Senior Michael Pearce tends to be a familiar face in the halls, whether he is seen biweekly in the newscast or once a month on his sports column in the Fenton InPrint. Pearce will soon be granted in April to be on the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s Student Journalism Staff for his accomplishments in both newspaper and the newscast presented on his online portfolio he created and updated as an assignment in Advanced Journalism during his junior year.

“It’s really cool to be one of the top 16 journalists in the state and I put a lot of hard work into this portfolio that I submitted,” Pearce said. “Being on both staffs, I have to balance so it made me a lot better at responsibility and time management. I learned a lot about journalism because I worked in both fields. If I was only on one staff rather than both, I wouldn’t be as good as I am now.”

Being on both staffs, Pearce was required to showcase his achievements in print journalism as well as multimedia journalism in his portfolio. In the video room, he is one of the five producers on the newscast.

“Michael Pearce has brought a lot of enthusiasm, and he’s raised the bar of creativity, is a good editor and a well-rounded student,” newscast adviser Rich Ashley said. “He’s been with me as a student since his freshman year in basic video. He’s going to be exceptional at Oakland University and I see him raising the bar and taking the journalism program much farther than it’s already gone.”

Pearce’s school hours are not only limited to Ashley’s video room but as well as Fenton InPrint adviser Pam Bunka’s room.

“I think having MIPA name the student journalist staff really recognizes the dedication and work some students are able and willing to do and how they want to exceed the bar,” Bunka said. “Michael is fearless and is willing to speak his opinion even if it may not be a popular opinion. I believe we need more people like Michael, not just on the newspaper staff but in the world.”

Pearce will be recognized on April 18, during the MIPA Spring Conference with the opportunity to be named All-MIPA in the multiplatform category or JEA’s Journalist of the Year.