MILWAUKEE – Imagine figuring out your passion in high school, and then getting professional training. That’s what some Milwaukee teens can boast about, thanks to a program that is shaping young lives. That program is Positively Milwaukee. “Hello, my name is Melvin Coulter, Messmer High School intern at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.” That video is just one of the milestones of the Messmer High School internship program for future journalists…but it’s not just about video. It’s mostly about teens learning good old fashioned journalism from the professionals at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Seventeen year old Coulter and other teens spent four weeks honing their writing skills and getting tips from newsroom veterans. “Writing is my passion. I feel like I’m amongst the pros. They do everything I do at a professional level, so it’s great,” Coulter said. Messmer graduate and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel political reporter Greg Borowski started the program as a way to give back. “To see them take that huge leap to put them in a professional environment and think of themselves as belonging in that environment is really a good mindset for them to think they will be able to make a career out of this profession,” Borowski said. The paid internship gives students the chance to work in various departments. Kayla Wilder dreams of reporting at a big newspaper. “This is really what I want to do. They let us do what they do. People who we follow around, they give us their job, basically,” Wilder said. “These students are taking the initiative. They see what they are passionate about and they are not afraid to take the actual steps that they need. It’s enlightening and invigorating to me as their teacher,” Messmer teacher Rachel Dobrauc said. The summer interns have impressed the staff with their professional prowess. “It’s rewarding to invest in our young people. They are our future. It’s not a hard job because their talent, passion and skills are wonderful. We have been amazed at what they have done and what they will do,” Ron Smith, Deputy Copy Chief of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said. The students are grateful for the opportunity and touched that Borowski cares enough to give them an early start. “This program is so wonderful. It’s fantastic to me. It’s a lifesaver, actually, so thank you Greg. That’s basically what I have to say,” one intern said. Thanks to this summer enrichment, the seeds are planted for these budding journalists to bloom to fulfill their professional dreams. “The students have really seen that there’s an avenue for them in this profession, whether they go into journalism or communication. I think it’s been a real asset for them to hone their writing skills, communication skills and will serve them well no matter what they do,” Borowski said. Students in the program must first complete the urban journalism program at Marquette University.