On December 3, Naomi Vanderlip, a news producer at Good Morning America, came to the International High School at Prospect Heights for a special visit. She came to meet the student journalists in the newspaper elective, discuss her life, and give advice. Naomi also gave the students the opportunity to practice their interviewing skills.
Staff: What do you like and dislike about your job?
Naomi: What I like about my job is that it’s so different every day…The stories are always changing.
Staff: Why are you taking the time to talk to our class?
Naomi: …high school journalism is so important… I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have my high school newspaper….But I didn’t really know it was a career that was possible for me.
I felt I actually wanted to be an English teacher, but I realized that was hard, harder. and like interacting with kids every day is fun, but very, very challenging.
Staff: Was Good Morning, America a specific program you targeted when you were looking for a job? If you had the opportunity to go to Fox News or CNN, would you go?
Naomi: I actually did target Good Morning America, because when I was growing up, I vividly remember, before school, I’d wake up early to go watch Good Morning America. I just liked the vibe of Good Morning America. So, I had my eyes set on it since I was young, and I just loved the ABC family.
Staff: Do you have any advice for students about interviewing?
Naomi: Interviewing is huge because the interview really makes your article or whatever you’re doing.. I think that for interviewing, if someone rejects you at first or says, no, I think to just keep moving on… There are so many people to talk to about what you’re interested in. So, don’t take it to heart.
Staff: When you look at or do something, do you say something to yourself before? Do you? Like, give yourself a pep talk or something?
Naomi: I think I gave myself a pep talk, especially before that interview, because that was probably my hardest interview. I was like, I’m here for a reason; they picked me to do the story for a reason. They could have picked anyone else, but I think they picked me for a reason, so I think being confident in yourself.