Inside MyRye.com with Intern Claire Curran

MyRye.com welcomes college and high school interns from the City of Rye throughout the year. One of our interns in the Summer of 2024 was Claire Curran, currently a junior at Rye High School. She completed this Q&A interview with us at the conclusion of her internship.

You can read interviews with various MyRye.com interns. If you have an interest in interning to work on writing, editing, photography or marketing, please get in touch with us.

Your Name: Claire Curran

Your Title: MyRye.com editor

Describe yourself in one word.

Curran: Curious

What appealed to you about local journalism and the MyRye.com internship?

Curran: I’ve always liked writing and was interested in the prospect of learning more about journalism. Doing a local internship both allowed me to learn more about Rye and was very convenient in terms of transportation. 

Describe a typical day during your internship.

Curran: I worked at a summer camp weekdays from 8-3, so on days I went into town to talk to jewelry store owners (my beat was jewelry stores in Rye). I’d leave to go into town at around 3:30pm. I took pictures of the shop owners inside their stores on my phone and then sent them emails with an enclosed questionnaire. On the days I didn’t go into town, I’d log onto my computer for our daily google meets at 4:00pm and edit questionnaires I’d already received. 

Tell us about one or two of your assignments.

Curran: My “beat”, or chosen domain, during my internship with MyRye.com was local jewelry stores. I spent most of my time in the field talking to local business owners and learned some interesting facts – like that Woodrow Jewels first set up shop in Rye in 1985.

What happens at the 10am stand-up meeting?

Curran: This year, because another intern and I also worked as camp counselors while doing our internships, the stand up meetings were held at 4:00pm on google meet to better accommodate our schedules. Stand up meetings usually involved a round robin where everyone shared what they had completed so far in their chosen beat. Afterwards, we discussed upcoming events and whether we would be available to cover them.  

The MyRye.com interns heard from various guest speakers, all with connections to local media. What were three of the more interesting things you learned? 

Curran: 

1. From sports journalist Ethan Sears, I learned how common it is for a player to yell at a journalist when asked questions that feel invasive- and then resume normal contact with the journalist the following day. 
2. From Beatrice Larzul, I learned that some college papers are entirely independent from the schools they are connected to. 
3. From Randall Rothenberg, I learned that advertising isn’t as effective as people imagine it to be because nothing can overcome our intrinsic desire to continue purchasing the things we’ve grown up with.

Do you plan to study writing, English or journalism as part of your academic and extracurricular activities? 

Curran: As a rising junior in high school, I’m not sure what I’d like to study in college, but I’d certainly love to be part of a college paper. I’d also be interested in taking writing classes. 

Will you continue to study writing, English or journalism as part of your academic and extracurricular activities? 

Curran: Yes, I’m part of Rye High School’s Garnet and Black newspaper club and plan to take AP Lang this coming year. I’m also in Zephyr, an art and writing club. 

Thanks Claire!