T-Squared: The Kids Are All Right

We're winding down the summer here at Trib HQ, which means it's not too late to thank our interns before they get back to their regular routine of cracking open books and beers. We had a hell of a good crop chosen from a pleasingly large pool of able applicants enrolled at colleges in and out of Texas. We promised them no scut work, and we mostly obliged; they promised us they'd behave honorably and professionally, representing the Tribune brand as if they had everything at stake — which they did, and they more than upheld their end of the bargain. We warned them this wasn't a teaching hospital, that — to abruptly shift metaphors — we intended to throw them in the deep end without floaties in the name of learning the ropes. They stepped up.

Led by our intrepid intern coordinator, Brandi Grissom, our merry band of interns reported and wrote like they'd been at this for a long time, publishing both stories and blog posts all throughout June and July (and they're not slowing down in August). They pitched ideas, as staff members do; they were vigorously edited, as staff members are; they fought over edits, as staff members can and will. And, once their stories saw the light of day, they bore the brunt of angry phone calls, as staff members must. In short, they got a full-immersion short course in what it means to be 21st century practitioners of the art and craft of journalism.

I salute them, and you should, too. They are the future of this thing we do, and they're remarkably optimistic and high-spirited at a time when few in our business are. Their schools should be proud of what they accomplished. They themselves should be. Remember their names.

Pictured above, from left to right: Kate Ergenbright, the University of Texas; Ryan Murphy, UT; Sarah Acosta, Southern Methodist University; Allen Reed, Texas State University; Elizabeth Titus, Stanford University; Forrest Burnson, University of the South; and Sarah Adler, Northwestern University (go Wildcats!). Not pictured: Bobby Cervantes, UT.