The Hamilton County Reporter was fortunate to have two exceptional interns this summer: Grace Green, a journalism student at the University of Cincinnati, and Alexander Webster, a 2025 Noblesville High School graduate heading to Ball State University.
If you pay attention to bylines, you will have noticed both their names in our pages many times in the last few months. Each of them brought their own skills to the table, and each was willing to learn as much as we were able to teach them about our little corner of the newspaper world.
Along the way, each of them also ruffled a few feathers in their reporting, for which we commend them. While everyone has a bias, at The Reporter we try to strip out as much as possible and just report the facts. Facts do not always make people happy.
Neither of them has an inflated sense of ego in their reporting, even when it comes to editing. Too many times we have seen journalists who think every word is precious. They understand that journalism means telling other people’s stories, not their own. That is rare and refreshing.
Granted, we did ask Webster to write an Op/Ed, but only at the very end of his time here and mostly as a learning experience.
Grace Green was a very good writer when she started this summer, but she is returning to college as a much better one. She conducts a solid interview, writes clean copy, and from time to time she even comes up with a headline that makes our publisher wish he was clever enough to have thought of it.
Alexander Webster is also a very good interviewer, but his photos have knocked us off our feet. Some of his pictures have been better than what we get from professional photographers with decades of experience.
We know this next one is a small thing, but it has become far too uncommon: neither of them missed a deadline.
Grace, Alexander, you both improved a great deal in a short time. Thank you for letting The Reporter have a role in helping the next generation of journalists.
Go forth and help return a little integrity to the news world.