A few weeks ago, a friend of mine shared a newspaper clipping he found that featured former Brandywine superintendent John Jarpe handing me a certficate. The picture, included in a 2008 edition of the Niles Daily Star, reminded me that a decade ago, I was chosen as Student of the Month for the state of Michigan — a fact I’d since forgotten.

In addition to bringing back a good memory, this clipping served as yet another reminder of why I love what I do, and that what we do here at Leader Publications is important.

Ask any journalist in America why they do what they do, and you’ll likely hear variations of the same response: They are committed to uncovering the truth, informing the public and sharing stories.

I’d be lying if I said the allure of an exciting career portrayed in the movies was not part of the appeal when I selected my field of work. I think every journalist, at least in small part, aspires to heroically save the world like Lois Lane or Clark Kent. We understand that there is some risk involved in our jobs, that information won’t always be readily available to us, and that our findings may upset people.

I can tell you with great certainty, however, that it never occurred to me to be afraid for my life — especially working at a community newspaper that reports mostly on the events of small towns.

When Jarrod Ramos entered the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland last Thursday, the reporters and editors in that newsroom had likely heard his name a hundred times. I am sure they had heard his threats — perhaps even entertained a few of his phone calls.

In newsrooms of all sizes, it is not uncommon to receive angry phone calls, heated emails or handwritten letters spouting off about some story or another. Readers threaten lawsuits, call us bad names or demanded we retract stories. I’ve been shouted at, cried to, hung up on — you name it, and I’m certainly not alone. Every newspaper editor in this country that is doing its job to report the news has likely experienced its share of angry messages.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had this same conversation — torn between the human part of me that empathizes with the family member embarrassed by their loved one’s wrongdoings, and the ethical journalist part of me, committed to doing greater good and informing our community.

In the days following the shooting in Annapolis, I received countless phone calls, in a different vein, these simply requesting that I thank the staff at Leader Publications for doing what they do. One downtown business owner brought tears to my eyes Friday when he asked if he could buy our team lunch as “thanks for being an anchor in our community.”

I share these anecdotes not to make what we do seem more heroic, or to glamorize the reporting business, but to emphasize the fact that in spite of all the chaos and flack we get for doing so, we are committed to doing our jobs, to uncovering the truth, to keeping our communities safe, and to sharing your stories.

This unrelenting passion can be found in any true journalist, and was evident on the front page of Friday’s Capital Gazette, assembled in a warehouse by a team of journalists so passionate about telling the news that they “put out a damn paper” just hours after experiencing what was undoubtedly the most horrific event of their lives.

In an ever-changing media world, we are steadfastly committed to sharing your stories — good and bad — so that 10, 20, or 30 years from now you too can look back on your past, and be reminded of events that shaped your lives.

I hope, if any good could possibly come of this horrific event, that people are reminded of the value of a system of checks and balances — of the platform for your voices, and the vehicle that keeps you informed.