Gerardo Herrera youth journalist

gerardo herrera
youth journalist

BIO: Gerardo Herrera-Cortes is a prospective High School Senior (class of 2015), an AP diplomat, an advocate of sorts. He currently holds a job and balances his straining school year. He ranks among the highest in his class and has the insight for success. During his free time, he creatively writes or attempts to research something to do. Although seemingly introverted, he sneaks between the cracks and seeks opportunities. He wishes to become more interactive during his senior year and become well-known. He has his eyes on valedictorian and wishes to attend either the University of Maryland, College Park or some university in California in the fall of 2015.

the interview

 Define Journalist?  
A journalist would be anyone who has the desire to expose or thoroughly investigate a current event or topic and write about it.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?  
I draw my inspiration for motivation from either my English teacher, Mrs. Boyd, who have been of great support for me, or from myself, who desires to defeat previous feats or anticipated goals.


What inspired you to be a journalist?   
Under personal terms, I do not see myself as a journalist. I prefer the term of “aspiring writer” because journalism is a single-lane road as writing is a multi-lane highway. What inspired me to be an “aspiring writer” were the chances of retaining imagination in words—in words and phrases and in foreign scripture that could live for centuries upon centuries. Of course, I wish for any of my prospective works to reach this goal, but it will take patience and motivation. What also inspired me was my love for persuasion and keeping a professional take in writing—using grammar and punctuation for complicated clauses or advanced vocabulary to fit the greatest of tastes—more of a technical aspect, really.

Why is what you do important?   
What makes writing, or journalism to be specific, important? My dear friend, writing is pragmatically the foundation of everything! Without writing, we will be left with the flaws of speech and memorization; inference and advocacy. For journalism, we will be without knowledge of the world beyond us—the world that is China, India, or Europe. The availability of technology advances journalism and promotes it. We must take this task at hand and use it to our advantage.

What do you think is the most important tool for a journalist?   
The most important tool for a journalist would be the power to persuade. Almost every story has its point of view from which an interesting feature can be written. You have to persuade your readers into thinking it's interesting and appealing to them!

What advice do you have for someone that wants to be a student journalist?  
For anyone who is seeking to be a student journalist is to improve your writing and methods of organizing your thoughts and information; as well as seek opportunities to hit your cover story and gain popularity. Hey! Maybe you'll make it into the New York Times.

What is an interesting fact about you?   
An interesting fact about myself would be my ability to empathize with human thought and emotion and become apathetic to common events and situations; in more technical terms, an interesting fact would be that I have a slight OCD for organization.

Where are you from / Where do you live?   
I don't have a favorite journalist. In broader terms, my favorite reporter would be eitherCNN's Anderson Cooper or Univision's Jorge Ramos—strikingly similar, I tell you.

Who is your favorite journalist?   
I don't have a favorite journalist. In broader terms, my favorite reporter would be either CNN's Anderson Cooper or Univision's Jorge Ramos—strikingly similar, I tell you.

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
This is the question I attempt to avoid. In five years, I hope to have something creatively written that's worth talking about. College is a must, but uncertain; as is my social life and my independence (but it's more of a certainty for the latter).


Communication-Op! I can be contacted through [email protected] and I respond ASAP; I also have a Twitter (@loud_yet_silent). I have a MySpace too, if you're interested. (Excuse my dry humor).