I started interning for the Issaquah-Sammamish Reporter in mid-December. Three months later, I’ve experienced events and happenings that I wouldn’t have otherwise because of it.

Being a high school sophomore, it’s uncommon to have spent a school day attending court cases. From seeing someone who sexually assaulted multiple women to a man who robbed and killed a prostitute, sitting through the whole court process was definitely exciting yet disturbing. Directly after the cases, I came back to see Gov. Jay Inslee in the office. I sat through a meeting with him and the other reporters to talk about issues surrounding the state and heard his take on them. Afterwards, I got the opportunity to take a picture and talk with him one-on-one, which turned out to be less intimidating than I thought, and rather relaxed.

In my previous opinion piece for the Reporter, I mentioned how much I like fashion, which is why it meant so much to me to be at my first fashion show to cover for the Issaquah-Sammamish Reporter’s sister publication, the Bellevue Reporter. Sitting through the runway show, getting to see all of the designs walk down the runway and being surrounded by people who have the same passion as me has been a highlight so far. After the show, I had to interview people. Approaching attendees made me nervous at first, but everyone was so friendly and willing to talk. By the end, I had talked to a good amount of people and gotten their opinions on the show and designs.

The hardest part for me during my time here so far is the sudden transition of being surrounded by adults. At school, I’ve been used to seeing peers everywhere whereas here, whether I’m in the office or out in the field, I’m very commonly the only teen.

The most valuable part of this experience has been learning the process of journalism and seeing what goes on behind a newspaper. Being an introvert, this internship has forced me to not be as timid talking and approaching people, even though that’s still a work in progress. I’m thankful to be given the opportunity to explore and experience different areas of the Eastside and I am looking forward to the rest of my time as an intern.

Reporter intern Jaime Cao is a Gibson Ek High School sophomore.