Every organization has that one person who, behind the scenes, makes the show run. Whether it was ensuring the staff writers had their stories in on time or doing behind-the-scenes work on the website, Erioluwa Fatimilehin was instrumental in keeping The CHAT running throughout her high school journalism career.
Fatimilehin started journalism in her freshman year, joining Faran Fagen’s Intro to Journalism class and even getting recommended to move up to the newspaper class a year early. However, due to hesitation and an unfamiliarity with the class, she decided to opt against it, instead joining when she was a sophomore.
In that same year, she took over the Alumni section of the CHAT newspaper, publishing more stories than any other Alumni editor in CHAT history. The section continues to thrive after her departure, showcasing the impact she had on it.
“I’m very happy to see how [the section] has been over the past couple of years,” comments Fatimilehin. “I like to think that I helped Alumni become the best it could be.”
Following her sophomore year, she was chosen to become the Arts & Entertainment editor, which is one of the largest sections in the CHAT. She had over 90 stories published within the year and earned the “She Will Rock You” award.
“[That award] is something that I really wanted in my junior year,” Fatimilehin asserts. “I’m really happy that I actually got it.”
Although everybody in the newspaper told her that she was effectively a shoo-in for Co-Managing Editor for her senior year, she still doubted whether or not she would get the position or not.
“When they were interviewing for the Co-Managing Editor position, it was definitely scary,” Fatimilehin remarks. “There were a lot of great competitors, so it was very difficult to know i would get it for a fact.”
Alas, her hard work behind the scenes finally paid off when she got called out with her other Co-Managing Editor, Marlee Jaworski, by the core 4 leaders of the class. They were both praised for their accomplishments and given the responsibility to help each other manage the CHAT.
“Getting that position was just magical to me,” claims Fatimilehin. “I’ve wanted to achieve it for so long, so finally seeing it come to fruition is kind of crazy.”
However, Fatimilehin isn’t just a pro in the newsroom; outside of her time as a journalist, she is an avid volunteer at both Memorial Hospital West’s mother and baby section and her local church’s Sunday school.
“I’m around kids a lot of the time, which can be very challenging or annoying sometimes,” Fatimilehin notes. “However, I always enjoy [my time with them].”
On top of all of these activities, she spends the very little free time she has watching tv shows and reading various books and novels. Her favorite show is Grey’s Anatomy, even if she’s getting annoyed with the number of seasons the show is still getting.
The newspaper story she’s proudest of was written when she was the alumni editor, titled “‘Why don’t you just leave?’: A challenging perspective on domestic violence and a Charter alumna’s drive to advocate for victims.” It follows Charter alumna Raven Veitch and her journey as a domestic violence advocate.
The story itself both won awards at the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA) convention and was highlighted by the Editor-In-Chief of the CHAT, overall boosting the section’s credibility and status.
“I feel like people don’t really know about domestic violence, so highlighting it felt like the right thing to do,” comments Fatimilehin.
Now that her high school career is all wrapped up, she is going to continue her academics at Florida State University, studying nursing with plans to apply to medical school after finishing her undergrad years. Her influence and skills in the newsroom shaped everyone from the Editor-in-Chief to staff writers, and her farewell was nothing short of bittersweet.
