If you’ve been reading the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter online in the last week or so, you may have seen a familiar name.
That name is Kailan Manandic.
Manandic was our intern this last summer, coming to us by way of Central Washington University, which he graduated from in September with a degree in digital journalism. While he was here, he wrote stories for both the Bothell/Kenmore and Kirkland Reporter newspapers, covering everything from new businesses and chamber luncheons, to local charitable efforts and city issues.
And now Manandic will be covering more of what’s going on in the community as he is the new reporter for the Bothell/Kenmore and Kirkland Reporter publications.
Feel free to contact him with story ideas and tips at kmanandic@bothell-reporter.com and (425) 242-4361.
Manandic replaces former reporter Megan Campbell, who took a position as a layout artist at Sound Publishing’s new King County News Desk.
The goal of this desk is to centralize the back-end print and digital production of all of Sound Publishing’s 16 King County publications — which includes both the Bothell/Kenmore and Kirkland Reporter newspapers.
There will also be a designated King County reporter at the KCND.
So while we will continue to provide you with hyper-local news about what is going on in the Northshore community, this additional position will allow us to cover regional issues such as transportation, county council news and the environment. Because we all know these type of issues are not contained to any particular city’s limits but still have impacts locally.
So while we are sad to see Campbell go, we wish her well on her next journalistic adventures and are happy she’s still in the Sound Publishing family.
And with Campbell leaving for the KCND, we have been able to welcome Manandic back into the fold.
Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, Manandic first began considering a career in journalism as a Running Start student in high school when he enrolled in a journalism class on a whim, as an elective. Through this class, he discovered that he could see himself doing it for a living, which was exactly what he needed, exactly when he needed it.
“As a 16-year-old taking community college classes, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but knew I had to make a decision soon,” he said.
In addition to journalism classes, Manandic also worked as a staff reporter at The Independent, the student publication at Clark College.
After graduating from high school, Manandic transferred to CWU, where he joined the student publication, The Observer. There, he worked his way up from a staff reporter to the editor-in-chief.
Manandic’s internship at our publications over the summer was the last thing he had to do before graduating.
Having been there myself — a journalism student looking for opportunities to gain real-world experience — I remember how valuable my internships were. I had several and I remember they all confirmed that I wanted to pursue a career in journalism. There was also one particular internship that showed me what I did not want to do with my life, a lesson that can be just as valuable.
So as an editor, I was happy to be able to provide Manandic with a similar opportunity to what I had received when I was a student.
I am a big proponent of paying it forward so any time I have the opportunity to work with aspiring journalists — whether that means talking to students in a classroom setting or taking on an intern — I take it if I am able.
And I encourage local employers to find a way to do the same if they are able. Because in addition to providing young people (I can’t believe I’m using that term because it doesn’t feel very long ago that that was me) with mentorship, I have found myself learning from them as well.
And you never know when those opportunities might turn into a job for them and a valued employee for you.
