Job Shadowing & It's Benefits
Job Shadowing & It's Benefits
Embedded Files
by Alyssa Payne
November 20, 2025
Job shadowing is something high school offers to students, to “shadow” someone working their dream job. It has many many benefits, including helping students have more of an understanding about what the job really is, how it works, and what you have to do that you didn’t know already, and lastly, help a student decide whether or not they want to do that job.
On October 27, 2025, I shadowed and interviewed a professional DJ named Joseph Hertz. I’ve heard a lot about him and he has DJ jobs almost everyday. He goes to weddings, gigs at restaurants, and many other places. He even DJ’ed at the Red Mill Ribs and Whiskey restaurant in Etters. His gig was downstairs in the bar. DJing is a job where you definitely will be moving around a lot for all kinds of shows. You can explore new places, meet a BUNCH of new people, and possibly make some friends on the way.
DJing isn’t as easy as it may look. There are many things that go on behind the scenes to be good at it. Are you good with music? Good at figuring out what type of music certain groups would enjoy listening to? Do you even know how to set up equipment? There’s a lot to think about when it comes to DJing, it's not just about playing music, it's so much more than that.
I asked Joseph Hertz some questions related to DJing, so here's a few things I myself have learned about job shadowing as well as DJing.
Q: “What is DJing like? Is it hard? Is it fun?” Djing looks easy, but maybe there’s more to it that I don't know.
A: “It is a lot of work but it is very fun. And you gotta read the crowd and feel off what they're dancing to and what they’re really enjoying. It’s more fun than anything because I like music.”
From this you can learn that job shadowing is helpful already, even with just the first question. His response already proves you need to know what crowd you’re around. Not everyone likes the same type of music.
Q: “ How long have you been DJing?”
A: “25 years, since the 2000’s.”
It's been a long time! Wonder what all he experienced throughout the years.
Q: “What skills do you think you need for this job?”
A: “Being personable with people, understanding music, good hearing, good voice, not a goofy unprofessional one, understanding what what kind of people you’re around to get an idea of what music to play, learn how to properly hook up your equipment correctly, lastly, technical knowledge.”
Now whoever wants this job can get more of an insight of what it’s really like behind closed doors. Equipment is a lot of work.
Q: “What kind of training do you need for this job?”
A: “Knowing a lot about music, how to present yourself professionally, learn how the tech works, going to a music school if you want to, learn how to dress for each occasion, do some research on DJing pay a monthly fee for the music so you can play them legally and not copyrighted, get a music license.”
Look at that, you can’t just play a song for free and get famous for it, you need to pay for it. Nothing is ever free, there’s always a price.
Q: “How did you get into this job?”
A: “Used to do backyard parties. I always wanted my own small business, and the compliments I got were like, ‘Why don’t you do this for a living? Because you’re good at it.’ I took everyone's advice into consideration and opened up my own small DJ business. It took me about 4 years to fully get out there, but it was worth it. I’m also just a dude who loves music.”
It took him four years to get his name and business out there…wow. This process takes awhile, and you have to keep doing it and doing it, until one day someone will notice your hard work or enjoy what you make. If you’re making music, never give up. Someone out there will enjoy what you do.
Q: “Any college needed?”
A: “Just like anything, you could always teach yourself, no experience needed. Unless you want schooling or lessons, that works too. I personally figured it out myself along the way.”
So, college isn’t necessary for this job. You can work your way up on your own, independently. If he did it then you could do it too.
Q: “Do you need experience for this job?”
A: “College is a good way to be shot into the music field, but it's not 100% needed. I had no college for this job.”
Not only do you not need college, but you don’t need any experience either. Unless you really need help and don’t know where to start.
So far, what I’ve learned about job shadowing is, you can really learn more about a job than what you already know. From this interview with Joseph Hertz, he’s really opening eyes about what DJing is truly, and not just what it looks like to an observer. Job shadowing this DJ is very beneficial to me. Shadowing your dream job definitely has its perks because you can really learn what the job is truly about, other than the more basic things about it.
Q: “What do you like most about this job?”
A: “Seeing people have a good time, and seeing them dancing. The vibe as well. Honestly the whole aspect of entertaining people in different areas is what I like most.
Q: “What do you dislike about this job?”
A: “Setting everything up and taking stuff down after long hours. A lot of work is involved, and very time consuming. All the prep work you have to do to make it good and professional. A lot of stuff behind the scenes that a lot of people don’t know about. Stressing about if people are happy or not, enjoying themselves or not. People can also be distracting and difficult because they’ll put a music request every 5 minutes. How long it takes to travel to the gigs, basically all the pre work things.”
Q: “What has this job been like since you started up until now? What do you think the future of DJing will become?
A: “When I first started, it was very popular. No beat mixes, just full songs, very old school. Did a lot of weddings, birthday parties, hotel parties, and bar parties, even in restaurants. But up until now, the old school type of DJing is dying out more and more. Electronic DJing is becoming more popular."
Q: “What’s some advice you’d give someone who’s interested in this work field?
A: “Work hard, be patient, and don't expect so much right from the beginning, it takes time. There’s going to be ups and downs throughout your career. Learn your trade, be efficient, be personable, and be professional.”
He has a quote he says a lot, “Do what you love, and love what you do.” Choose a career you love, and love doing that career. If you love what you do, your life will be less miserable.
