During the last 100 years of The Reporter’s publications

, hundreds of students worked on the PHS journalism staff. Many alumni pursued careers in journalism or related fields.
Brooklyn Harmon, ‘22 grad, former ads manager, now works as a professional photographer.
Harmon said her interest in photography led her to pursue a career in journalism.
“I joined journalism because I really wanted the free camera to use, honestly,” Harmon said. “I loved doing photoshoots with my friends and going around Paola to find new spots. It was also really fun to be on the sidelines of games to take photos.”
Harmon said her favorite memory came from accidentally ruining her new camera within the first week.
“I signed up for a DSLR camera, took it home for the first weekend,” Harmon said. “Then I came back to the journalism room crying because I had accidentally put it through the washing machine.”
Although the first year of high school journalism felt rough, Harmon said she now feels confident and less stressed because of how journalism pushed her.
“People who were in journalism have a strong work ethic, and I think that those things that used to stress me out in high school now seem like simple tasks because of the way journalism shaped me,” Harmon said. “Deadlines now seem easier, and it’s not so much of a culture shock with the workforce.”
Managing the journalism staff for 30 years, Kevin Gray, former adviser, worked with staff from 1977 to 2007.
Gray said he considers the journalism students as his own.
“I still refer to those past students as ‘My kids,’” Gray said. “I was there to provide the necessary basics and guidance before stepping back to let them fly on their own.”
During this three decades as adviser, Gray said he faced the challenges of evolving technology.
“We started with one, just one, small Mac Classic,” Gray said. “I saw this as a fancy typewriter.”
Gray said he created a special bond with Phil Scott, ’79 grad.
“Phil Scott, from my first staff, had so much energy that I always sent him out of the
classroom daily on errands or to check on stories,” Gray said. “He was a great writer and had so many ideas.”
Another alumni, Francesca Chambers, ‘06 grad, works as a White House correspondent for USA Today. Chambers said she still feels awe at the amazing chances offered through journalism.
“The opportunity to be in the White House, asking questions of the President of the United States and world leaders that have the potential to change the course of history is something I’ll never get over,” Chambers said.
Chambers said she faces countless struggles while working as a White House correspondent.
“Your schedule isn’t your own. I like to say that Air Force One waits for one person – and that person is not you,” Chambers said. “The hours are long. And during election season, you’re on the road for weeks on end. It’s both exhilarating and exhausting.”
Chambers said she experienced one of these trips while working with Kamala Harris, 2024 Democratic presidential candidate.
“Last year, there was one occasion where I didn’t leave a rally site until almost midnight and had to take edits on a story by phone,” Chambers said. “I drove from Kalamazoo, Mich., to the Chicago suburbs en route to Milwaukee, where I was scheduled to interview Scandal-star Kerry Washington at an event the next morning.”
For more interviews from former Reporter staff members, scan the QR code.