By Hennie England
Huntington High School
Gavin Joseph Rivera has always been interested in history.
Eventually falling down the rabbit hole of World War II, the rising junior at Longwood High School discovered journalists and civilians who piqued his curiosity for journalism.
At a young age, Gavin became captivated by the Indiana Jones movies. The idea of traveling around the world and fighting against evil intrigued young Rivera, particularly the fact that they were set during the time of World War II. The movies spurred him to undertake countless hours of research about the war. That became Gavin’s gateway into journalism.
Through his research, Gavin was introduced to many journalists. Some of the most notable were Helen Kirkpatrick, who worked for the Chicago Daily News; Edward R. Murrow, who covered The Blitz for CBS; and Martha Gellhorn, who reported on the Liberation of France. These journalists became an inspiration for Gavin and helped him discover his dream career.
“After high school I plan on being a war correspondent,” said the 16-year-old Middle Island resident.
For Gavin, being a war correspondent is more than just writing. He also has a passion for creating images. “Photography, I suppose, is really the most important thing to me,” he explained. He grew up in a family of artists, so his creativity was supported. Gavin developed his skills by making videos with action figures and taking pictures of things deemed cool.
At Longwood, Gavin improves his skills in a photography class. He also uses those abilities in several school activities: he’s a member of the photojournalism club and assists the school district photographer with organizing events. He’s also a member of the school’s National Art Honor Society.
“Photography, I suppose, is really the most important thing to me,” he explained.“
– Gavin Joseph Rivera
Dean Macari, a childhood friend of Gavin, describes him as a passionate photographer and a serious and talented journalist. “He brings his camera everywhere,” Dean said. “He loves taking photos, people, landscapes, everything.” Dean describes Gavin as energetic, nice, optimistic and someone he enjoys taking pictures with.
Gavin plans on becoming a journalist after graduating high school, and he hopes to work towards that goal using the skills he will learn from the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists.
“I hope to gain at least an entry-level point of view on what it’s like to be a journalist,” Gavin said, “and gain a little bit of knowledge on how to better prepare myself for the journalism world.”
Gavin looks forward to using journalism to educate the American people on important matters. “My dream is to be able to bring attention and support to people in dire circumstances such a famine, genocide, etc., and bring that awareness to the American people who are either ignorant by choice or limited connection to international media.”