Our internship program provides college and high school students with practical journalism experience. More than just writing news stories, the program teaches students how to talk to people, conduct interviews, and conduct themselves professionally.
Here’s what our interns are learning and why they joined:
Skills Development
- Interns are trained to conduct interviews, write news articles, and learn the workflow of a local newsroom.
- They practice fact-based reporting and clear, objective writing, particularly for Small Business Spotlight articles.
- Interns receive personalized feedback, with a focus on creating impactful headlines and mastering the posting process.
Program Insights
During a recent meeting, we discussed professional communication and journalistic integrity.
- Interns were shown how to manage their own story assignments and update progress using an organized posting group.
- Kiser emphasized the importance of clear communication, explaining, “As journalists, we strike out all the extra words and get straight to the point.”
Why They Joined
Each intern shared their unique reasons for joining Potomac Local News:
- Jazbia Fasih Chaudhry, from Colgan High School in Woodbridge, said, “I wanted to try something new and gain journalism experience.”
- Rosa Rivera, from Osbourn High School in Manassas, joined because she aspires to pursue a writing career: “This internship is a great opportunity to build my skills for the future.”
- Aya Karouane, of Stafford, recently promoted to Content Manager, noted, “I joined to learn more about my community. Now, I feel more connected to what’s happening locally.”
Real-World Challenges
The interns practice reaching out to local businesses for interviews, facing the real-world challenge of obtaining responses.
- “The hard part is getting people to respond,” Kiser told the group, “but persistence pays off, especially when promoting unique local businesses.”
Our interns are looking to interview small bsuiness owners to write stories about businesses in our community. We’re providing This FREE service to the community in exchange for allowing our interns to interview them. If interested, please email us.
We’re thrilled to introduce our new intern, Jazbia Fasih Chaudhry, a 17-year-old senior from Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School in Prince William County.
With a passion for journalism and mechanical engineering, Jazbia is excited to dive into community reporting. Reflecting on why journalism matters, she says, “Community journalism is important because it helps people stay informed about what’s happening in their neighborhoods. It gives a voice to residents and helps build a sense of belonging.”
Jazbia’s interest in journalism is paired with a creative flair—she has experience in video editing and graphic design for her local mosque. Outside of journalism, she has a wide range of hobbies. “I absolutely love pilates, journaling, playing basketball, and listening to Brent Faiyaz,” she said. She also admits, “I watch too much Formula 1,” showing her passion for sports and competition.
When asked what she loves most about her community, Jazbia emphasized its diversity. “The best thing about my community is its diversity. I love learning new things about other cultures, religions, and ways of living. It helps people get past their differences and live together peacefully,” she said.
During her internship at Potomac Local News, Jazbia hopes to achieve something meaningful. “One thing I wish to have accomplished when I leave PLN is building good professional relationships and feeling more motivated to continue journalism.”
We’re excited to have her on board and look forward to the contributions she’ll make.
My interns, Amelia Breeden and Madina Habib of Osbourn High School and Jacqueline Vontersch of Elon University, a Woodbridge native, joined me at the ribbon cutting of RapidFlight. The firm uses 3-D printers to make unmanned aerial drones and announced a $5 million expansion, adding more than 100 new employees.
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Please welcome our newest meeting documenter, reporter Jacqueline Vontersch, who comes to us from Elon University and lives in Prince William County. PLN meeting documenter reporters are a community of trained and paid residents who report on local government meetings in PLN's coverage area.
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We've welcomed our newest spring intern. Please meet Paris Goodman, 18, who comes to us from the Spotsylvania County Public Schools Work-based Learning Program.
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We’ve welcomed our newest group of newsroom interns, and I want to take a moment to introduce you to the young men and women who are working with us here at Potomac Local News.
I’ve worked with multiple interns from our area colleges and secondary schools since 2018. Each of them stepped up and became an essential part of our team while learning how to navigate the digital local news landscape, from posting content to our website and writing original news stories, all while building relationships with business owners and elected officials across all of the communities we serve.
Each has had a front row to the first draft of local history. Many have moved on to attend universities like NYU, Syracuse, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Virginia Tech and have found employment in the industry. We continue to accept interns (please email for more information).
Please meet Bekah Whittacre, 18, and Deshaun Jefferson, 17, who will graduate high school in May. They come to us from the Stafford County Public Schools Work-based Learning Program.
Whittacre is a senior at Colonial Forge High School, where she’s gained experience in freelance design and large-scale printing. Jefferson is a senior at Stafford High School and comes to us with prior experience covering breaking news at his school.
Q: Why do you think community journalism is essential?
Whittacre: Community journalism helps people stay aware of all the many events that go on, even under their noses. Hearing and learning about all the little things that go on in my area gives me a better perspective of the community I live in, and I want to work for PLN because I can get a background view of all the news that is presented.
Jefferson: It answers the important questions and concerns the community may have, thus bridging the information gap. Our job as journalists is to be a liaison between bureaucracy/businesses and the populace, which is crucial to creating an educated, informed community.
Q: What’s your past professional experience? (work experience, school or civic clubs, education level, etc.)
Whittacre: I have lots of general experience in various random jobs such as leadership, stage and technical theatre, graphic design, freelance design, and large-scale printing. I have been certified in a 10-hour OSHA course and Print-ED.
Jefferson: My professional experience consists mainly of my time in the Stafford High School newspaper, the Smoke Signal. My time at Smoke Signal has been a great learning experience. I’ve learned about human interaction and how to work in dynamic situations, such as a mysterious virus that spread through Stafford High School in 2022 after our homecoming dance. My brief about the virus was featured on washingtonpost.com.
Q: What do you like best about the community in which you live?
Whittacre: I love how versatile everyone is. I think what makes a truly great community is the ability to coexist despite varying viewpoints — and our Goodwill thrift stores.
Jefferson: One thing I really enjoy about my community is how understanding and accepting the people are. It seems that I could have a civil discussion with almost anybody about any topic, which makes our community very close.
Q: When not working, what do you like to do for fun?
Whittacre: I do lots of theatre right after school, both general school productions and also our competition shows. I like to design and storyboard [loose, sketchy drawings to make bigger, more finished projects]. I also enjoy reading novels and various classics my mom recommends. If I had more time (and money), I could also go to one of the local gyms and weightlift because I love lifting. It makes me feel powerful and in control of myself.
Jefferson: I typically watch endurance motor racing, a sport I hope to cover as a journalist. Endurance racing intrigues me because there is so much nuance and regulation involved, yet it is still highly competitive and enjoyable to watch. I also enjoy European football (aka Soccer), my recent passion.
Q: When you leave PLN, what is one thing you hope to have accomplished?
Whittacre: I hope to adopt a good organizational system that keeps me on track with assignments and dates. I struggle with organizing important dates sometimes, and having something not school-related is already helping me keep track of everything I have to do.
Jefferson: I hope to have become a journalist capable of performing nearly every task involved in a newsroom; Tasks such as managing, editing, gathering content, or posting content. I believe a great workplace is one in which anyone can do any job because it allows the business to continue running smoothly and efficiently in the event of a team member’s absence.
We've welcomed our newest group of newsroom interns, and I want to take a moment to introduce you to the young men and women who are working with us here at Potomac Local News.
