Starting this week and through mid-June, our readers will start seeing bylines from our New Canaan High School senior intern Hannah Tiller. She’s coming to us through the hugely popular and successful NCHS Senior Internship Program, which the community missed out on last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Canaan High School senior Hannah Tiller is the New Canaanite intern from mid-May to mid-June 2021.
We put some questions to Hannah ahead of our the program, which formally starts at dozens of local businesses and organizations on Tuesday.
Here’s our exchange.
New Canaanite: Tell us a little about yourself—for example, what New Canaan schools did you attend before high school, what are your interests and extracurriculars, and have you been participating in sports at NCHS?
I am a current senior at NCHS and have been in the New Canaan Public School system my whole life. In school, I’ve spent my time running cross country and track and participating in the Staying Put in New Canaan Club. I also enjoy cooking a new recipe or getting outdoors in my free time!
When did you get interested in journalism?
While I’ve always had a hunger to write, I found myself interested in journalism at the suggestion of my sophomore year English teacher, Michael McAteer. Building upon my graphics and Photoshop knowledge, I fell in love with the hunt to uncover school news and students’ stories. In the past two years I’ve explored the versatility of journalism in video, podcast, and layout.
What has your experience been like with the NCHS Courant?
When I joined the Courant junior year of high school, I jumped at the opportunity to try everything. I became a media editor for my love of graphics, but gained experience in writing and interviewing to become Editor-in-Chief. During my time with the Courant, I’ve covered any topic from race and equity to the school quarterback’s football season.
What, if anything, can you share about your post-NCHS plans?
I’m planning on attending the University of Michigan next year in Ann Arbor. Go Blue!
Mike, you hit a home run, won the lottery, struck gold – choose whatever cliche works. Your intern is amazingly intelligent, talented, committed.