If you like writing, photography, videomaking, or just having a voice on the happenings at Niles North, becoming active in North Star with our online publication may be ideal for you. Even if your schedule is too packed to take Journalism or North Star as a class, you can still add your own unique touch to our site as a freelancer.

North Star Freelancing meetings are after school every Wednesday in room 1335, right by the IRC. The first freelancer meeting will be after school on Wednesday, September 10th.

During freelancer meetings, freelancers brainstorm ideas to cover with the help for North Star staff and then parcel out assignments among themselves.

“A freelancer collaborates with the team on a more relaxed schedule,” Niles North graduate of 2014 and past freelancer Nick Bohm describes. “Usually you’re able to come in, chill with some friends, discuss ideas, and get some work done too.”

Assignments can range from a review of a concert, restaurant, or movie to an opinion piece or news brief. North Star reporters get to write stories that interest them, and for freelancers it is no different. For some, this means writing countless articles about food from cooking it to just eating it.

“I am obsessed with food and wrote a review on a hot dog joint that I really liked, and I was happy to share that experience with others,” Niles North graduate of 2014 and past freelancer Armando Gomez says.

Freelancing offers different advantages for different people. For some, the flexible schedule is desirable. For others, it’s that meetings are after school instead of during the day as a class period. However, the main advantage freelancing offers is the opportunity to test out North Star as a club and cultivate journalistic skills before taking North Star as a class.

“If you are interested in North Star and what it has to offer, but aren’t sure if you want to be fully involved or if it couldn’t fit into your schedule, become a freelancer! It is a great experience and I’m sure you’ll [want to] take the class afterwards. If I didn’t become a freelancer my senior year, I definitely would have taken the class, ” Gomez advises.

As a freelancer, you are an honorary member of North Star and likewise are invite to the bounding events we attend.

“Even though I wasn’t taking the actual class, I was still able to join in on North Star events such as movie nights, which were pretty fun,” Gomez says.

Past bounding events have included apple picking, attending a roller derby bout, playing “Just Dance,” watching movies, pizza nights, and eating lots of food.

Contact one of our sponsors, Mr. Silverberg and Mr. Mormolstein, or a North Star staff member if you have further questions about freelancing.

If you are an ambitious writer, photographer, filmmaker, or a total trendsetter, we hope to you see you at our first freelancer meeting Wednesday!