June 15, 2023
I started high school as a naive freshman who had a myriad of assumptions about the upcoming four years. Although it has not been what I expected, I now know that everything unfolded perfectly and contributed to my personal growth.
I was terrified when I came back to the Lyndhurst Public School District after attending Elysian Charter School in Hoboken from grades 3-8. When I enrolled at LHS, I only knew a few students, while my peers had already established their friend groups.
Throughout high school, I chased a desire to belong and find a place where I felt I fit in. I found it my senior year when I joined the journalism program with its welcoming and non-judgmental staff.
The best word to describe how it felt to see my work published was euphoric, and once I felt it, I craved more.
I have always had a love for photography and constantly found myself taking pictures of what I found beautiful in the world. That interest grew after I started using a Canon DSLR camera last year in my classroom studio at Bergen County Technical High School in Paramus. For the past two years, I have attended Bergen Tech on a part-time basis and cultivated my love for photography.
My first time taking pictures at an LHS event was at the Wellness Fair in May 2022 when I was assigned to document the event for the Bring Change 2 Mind Committee. I submitted my photos to The Lighthouse and eagerly waited for them to appear on the website. The best word to describe how it felt to see my work published was euphoric, and once I felt it, I craved more.
Ms. Pastor, who advises The Lighthouse, reached out to me at the end of last year asking if I would be interested in taking the journalism class so I could have more opportunities to have my photos featured in The Lighthouse. Without any hesitation, I signed up for journalism.
This year, in addition to taking photos for The Lighthouse, I spend one day a week serving as a photography intern at Zerogram Studio in Hackensack. I am beyond grateful to be learning from my hands-on experiences.
As a photographer, I know I am making a positive impact on people’s lives and contributing to the communities of which I am a part.
In the fall, I will continue incorporating my love for photography as an NJ STARS scholar at Bergen Community College in Lyndhurst. I am so glad I found my passion for photography, and I can’t wait to nurture it in the years to come.
