The Covington News, your favorite community newspaper, is filled with opportunity for students in the community to get their feet wet in the world of media. You may not know this, but The News offers internships in just about every aspect of the newspaper business.

So you don’t have to hear my rambling about why internships are probably the smartest thing an aspiring professional can do, I’ve included some stories from previous interns of The News to help you understand just what we have to offer.

We are always accepting applications for new interns, and if you’re interested in applying let me know.

Tory Bouchillon, homeschooled, photography 

Being an intern at The Covington News was such a great experience. For starters, it led to a job there. So now, not only do I get to take pictures for the paper, but I also get paid for it. While an intern, I learned Photoshop and how to use it to edit pictures for the print and online editions.  I experienced working inside The Covington News, including attending meetings, so I got to see a lot about how the paper is put together every week.

Working at The Covington News has shown me a lot about myself and has helped me figure out what I might want to do for a career. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone considering a career in journalism or anything in a similar field.

Brian Worton, Georgia State University, multimedia

Bright-eyed high school or college students, if you ever get the chance to walk to an office every day for six months while you learn how to do someone else’s job… do it. I can only say that, because I did it too. Now, I’m not saying you have to walk, by all means, if you have a car, drive it.  If I had a functioning car and a driver’s license, I wouldn’t have walked. I actually enjoyed it until I came upon the blisteringly hot, humid days of February. Regardless, three years ago I started interning at The Covington News.

My job as an intern was simple. It was my duty to help the former web master with his daily tasks as well as to assist with anything that came up in the office.

It was also my duty to learn. When you’re an intern, study the job you’re interning under, but more importantly, study the person who does the job. How do they balance their time and workload? How do they conduct themselves in a situation they are struggling in? It’s important to do these things, because you won’t always have an assignment when you come into an office. Some days, there just isn’t anything going on, and other days there is too much going on so there is no time to prepare an assignment or task. Use that time to shine. When you can show that you don’t need someone to create a task for you and you can successfully manage your time responsibly by yourself, you’re showing that you are maturing as a potential employee.

In my early days as an intern, I went ahead and tackled the online training necessary to become a web master in two weeks rather than the expected two months. This not only separated me from the previous interns who failed to show a commitment to the potential of having the job, but it showed that I excelled in adapting and learning. It also meant that I sped up the process of my internship by getting the training out of the way and utilizing the new time I had to prepare for the job.

What went from a situation where I was expected to get a job under the webmaster after a year of interning turned into a situation where I became the webmaster after 6 months of interning. The News trusted that I was ready and capable of the job. I was, and it was a successful internship.

Tyler Williams, Georgia State University, sports writer

To say that my time as an intern with The Covington News was an incredible experience would be a complete understatement. It has been more than incredible, and honestly more than words could describe. As someone who became interested in journalism since I first discovered my love for writing and telling stories, this opportunity could not have come at a better time.

I still remember it vividly. I nervously sat and talked with our Sports Editor Gabriel Stovall, about potentially becoming an intern, and when it came to fruition, I could not contain my excitement. However, little did I know how fast I would be “learning the ropes” of journalism.

My first event I covered with Gabriel as an intern was a Newton basketball game, and when I say he threw me into the fire, I mean it. After a few minutes of chatting and learning, I was covering basketball the way he normally does on my very first day. From that first day as an intern, I have been consistently learning new ways to expand my skills in this amazing field. What’s even more amazing is when I notice how much I have progressed since that very first day.

I owe my time and my constant learning to The Covington News, specifically Gabriel, as the reason I have gotten my foot further into the door of the world of journalism, something I want to make a living  doing one day. He has taught me how to push myself to get better with each story I write. My internship with The Covington News was so successful, I have now graduated from that spot and become a part-time Sports Writer for the company.

Even if you are not necessarily interested in the journalism aspect of things, interning with The Covington News provides so many different opportunities to grow in several fields. Everyone is so welcoming and easy to work with, and the environment is easy going and friendly, which is why I would recommend taking an internship with them.

Jackie Gutknecht is the managing editor of The Covington News. She can be contacted at jgutknecht@covnews.com. Twitter:@jackieg1991