Taking Pride In A Graduation

Back in 2008 I had the opportunity to meet a young person who would quickly become a big part of my life although I certainly could not and would not have predicted it at the time.

When the owners of the newspaper company I worked for began preparing to launch a new publication I was named editor. One of the things (among many) on my wish list was for a quality photographer. For several weeks I encouraged my publisher to seriously consider hiring someone to handle the new publication’s photographic needs.

I was called into his office one day and he told me to look at a website of a local photographer he had found. He then told me to “keep an open mind” about it because the photographer was a 15-year-old high school student.

My first reaction was to cringe. To me, this was my profession and livelihood and I wasn’t sure how dedicated and reliable a 15-year-old high school student could be. It didn’t mean a high school student couldn’t be talented or even up-to-the task for a little while.

However, newspaper work is a grind. It never ends. Each week you are starting from scratch. Plus we were literally starting from scratch with a new paper during perhaps the worst time to start one.

In all reality, I probably would have vetoed the hire if given the chance. However, my publisher said I was “out-voted 1-1.”

A few days later we set up a meeting to talk with our potential photographer. A somewhat shy, very skinny young lady arrived at our office along with her father. (After all, she wasn’t old enough to drive on her own yet.) The young lady, whose name was Jessica Brown, listened to what we wanted to do in terms of starting a new paper and what it would require in terms of photography.

While I appreciate good photography and know that you have to have it to make any newspaper successful, taking good photos is a skill. It takes more than just holding a camera or having one that costs a good bit of money (although that part certainly helps to some degree.)

I wanted to have someone I could depend on to get quality pictures regardless of the assignment. From that first edition in October 2008, Jessica began taking quality photos edition after edition. From news to features to sports, our paper, which had an established local competitor at the time, easily had the best photographs.

After a year or so we were able to enter the Georgia Press Association contest and Jessica began winning what were the first of a long list of awards. We all ventured to Jekyll Island in the summer for the annual GPA awards convention to see her recognized.

Jessica would eventually win awards from the Georgia Sports Writers Association as well as the National Newspaper Association. We later learned she was the youngest person honored by the GPA.

With each issue and with each passing month and year, Jessica also became somewhat like a niece or even a daughter to me. I watched her excell in high school from academics to drama. I listened to her talk about her ups and downs and acted just like any overprotective father would when she began dating even to the point of getting physically ill when she announced she had a boyfriend.

Later she began battling rheumatoid arthritis and at times it was tough for her to even hold her camera (which I joked weighed as much as she did.) Through it all, she battled on eventually taking pictures at college and professional football games. I sat in the stands at the Georgia Dome when she was selected as one of the photographers for the first-ever Georgia State football game.

She continued to excell in college, always getting high marks in the classroom while continuing to shoot award-winning pictures for the paper we worked for. She went through a tough relationship break-up and I did my best to be there to help her, even if it just meant lending an ear or watching a movie as a distraction or talking on our way to a ballgame or event we were covering.

An added blessing has been the fact that Jessica’s family has also become a family to me in my current home in Winder and it was with great pleasure that I accompanied them last Sunday to watch her graduate from the University of North Georgia.

While I left the paper about six months ago, Jessica has continued to take pictures. She is still mapping out her next steps whether it’s entering the work force full time or continuing with her educational pursuits. Regardless of what she decides, she will do well.

And I can assure you I will continue to be proud of this young lady. A young lady who, to be quite honest, I initially didn’t even want to meet. It’s funny how things work out sometimes. In the end, I certainly got the dependable photographer that I hoped for.

But I gained so much more than that. I gained a second family and I was able to be something of a role model and mentor to a young person. You’ll have to ask her how well I have really done in those areas.

I do know I was as proud as any parent who sat inside that gymnasium in Gainesville last weekend. I know I will continue to be proud in the months and years to come.

Monticello native Chris Bridges is a long-time newspaper columnist. He welcomes feedback from readers of The Monticello News at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.