After being invited to participate a few weeks ago, a press release sent our way indicated that most of the school's 1800 students would be attending.
Initially, I agreed to do it just for the hell of it. Why not?
This morning, I had some clear reasons "why not" running through my head as I drove in.
First, it was early. Crack of dawn early. Do you know how red the sun looks when it's coming up over the horizon? I sure as hell had forgotten, if I've ever seen that before.
Second, as Diane and I joked (but not really) last week, we doubted anyone would talk to us. I was fully ready to stand there, twiddling my thumbs, invoking memories of how my middle school dances would have turned out if I'd actually gone.
Third, what do I say to someone about the newspaper business? It's not exactly on solid ground these days and I'm definitely not in this for the tremendous paychecks (Hahahahahahaha! Laugh to keep from crying, right?)
Once Diane and I met up in the high school's gym, we realized that we hadn't put nearly enough thought into how we should present ourselves or set up the folding table assigned to us.
Others around us had nice signs or banners. The Army recruiters had a cardboard cutout of a GI. I quipped that we forgot to bring our cutout of Don Seeley.
Some of those who were more ready-er.
To our credit, we weren't wholly unprepared. The night before, I snagged a pile of newspapers from the entire week to display. I also brought a box of canvas tote bags from the advertising department to give out. So we had some swag for those that sought it.
Still, I was a little nervous at just standing at an empty table and looking, generally, like an idiot.
Luckily, some real reporter work popped up. In quick succession, I found out about two crashes and made calls on it, firing off emails to editors with the info I was getting. Although trying to squeeze information out of emergency workers early into crash investigations is difficult and somewhat stressful, the familiarity of it actually calmed me down a little.
Shortly after I finished making my calls, two things happened: a tall dark-haired man arrived at the vacant table next to Diane and me and the first round of students, sophomores, arrived in the gym.
Each table was only issued one orange or brown (Perkiomen Valley's colors) folding chair. With two of us there and the event about to begin, I had snagged the brown chair from the vacant table next to us several minutes before the man arrived.
When the tall guy showed up next to us, he had to go find another chair. I felt slightly bad but, at the same time, he didn't have to go far for it. As such, I didn't linger on that feeling. Plus, I was still checking for updates on the crashes I made calls on. My mind was elsewhere.
When the students came in, The Mercury collective nor the man next to us had any students stop near us. While I waited, I wondered who the man might have been and who or what he represented. He had no sign or any material to give out.
It was kind of nice that he was less prepared than us.
Around the time we got the first students interested in us at The Mercury is when the guy next to us got his first students, too. Quickly, it became clear that the guy next to me might have been a big deal.
Turns out it was Matt O'Donnell, one of the main anchors from 6 ABC.
This guy.
It didn't take long for a crowd of starstruck (or lovestruck) high school girls to line up at his table. The line soon wrapped around the edge of O'Donnell's table. They were two or three deep in some areas.
The Mercury's table stood in his shadow.
Some teachers and those representing businesses couldn't resist and ended up coming over to say "hi" and take a picture with him.
Diane and I quickly decided we could not have had a funnier spot in the room.
A similar pattern developed regarding O'Donnell. As each wave came in, O'Donnell would start without anyone at his table, like us. Then a few boys would come over and ask him who he was and the crowd grew from there as more and more recognized him. That crowd would eventually be made up almost exclusively of teenage girls.
I will say, as I Tweeted shortly after the event ended, O'Donnell was a pretty cool guy with a strong handshake. We talked a little bit between the wave of sophomores and seniors about the business and shared some stories about issues with our technology. He was easily one of the friendliest TV people I've met.
But he made for a great few laughs between Diane and I about his popularity in relation to ours. While standing at the table we tried to come up with questions to ask him, gems such as "Do you know Jim Gardner?" and "Can you sing the Action News theme song?"
We did actually end up getting quite a few students who approached us interested in, if not journalism, then writing in general. It was especially nice to actually give useful (I hope) advice to those that had some specific questions.
Among those that came up, there were a few that I could tell would actually make good journalists. They shared characteristics that some of my reporter friends have, asking good questions, displaying some drive and desire. It really made me wish we had a formal intern program at The Mercury so we could help develop some of them (and then eventually watch as they become better at this job than me).
There were a few moments that stuck out.
When a student told me she wrote a few articles for her journalism class, I asked her which was her favorite, expecting a reply like many earlier, who detailed working on entertainment or school issues.
"Probably the one I did about high schoolers and drug use," she replied. "There are stats with it, too."
My eyes wide, I instantly asked if we could steal her stats for an article series we have coming up.
One girl asked me, point-blank, (and rightly so for someone thinking of making this her career), "Can you make a living doing this?"
"Barely," I replied.
Perhaps my favorite came toward the end when a shorter girl wearing glasses walked up to our table and smiled.
"I love your newspaper!" she said.
Not used to hearing someone say that to me, I replied, without thinking, "Really?"
Diane asked if she read the actual paper copy or online.
The girl smiled sheepishly.
"Actually, I really only read it at my grandparents' house," she said.
The newspaper business, ladies and gentlemen.
In all seriousness, I was very impressed with all of the Perkiomen Valley students I talked to. Even those that really didn't have much interest in being a journalist had good questions and were very polite. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but they were great.
Seeing the academic side of PV at the career fair to go along with the athletic side I saw last fall covering a football game, I'd say parents and staff in the district have a lot to be proud of.
Coming into today with the lowest expectations, I'm looking forward to the possibility of doing it again next year.
Thanks to Jessica Lester and Patricia Colucci for inviting and hosting Diane and I today.
Frank, I always enjoy reading your articles and this one is no exception. You have a great talent for giving the facts and keeping the readers interest at the same time. Keep up the great work you are doing. When a person can talk to others and gleen feelings and perspectives that to most are hidden, that to me is a true journalist.
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