Kelly Stewart

Staff Writer

As many students prepare for summer, senior are planning out the next step in their lives. Some want to go into business, some think a career in medicine would be good for them but for seniors like Joelta Seneh, nothing is quite like the fast-paced world of Broadcast Media.

Though she has not decided on a college to attend, Seneh has an interest for broadcast journalism, as well as other forms of media, including behind the scenes film production. Her interest in these areas began with her acceptance as a staff member on KCBY.

“[I got interested in KCBY], because I really liked watching it at school, I loved it,” Seneh said. “I really wanted to be a part of it.”

Seneh is currently a broadcast news reporter for KCBY, where she brings a unique world view to the staff.

“Joelta is very inquisitive, she has done a nice job all year reporting on solid stories that are newsworthy,” KCBY director Irma Kennedy said. “She has a different perspective and a different awareness about global issues that affect people all around the world. I think that could bring a different lens to the way she tells a story through broadcast journalism.”

With family ties all the way to Africa, Seneh is in a good position to seek out stories that affect not only the students at Coppell High School, but people around the world, as well, while still making it relevant. It is these same family ties that drives Seneh to go to college in the first place.

“I’m going to be the first one to go to college [in my family],” Seneh said. “That’s what my dad told me about a year ago. So I want to go to college to be the first one, and so I can get a better job, and so I can help my family back in Africa.”

Evidence of her work ethic and talent for the broadcast media area can be found in the work she does in KCBY, where she works tirelessly to bring stories to the students of CHS.

“When she did a convergence piece on the Coppell Community Gardens, it was something outside of CHS,” Kennedy said. “But she had all of the elements of good story-telling, she had lots of b-roll, and she went back as many times as it took to get what she needed, even if she happened to be standing there in 20 degree weather.”

Her KCBY classmates will certainly miss her after she is gone.

“[I enjoyed] her enthusiasm,” junior KCBY member Caitlyn Monse said. “And her willingness to get the job done, as well as give really good quality segments and make sure [the story] is really news worthy.”

As she looks toward prospective jobs, Seneh hopes that her career in broadcast journalism will blossom into a career making films behind the scenes.

“[My dream is to] make hit movies, hopefully,” Seneh said. “Or, I want to be in flash media as a double major. I want to work for Universal, because they make a lot of really good movies.”

But even as she looks to the future, there are always the memories of high school and KCBY for her to look back on.

“I will definitely miss my teacher, Mrs. Kennedy. She is awesome,” Seneh said. “As for high school in general, I will miss having more time [to complete work]. I will also miss my friends and all of my classes.”