By Mia Padovano
The Rye Record has welcomed five Rye High School seniors as interns for four weeks as they close out their final year in high school.
The interns are doing reporting, writing, data research, and audience development, and they join the editors’ weekly meetings at The Record’s office on Purchase Street.
“We’re thrilled to have such talented and dedicated interns,” said Jon Elsen, editor-in-chief and co-publisher of The Record. “We love working with young people who are interested in journalism and eager to learn and develop their skills.”
The interns have been working closely with The Record’s deputy editor, Andi Hessekiel, who runs The Record’s internship program. They have been working with the newspaper’s other writers and editors as well.
Tim O’Donnell, who is heading to Syracuse University in the fall, sought the internship because it allows him to have an impact in his community. “The Rye Record is one of the few internships where each week’s work culminates in a tangible product,” O’Donnell said. He hopes to improve his “time management and people skills.”
Some interns came to The Record with the clear goal of polishing their skills for a career in Journalism. Zoe Loizeaux, who is heading to Washington & Lee University in the fall, already was writing for The Record before the internship.
Loizeaux, who is editor-in-chief of the high school yearbook, said, “I see myself going into some type of journalism, so it is incredibly important to develop these skills early.”
Emalie Vera also is headed to Syracuse, where she plans to “major in English studies and later in journalism.”
“So far, I have learned a lot,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what else the future holds.”
Juliet Rotondo, valedictorian of the RHS class of 2025, is heading to Georgetown University in the fall. “I’ve always been interested in writing and editing,” she said. “I really enjoyed being part of the student literary magazine and newspaper in high school.” Her goal is to learn how to produce “polished, high-quality writing in a short span of time.”
“I applied for this internship because I missed writing,” said Mia Padovano (author of this article), who is heading to Stanford University. “I’m not sure what I want to major in, but I know that what I learn through this internship will be applicable to any major or career.”
And while the interns join the editors’ meetings, most of their work — developing story ideas, collecting data, interviewing sources, and writing articles — is done remotely.
Each intern is working 20 hours per week, giving them time to pursue their other interests. For Loizeaux, that is theater with the Parsons Street Players and as president and choreographer of Rhythm on Rye, the high School’s acapella group.
Rotondo and Padovano both row crew at RowAmerica Rye, a nationally ranked youth rowing team. Vera and O’Donnell both enjoy poetry and music.
