By Irene Hwang
Cerritos High School
Grade 10___12/3/10 – On Nov. 30, 2010, the Cerritos High School newspaper staff of The Informer visited the Los Angeles Times building to learn about the realities of journalism at a national newspaper.
The 16 staff writers of The Informer were directed by a guide into the various sections of the building.
The Globe Lobby is considered to be “one of the aesthetic highlights of the Times building,” the guide explained as he presented the exhibit, murals, and architecture of the facility and described the founding family of the Times.
As the tour proceeded, students saw articles and photographs by journalists who had won the Pulitzer Prize because of their valiant actions. These journalists covered heart-breaking stories full of emotion and took photos in the midst of battles.
“It’s amazing to see how in different fields, there are some writers and photographers who are so passionate and willing to risk their lives to spread the truth,” Michelle Jen, a sophomore, said. “Journalists are amazing people and doing it for a living is really difficult because you have to love what you do.”
The tour included brief visits to the Sports, Feature, Arts and Graphics section, and even to the Test Kitchen. Each section offered a different experience to the young journalists.
The guide also compared various newspapers from different media companies issued on the same date, yet each one differed from the others. This showed how news was everywhere and how each journalist reported from a different perspective.
“I learned how different the real world is compared to high school,” Jen said, “As a journalist, you have to be very aware of your surroundings and be responsible as well.”
The Cerritos High Informers eagerly took back what they learned, willing to apply it to their life as journalists
