By Kate Elsbury

With the plethora of camps to choose, from classic sporting days to reading workshops in the afternoon during the summer, selecting which to attend can seem to be a daunting task. If you are at a loss for which one to pick, senior Luke Maddock recommends University of Iowa Summer Journalism Workshops.

Not knowing what to do with his summer, Luke got an email from his English teacher Mrs. Gage suggesting he attend a camp all about journalism. Sceptical at first, Luke wasn’t sure if that’s was the way he wanted to spend his summer. After much thought, he finally packed his bags and decided to take the journey.

On Sunday night in late July, Luke found himself at the University of Iowa preparing for the long week of journalism ahead. Along with Luke, 200 to 300 other students from various schools were also getting settled in and ready for the week on campus. “I didn’t think it would be any fun,” he says. “I thought it was going to be school 2.0.”

A typical day consisted of waking up in your dorm and attending morning class. Released at noon, next on the agenda were lunch and free time. Afternoon class, dinner, and evening class soon followed. The students were released to do as they pleased after evening class, often spending their time roaming the streets of Iowa City.

Luke took part in four classes during the week, which focused on the topics of designing newspaper and magazine pages, photography, photo editing, and covering stories. For him, the worst part of these classes were the instructors. “They treated us like kindergarteners who didn’t know anything,” he says.

One student in particular flourished from these classes. Luke’s roommate, who spent the entirety of the week working in their dorm, won an award for a graphic design he had created. “It was amazing,” Luke says. “He spent all of his time in our dorm. I’d come back at night after free time and he would still be working on his design.”

Just like hard work paid off for Luke’s roommate, a few days of learning in class sure prepared some students for conducting real life interviews of their own. One of Luke’s classes received the opportunity to interview the Cedar Rapids Kernels baseball team. They were invited to watch a game and interview the players afterwards. This was Luke’s favorite part of the week, and is a memory that still clings close almost half a year later.

It turns out that good things can come from stepping out of your comfort zone. Looking back at a week that he thought would be awful, Luke is glad he went. “It sort of gave me an idea of what college could be like,” he says. Sleeping in a dorm, meeting new people, enjoying free time, and attending some class provided Luke with many memories of a week he won’t be likely to forget anytime soon.

After attending the camp, Luke has discovered a new found respect for journalism. He has made the decision to attend Carthage College to major in the subject. If he hadn’t of recieved the opportunity from Mrs. Gage to experiece this camp, he would still be confused as to where he wants his life to go. Through his time at the camp, Luke has made great friends, learned new things, and collected memories that will last a lifetime.