By Laurie Melchionne, Editor in Chief

On Friday, February 11, The Argo editorial staff received a warm welcome in the library of Holy Spirit High School in Absecon for a recruitment visit. Orchestrated by former editor-in-chief Alexa Loreaux, who now teaches English at the school, The Argo editorial staff presented journalism practices to a group of soon-to-be Stockton freshmen.

Dr. John Froonjian, President of The Argo Board of Directors and Executive Director of the William J. Hughes Center, accompanied the staff on the visit.

“I always ask students why should you care about journalism,” Dr. Froonjian said to the audience. “You serve the public, and are constantly meeting new and interesting people for your job.”

In addition to his work with The Argo and teaching journalism at Stockton, Froonjian spent more than 30 years as a reporter for The Press of Atlantic City.

Students engaged with the presentation, asking a variety of questions that related to journalism and how they could fit their evolving skills with The Argo in the future.

“Reporting really has made me a better person,” Dr. Froonjian said when one of the students asked him how journalism has changed his life. “When you go out into the community, you really grow to be emphatic toward people. Whether there is a disease out there that is killing people, or if a killer is on trial, it is your job to report the facts to the community, and it exposes you to all kinds of people who really make an impact on you.”

The visit allowed the editorial staff to meet new potential writers while offering incoming students an early sneak peek at all things Stockton news here at The Argo.