Article & Photography by John Morin | Owl Staff
Owl Media’s Content Advisor John Morin is looking forward to working with students on new content about “Unsung Heroes.”
Six years ago, I sat on a bus that was bustling away from the sights and sounds of New York City. Along with Chief Advisor Claudia Brown, I had chaperoned a group of students from HCC’s Journalism Club and Owl Magazine to the College Media Convention.
As the sunlight shifted and disappeared behind the large skyscrapers, we held a brainstorming session. Freshly inspired by all of the guest speakers and events of the past week, we took out our notebooks and scribbled down ideas excitedly (and sometimes even legibly, despite the bumpy ride).
Every once in a while, I would look out through the large windows and catch frames of quintessential NYC: yellow taxis jostling through an intersection; shadowy figures emerging from large columns of billowing steam; sunlight hitting a glass building just right.
During that bus ride, we mapped out the themes for many of the upcoming magazine issues: Freedom, Feel Good, and Destiny, to name a few.
And who could have anticipated just how timely the Destiny Issue would be when it hit stands in 2020?
Recently, the Owl has stepped into its own destiny, making the transition from glossy magazine to online publication, Owl Media.
Now the time has come for us to journey forth into our next theme: Unsung Heros.
The world seems to have been thrown off-kilter over the past few years. Everyday, we are bombarded with news stories of war, disease, and climate disasters. Swimming through so much negativity and fear can be overwhelming.
When times get tough, however, is often when the greatest examples of human kindness and resilience can take center stage.
As Fred Rogers once said: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
I am excited to be working as Content Advisor during such an exciting time for the publication and its staff members. In addition, I will be returning as a guest speaker in MC 208/209 to share my knowledge and experiences with photography.
But more than that, I am interested in seeing the work and growth that will be displayed by the Owl’s wonderful students. Not only is this a time when we need more “helpers,” but it is also important that we have the storytellers and truth-seekers who put a spotlight on those heroes.
As we work together as a team, perhaps we will be bumping elbows with a couple future unsung heroes, as well.