Rebecca Ratliff, a 2007 Dow Jones Journalism Workshop participant, says, “Writing is my way to get away from reality--create my own world.”

Rebecca was actually referred to the Dow Jones program through her mother who is the guidance counselor at her high school, Betsy Layne. Rebecca is 16 and will be a junior during the 2007-2008 school year.

She has had five poems published and plans to join the school magazine next year. One of her influences is her freshman English teacher, Ms. Hudra Slocum, and she admires her for her positive outlook on life, and her open-mindedness.

When asked how her friends would describe her, she laughed and said “lazy, bossy and loud,” but was at a loss for words when I asked her how she would describe herself.

However, she is certain about what she wants to be in life. Rebecca has dreams to one day become an author of either horror or teen books, and despite her learning disability in English and mathematics, she is determined to continue to focus on her passion.

“Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you will land among the stars.” Although Rebecca doesn’t know where she heard that quote, she tries to apply it to her everyday life. Her interpretation is that “if you try and you fail, you will at least achieve something from it.”
Rebecca has an older brother who will be graduating from the University of Kentucky in December. She hopes to follow in his footsteps as a Wildcat in a few years.

Profile written by Lauren Payne