Becket McDuffie

Hello! I’m Becket McDuffie, a rising junior at Palos Verdes High school, California. I am heavily involved in my school whether it be lacrosse, academics, or clubs. I am a part of a national charity league where I can serve my community and do my real passion, which is helping others. This correlates perfectly with my passion for journalism, which began with my middle school teacher Mrs. Demerjian who taught Sea King News, the schools news program. At first I just took the class because I heard it was easy and I didn’t have to do anything, but my teacher slowly pushed me to create news packages around the school. I began to enjoy finding the story in things and in people and was eager to learn more. I became the anchor for the schools news show and that is when I figured out this is what I wanted to do in my future.

Fast forward to high school, I tried out for Live From 205, one of the top-ranked broadcast journalism programs in the country, knowing I had a very slim chance of making it. Everybody knew that freshmen never made it, but somehow, with the help of Mrs. Demerjian, I became one of two freshmen in the class. Being one of the only freshmen was tough in a class full of seniors, but I had an amazing teacher in Mr. Beaucar to guide me. Over my first two years, I was a sports reporter. I reported on sports games, learned how to find a story in anybody, and how to work in teams to meet a deadline.

At the end of my sophomore year I decided to take another leap. I tried out for general news anchor which was a position in the past that had always gone to a senior. Once again I did not expect to make it, but somehow, I landed the position. So next year, I will be the second ever junior general news anchor in the program. I will continue to take risks and grow, and hope to study journalism either as a major or a minor at a four year university.