a sports journalist who captures moments and make them come to life. I covered a number of baseball games, did a long-form profile and even did some hard-news reporting on the oil spill.

I’m going to recommend the program to any aspiring journalist, not just because this opportunity itself is a special one, but because of how much the facility will be an asset to the rest of my career. They have helped me grow now, and I know they will in the future.

3. REPORTING AND RESEARCH: Improving reporting and researching skills was essential to getting to the heart of each and every story.

Lauren Johnson

My lesson learned here at the Student Journalism Institute was that checking facts and order is essential to any news story.

While at the Institute, I covered what scientists and environmental experts are calling the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Before taking on the challenge of tackling this tremendous assignment, I didn’t realize the amount of research and time would go into covering all the events from the day of the explosion on. Along with the help of the seasoned, professional journalists that we had at our grasp for two weeks, I was able to pull it together accurately and concisely by the end of our last 100-hour work week.

I learned that I can handle any obstacle, whether it is a deadline, inaccessibility of a source, lack of confidence, or fatigue from long work hours. I leave with more confidence, humbleness, skills, and passion from a demanding, yet rewarding experience than I had ever had before arriving to the foreign, historic city of New Orleans.

Sean Blackmon

As future truth seekers, it is of the utmost importance that we develop the skills needed to communicate with a public parched for information. In my time at the Institute, I’ve come to learn that there can be no good writing without thorough reporting.

The issue at the heart of my project was very multilayered, with as many opinions as there were layers. The Institute showed me how to take a mountain of information and glean only the information most enriching to the reader. The more knowledgeable a writer is, the more limber they can be with their pen.

Lauren Foreman

I have learned so much at the Institute about reporting that it’s hard to narrow my experiences down to one specific lesson, but the most important aspects of reporting that I learned were about the importance of conducting initial research. That research can be used to direct my questions to the right people. Questions should be truly curious in nature and used to fill the holes of a story. In working with sources, the questions not only need to be directed to a source that knows the information but to the most appropriate source.

Brittany Dandy

At the Institute I learned to the value of concise research, and the need to know your resources and use them to your full advantage. I now know how detailed who, what, where, when and why can get and how necessary it is to do in-depth reporting.

From the second line to shrimping, I gained a better understanding of the people who live here and for whom a journalist works. I will never forget that I contributed to a piece of history.

4. STYLE: Students constantly worked to expand their word choice, grammar and verb usage. This helped each of us come up with a unique style of writing.

Kendra Derosiers

It took me 30 minutes to write this sentence. I labored over the word choice; the tone; the angle. Vivid language is constantly at odds with word counts and breaking news urgency at the New York Times Institute. And as a magazine bred-reporter, cutting copy feels like a prison shank — quick and dirty.

You learn early on that the newsroom is full of compromises. Cancel an interview to make deadline; truncate a lede for an additional quote; phone over on-site; Folgers over Starbucks; content over sanity over sleep over sustenance and the like. Decisions. Life choices.

OK I lied; it took me 35 minutes to write that sentence. A clincher, like the lede, is equally taxing. So I’ll just end this with —

5. CONFIDENCE AND PERSONAL GROWTH: Many students learned lessons about trusting in themselves and in the quality of their work. Others learned a few life lessons on the professional world.

Aaron Edwards

On the last day of the Institute, my roommate, Rodney W. Hawkins II, told me to “never second guess yourself.” Though my mind whirled from sleep deprivation, I heard him loud and clear — and realized his words mirrored a significant lesson I’ve learned here.

I came into this program intimidated. Almost all the other attendees were over 21, bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, one even with a Ph.D. And here I was: 18 years old, a journalist of 2 years. Yes, I had clips. Yes, I had experience. But I felt like, for lack of a better term, the baby of the group.

I was reaffirmed in my belief that great work speaks volumes, regardless. I picked up work whenever I could, pushed myself out of my comfort zone and felt, more than ever, like a real journalist. And I can’t stop now.

As I write this, a Barbra Streisand song shuffles on my iTunes. The “Glee” rendition of “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Couldn’t be more appropriate.

Rosa Warren

My experience here at the New York Times Student Journalism Institute was one for the books. I take away from this opportunity greater confidence as a copy editor and an understanding that journalism is a collaborative effort. The Institute has helped me hone in my copy editing and writing skills with the assistance of seasoned professionals. Even though I may have been the quietest one in the room, I felt like my work spoke volumes.

Imani Cheers

I picked up my first camera when I was 5 years old. My father was a photojournalist and I would spend hours watching him develop film in our basement darkroom.

I received a B.F.A. in photography from Washington University in St. Louis and genuinely believed I had not only talent, but also a competitive edge to be successful.

The past two weeks have been intense; the most valuable lesson I’ve learned during this Institute is to persevere, endure and never give up. There were times I got the “money shot” and many times that I didn’t. I feared daily critiques like the plague but learned that life isn’t easy and if I want to be successful I have to work harder today than I did yesterday.

Nikole Pegues

Going through this program has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my career and there were plenty of times I wanted to quit. But I’m glad I stayed because this experience has not only made me a better journalist, but a better person.