To sum all of this up, job shadowing is very beneficial, and really helps students fully learn what their dream job is like and not like. You’ll learn about things that most people wouldn’t know about jobs. Every job is hard, so pick what you know you can do and love to do. Job shadowing can do wonders for you; it can teach you if you actually want the job or not. From my experience with job shadowing, it's not only thoughtful about students and their future, but it helps students so much. I would have never known all these things about DJing, if I didn't shadow Mr. Hertz. Job shadowing is important for students, or even anyone to do. If you have the opportunity to shadow someone doing your dream job, do it! You’ll never know what you learn.
Seniors: How to Apply to College
Seniors: How to Apply to College
by Sydney Maneely and Ciya Liverman
November 14, 2025
College application season is rolling along and as it does, seniors at Red Land High School face the common struggles of applying to college. There are the usual struggles of getting teacher recommendations, figuring out programs, and navigating the different application formats. Now, Red Land students face a new challenge: Schoolinks. Schoolinks is a new system where students upload transcripts and teacher recommendations. Regular decision applications due are February 1st, Early Applications are underway, and Rolling Admissions are rolling through. We explore how seniors at Red Land High School are struggling with application questions and with the new system: School Links.
Counselors Mr. Moore and Mr. Walter answer some of the difficult questions high school students are facing. Also included is information from the highly esteemed Princeton Review on what they think makes a good application.
Mr. Moore, the senior counselor at Red Land High School, states, “I want to see them successful.” Mr. Moore explains that there are 270 seniors in the current senior class. 55% of them will apply to college. He stresses the importance of seniors who plan to apply to college to get their application materials prepared in advance.
One of the questions that counselors hear often is about teacher recommendations. This is especially true this year as we navigate our new system SchooLinks, which is replacing Naviance.
Mr. Walter recommends that students visit their counselor with questions about SchooLinks. SchooLinks is used for requesting teacher and counselor letters of recommendation and other official documents like school transcripts.
When asked how they would solve a student’s confusion with SchooLinks, Mr. Walter said, “Mr Moore would probably just show them where it’s at and how to do it correctly.”
In every counselor's office, there is a “How to Apply for College” book that Mr. Walter recommends that students look at. The resource is also available online in Schoology under the “Class of 2026” course in the Senior Bulletin Folder. In the book, it explains how students are able to apply for college, how to add teacher recommendations, and other important dates for seniors.
In addition to this, on an annual basis the school hosts Student Aid nights where families can learn about applying for financial aid. There are many local college and career fairs where students will have the opportunity to explore their options when it comes to colleges.
We also looked at the Princeton Review, a popular resource for preparing for college. Specifically, we looked at what the Princeton Review recommends students need for a good application. The majority of colleges require different items for college applications, but there are some commonalities all colleges look for such as participation in extracurricular activities, to include clubs, sports, community services, jobs, and even theater. Schools also look at GPA and test scores, awards and honors, and a well-written college essay.
Keeping focused on building a strong application will benefit seniors in the long run if they plan to apply to college. Earlier planning, in high school will make them more successful long-term. Mr. Moore said that part of helping seniors prepare to apply to colleges includes when “counselors go in and introduce them to inventories and link up aptitude tasks, and personality.”
A final piece of advice for seniors is to make sure they stay on top of important dates for applications, scholarships, and FAFSA. Any questions can be solved by looking at the Senior Bulletin in the Class of 2026 in Schoology or reaching out to a counselor.
Understanding School Budgets: When and How Extracurriculars Can Spend
Understanding School Budgets: When and How Extracurriculars Can Spend
By Annabelle Stonesifer and Reagan Gossard
November 20, 2025
With the school budget under pressure, extracurricular programs like the art and music departments are feeling the impact. Many schools are being forced to make difficult decisions about where and when to spend their funds. Ms. Miller, a ceramics teacher at Red Land High School says, “So I think the hardest thing has been like prices are going up, but we've still had to kinda maintain and stay the same as far as our budget.” As budget discussions continue, teachers and even club directors at schools talk about how to maintain spending, while still trying to make lessons enjoyable for their students.
As the school budget is changing, there are positive and negative effects for some extracurricular activities, while some teachers say they do not see a significant impact. Mrs. Shepski, a teacher in the music department of Red Land, states, “I mean… I haven’t noticed a super large difference in budget items, other than, like, things that maybe were wish list items.” The school budget creates a cutoff between necessities and possible things that teachers may want to purchase for their students and classrooms. Ms. Miller reinforces Mrs. Shepski’s perspective saying, “Since we are in a deficit, we definitely are encouraged to go with absolute needs instead of wants.” Although teachers cannot spend money on things that they may want, there are still some positive aspects in terms of the budget not harmfully affecting their classrooms completely.
On the other hand, some teachers state that the school budget is negatively affecting how much they can spend on resources for their classrooms. Mr. Peffer, a seasoned art teacher at Red Land High School, emphasizes, “I push a lot with my sculpture students, a lot of cardboard and paper assignments, so we can use recycled materials that are free.”
Teachers have to find alternative ways to spend and budget their money in their classrooms, as well as creating interesting and engaging activities for their students. Mr. Peffer continues, “Yeah so a lot of it’s just, like problem solving, you kind of have to.” Many teachers take away their own personal time to formulate ideas for their classes by going to stores, and looking for any additional resources.
Ultimately, the school budget can both be harmful and beneficial to extracurricular activities as they are often overlooked. Most students would be surprised to hear how creative Creating awareness over this topic, which is usually kept to the teachers and advisors, can possibly help develop a new perspective on where schools stand when it comes to the budget.
Page updated
Report abuse