In the 7th grade, Jeannette began working for the school paper. What did she learn about unpleasant people, reporters, and the world news?

In seventh grade Jeannette is the first person her age to work for the school newspaper, The Maroon Wave. She seeks it out as a place where she can belong and have an identity without worrying about people teasing her for being poor or dirty or criticizing her parents. At the newspaper Jeannette also has access to news stories from around the country and she gains a better understanding of the world. During her work with the school newspaper Jeannette discovers what she wants to do with her life and what she later ends up doing: journalism. It is important that she not keep her work to herself or experience it alone, like her mother, but rather that it exist as a dialogue between her and the rest of the world.

She loved it all. In her life she's a nobody from a po dunk town but she's powerful as a reporter. Jeannette feels empowered with the duty to report what's going on. Jeannette has found her place in life and has passion for it.