The kids are alright

by Cory Unrein, Co-Owner/Publisher, Grain Valley News

​          This summer, Valley News was privileged to hire three summer interns: Cole Arndorfer, Jake Hipsher, and Ezra Whitaker. All Grain Valley graduates, and all pursuing degrees in journalism. Over the past two months, they have covered Board of Aldermen meetings, Board of Education meetings, community events, profiled local leaders, candidates, and covered prep sports. We gave them a bit of guidance, a few ideas, and let them loose. They delivered thoughtful, quality pieces, and truly understood our mission: to shine a light on the stories that matter.
     It is pretty easy to read or watch regional or national news and come away with a feeling of dread. There are far too many so-called adults in charge at all levels of business, government, media, and community affairs who never cease to embarrass and disappoint us. The rest of us can’t seem to go more than five minutes without arguing or harming each other. More than five minutes of morning news coverage is enough to turn one’s coffee sour.
     Working with our interns this summer has been an absolute pleasure and a tonic against the hopelessness one can feel these days. They have an innate sense of their ethical responsibilities as journalists, and the importance of hearing and elevating all voices in a community. As the saying (and The Who song) goes, “the kids are alright”, and we look forward to continuing to provide opportunities for the next generation of local news hounds to hone their skills.
     The support of our advertisers and sustaining members made this possible, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to reinvest in stories that matter while providing an outlet for the next generation of journalists.
Grain Valley should be very proud of their work this summer as well as their pursuit of a career that is integral to a functioning democracy. I know I am.
 
Valley News is now accepting applications for fall 2022 interns. Students may submit their cover letter, resume, and a writing sample to [email protected].