I want to be a photographer or a journalist, but I’m still in the decision process. With the second year new media program I have learned about all of that and more. Since it is all independent based work, I can pick any project or assignment that would best suit my interest and learn the most about photography that I can. It gets pretty difficult to juggle both regular high school and WTC (Wilson Talent Center), it can be stressful and some days where I want to just abandon all hope. but I don’t.

I keep moving forward.

Sophomore year, I was thinking to myself, “What do I want to do for my future?” What is the thing I want to do for the rest of my life? 

When principal Jeff Trapp was talking about WTC, a career starter program for juniors and seniors, that sparked an interest. So, I started to look deeper into it and found out about the new media program, which is all things digital art: photography, videography, illustrations and more. 

I signed up for that program not knowing what was going to happen and how I would think about it, not knowing how hard it was going to be to do not only high school but also new media. 

The first year was strange. Since it was based on an actual work-based environment, there were a lot more strict rules we had to follow, like having to professionally dress once a week for a grade, all aimed at making us feel as though we were in the real work environment. 

That first year was all about learning all of the things we are able to do as a career if we follow through with anything new media. When we started to learn, I did not know we had to learn every single thing there, not just the ones we wanted to do as a job.

No, we had to learn about illustration, photography, film, and music—no matter what. It took me a while, but once we got into the photography lessons, everything just clicked, and I started to spend hours in the photo studio. I could not leave because I wanted to live there. I felt as though I found what I really like to do, and I would never want to leave.

The truth that I found out is it is hard to maneuver around the different schools, one is more strict, one is more lenient. WTC is all hands on learning and do it yourself, the high school is not so much. All of this is to say that being a senior in high school and WTC is hard. 

I do not only have to worry about school but, I also have a job, and family I have to care for. So, I would say if you are thinking about going to WTC then go for it.

It is a totally different and more hands on method of learning.