From America Reads I learned about the public school system in Prince George County. Being from out of state I didn't know that much about the county, but in the training sessions of America Reads they teach you about it. I learned that black or African Americans are the majority in the county. I also learned that 9.3% of the population live below the poverty line, which is roughly 2.5% percent more than the population of Montgomery County.
I learned that these children, although a lot younger than me, had experienced much more loss and pain than I have. In the few weeks I was there, I learned of death of siblings, parents living in different countries and the reasons why the children couldn't come to school all the time.
I learned that resilience happens at a young age for these children as they have to push through a lot of road blocks. All three of my children were curious to learn; having their sessions with me wasn't a burden, it was something they looked forward to as they would run out of the classroom to me when I came in to get them.
"Don’t do this for the money, do it because you love writing or helping people" - Jennifer Baileys
From Krauth and Baileys I learned that being a journalist is not an easy job, it's not about having your name known or being seen on TV. Being a journalist is being brave and facing the critics to get the people the information they need. It doesn't always have the best pay and newspapers all over the country are beginning to disappear, but the need of news will never disappear.
Krauth told me it's important to build up data skills because it's something she wish she knew more of. Being a journalist you wouldn't think you'd need to know a lot of data skills, but it's more prevalent than most aspiring journalists think.
Baileys emphasized the importance of triple checking your sources. Having a source's name spelled wrong or a word left out can change things drastically and a mistake that can be avoided if sources are triple checked. She also said to make sure whatever you're speaking is factual and not made up. Be your own critic when proofreading.