Aleah Bikle is a North Harford High School alumna that took several Journalism classes while in high school. These classes allowed her to improve upon many of her skills. “Through taking journalism, I was able to improve in certain skills such as communication, leadership, organization, time management, accountability, and design. One of the primary abilities journalism gifted me was the freedom to share my opinions and ideas with others who were willing to listen,” Bikle states.

    Now that she is a high school graduate and in college, she has carried these skills with her, assisting her in her daily life as well. This has helped her in both her social skills as well as her writing and, even, her personality. Bikle says, “I truly believe that if I hadn’t taken Journalism, college would have been a completely different experience. I am now a student who reaches out to my teachers before the semester even starts to introduce myself and explain my excitement in starting the course.”

    In other years before Journalism, she “wouldn’t even think of doing that. I found that when you reach out first, you create a connection with your professor that is already comfortable,” allowing her to do better in class in a more comfortable environment. Her new social skills allowed her to create new friends, social skills, and confidence. “Through conducting interviews, I talked to more people than I ever did the first two years of high school. Journalism propelled me into this new social world where I got to meet amazing people and reach even more through my writing,” Bikle adds.

    Along with that skill, she gained another valuable skill- time management.  “Learning time management skills through submitting articles or page designs also imprinted in my mind just how important deadlines and due dates are in college,” Bikle says, “Once I receive my workload for that class at the beginning of the week, I start working on completing it right away, finishing it early rather than procrastinating and waiting the night before it’s due to save me from any extra stress and a jam-packed weekend.”

    After high school, she majored in Pre-Nursing at Harford Community College. Her “hope is to find enjoyment through a career in medicine,” Bikle states, “I’ve always known that I wanted to be someone who can help others alleviate problems. I think that a career in the medical field will be beneficial to my growth as a human being.”

    When writing, she already had the confidence to write in English class, however, Journalism is something completely different. Through this class, she gained new confidence in her writing while learning a completely new style, which is important when writing for length, various topics, along with general communication “to express their thoughts with clarity and ease.”

    Lastly, Bikle has advice for current Journalism students about how they can use their skills to help them in college and life. “I understand any nerves that come about while expressing opinions, conducting interviews, or even asking for help, believe me, I’ve been there, done that. Nerves were always something that I viewed as negative. I learned through opportunities that journalism provided me, that nerves can become a positive thing. Instead of weighing myself down with doubts, I embraced them every time I interviewed someone or broadcasted my voice throughout the entire school on the announcements or even when I co-hosted Mr. North Harford!” 

    Through this newfound perspective, she learned that “it’s okay to ask questions on what you don’t know and prepare to conquer your weaknesses. I’ve made so many lifelong friends and family and it truly amazes me how much my outlook on life has changed through taking this one class. I went from being the quiet kid to a social butterfly and I couldn’t be more grateful. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou that will always replay in the back of my mind… ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’”