I learned that 8:15 a.m. is considered late and 10 p.m. is considered early. That air-conditioning is not always a good thing and humidity is not the friend of anyone who recently had her hair done. I learned to never trust anyone who starts a conversation with “How strong is your stomach” and ends it with “You may want to take some Dramamine” and to always bring sunscreen and an umbrella when covering ANYTHING at an airport.

Taylar Barrington

It’s is never easy to hear your alarm clock ringing in your ear a few hours earlier than you would like, but at the New York Times Student Journalism Institute, it happens every day. I have to admit, it was hard to practice the golden rule, “if you are early you’re on time, and if you’re on time you’re late”, but every day I rolled out of the bed and tried to follow it.

I have to say the most prominent thing I learned, besides being on time, is that quality is better than quantity and that it is my job to understand what my audience wants. I absolutely loved all of the staff and their personal stories, and the late night laughs about the most minor things. I have made a lifelong memory of what will only enhance my career.

Tahirah Hairston

It’s been two weeks? The first week felt like one day, but the second week went by way too fast — all I know is reporting, reporting, coffee break, reporting, proofing a page, and the J-Move.

I think I can use the word “epic” for this experience — I mean what other 19-year-old is out reporting on the oil spill? I’ve learned so much here, I could put together a short novel. Meeting young New York Times staffers and being the second-youngest one here, I know that I can do it, at any capacity. I’m ready.

6. STUDENTS AND STAFF: The people in the program make each Institute unforgettable. Our peers provided support and laughs at every turn. Our fearless leader, Don Hecker, the staff from the New York Times and partner publications and the faculty of Dillard University have helped mold us into better journalists. These relationships have influenced our stories, as well as our lives.

Thaisi Da Silva

I thought I had it all figured out.

I’d graduate from Hampton University, attend the New York Times Student Journalism Institute in New Orleans and accept an apprenticeship at a television station in sunny Florida.

And then I met Sandra Stevenson.

Stevenson, a photo editor at The New York Times, leads the photo team at the Institute, and I was intimidated. My lack of proper photo training has always been an insecurity, but I learned quickly that this excuse would not fly.

I photographed. I laughed. I cried. And most importantly, I “dared to suck.”

And I did.

But then something incredible happened. With each day my photography became stronger, and my eye became more developed.

In less than two weeks I chased President Obama’s motorcade, witnessed first hand the effects of the oil, danced with members of the Zulu Crewe, was welcomed into the home of the King of Treme and met a hero of the Ninth Ward.

Most importantly I met incredible people and made beautiful images.

Lottie Joiner

The most significant experience I’ve had here was working with the staff members at the Institute. They were patient, understanding and constructive with a gentle touch. They offered guidance and wisdom. They were mentors.

I learned about focus, time management and that I can’t hold copy for one quote. I learned to prioritize my workload and to get it right the first time. (Those corrections are so embarrassing.) But most of all, this experience has reinforced my desire to be a reporter.

Bolanle Omisore

I came to the Institute ready to learn. Through two semesters at NYU in an intensive multimedia program, I’d never actually picked up a DV camera and shot a video of my own, much less edited it into a coherent visual story.

So, I came and I learned. Jeremy Beiler, world-renowned actor and video journalist, sat beside me hour after hour and taught me much of what he knows about creating a story with images. Through the long hours and late nights, he helped me create a piece that I can be proud of.

I know that I will return to school prepared to hit the ground running.

Aleesa Mann

The most significant experience I had at the Institute was being able to work with a group of my peers and superiors that are really passionate about journalism. Journalism is a tough field — you get shut down, rejected or ignored on a daily basis. Journalists definitely share a camaraderie in a sort of “Yeah, I go through the same thing too” kind of attitude. Working with other people who share my interest in telling a good story made all the obstacles easier to handle.

And there’s nothing like a newsroom. In a matter of seconds it can become the most noisy, hectic, unwieldy entity, but at the end of the day things get done. Stories are written, articles are published — it almost seems like an accident that work gets done because it’s so much fun along the way.

Monique Johnson

My life has changed thanks to the New York Times Student Journalism Institute. I see the world so differently now since being in New Orleans and among the best and brightest in the business. The mentors have shaped and molded me. They pushed me beyond my limits. They stood right behind me to catch me as I fell. And they were right there to help me get back up.

Amanda VanAllen

It’s hard for me to think of one just one experience to pinpoint because I learned so many lessons.

From Merrill, I learned to pay attention to details and to ask obvious questions. As journalists we can never assume that something is true or correct. We have to inquire about every waking detail.

From Ginger, I learned everyday is a new day, and we cannot let anything get us down. I learned about the beauty of journalism; no two days are alike. Change always feels nice when everything is going wrong.

I learned from Greg that I should ALWAYS be working on something. From my colleagues, I learned to have fun with my work. I learned that this profession is a gift that I can share with everyone. I am so happy to have had this opportunity and look forward to seeing all the amazing things we accomplish in the future.

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What we all share from this experience is an enthusiasm for this program and for the city of New Orleans. We’ve grown in ways big and small, but we’ve all found the opportunity to grow as journalists and individuals.

On behalf of all of us, it has been a pleasure to be a part of the 2010 New York Times Student Journalism Institute and to call the Big Easy home these past two weeks. Thank you to everyone involved with this extraordinary experience.

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