THERE is something quietly powerful about watching a room full of young students fall silent – not out of fear or boredom, but because someone has just said something that made them think.
That was the scene yesterday (May 22) at Tunku Putra-HELP International School, where over 60 students sat for a one-hour talk by Sarawak Tribune’s Editor-in-Chief, Aden Nagrace.
The talk, in conjunction with the school’s annual Gala Event, focused on event reporting.
But it became something else entirely – it became a moment of impact.
And I know this because I have experienced it too.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of learning from Aden – not just as a journalist, but as someone constantly trying to make sense of the world through words.
From the day I first stepped into the newsroom at Sarawak Tribune, unsure of my footing, he has taught me what it means to write with clarity, courage, and most importantly, purpose.
And on that day in the school hall, I saw him do what he’s always done best – break down something complex and make it accessible, relevant, and human.
He spoke not just about structure or leads or headlines – though those were certainly covered – but about the heart of journalism.
The why behind the what – and that, I believe, is the part that stayed with the students the most.
“Journalism is not just about reporting events – it’s about making sense of them. It’s about giving people the information they need to understand the world around them,” he said.
For some, those words may have sounded like a textbook explanation.
But for many in that room, they hit differently.
You could see it in their faces – the spark of realisation that storytelling isn’t just something grown-ups do in newsrooms.
It is something they, too, can learn and own.
The talk was part of the ‘Event Reporting’ category in the school’s Gala Event, which spans Sports and Fitness, Adventure and Skills, Academic and Community, and Artistic and Creativity.
But even within that wide scope, journalism stood out that day as a discipline rooted not in performance, but in perspective.
Aden shared his own story – a career that began not in a newsroom, but in a classroom as a temporary teacher.
It was only later that he discovered journalism as his calling, a space where his love for language, curiosity and civic responsibility could all co-exist.
That part resonated with me as someone whose journey has been shaped by the encouragement and mentorship of people like him.
In the newsroom, Aden has always been someone who teaches by doing.
He doesn’t lecture – he guides.
He challenges you to look deeper, to write better and to ask questions that matter.
And even now, years later, I am still learning, still watching how he edits stories with care and still listening when he says, “Cut this line, it’s fluff” or “This sentence works – run with it.”
So to see him in that school hall, speaking to young children and teenagers just beginning to explore who they want to be, was a reminder of how important these small acts of sharing are.
It was not because they guaranteed the students would become journalists – but because they showed them what it means to pay attention, to ask questions and to tell stories responsibly.
During the Q&A session, the students asked questions that made them hopeful.
Questions about bias in the media, about building credibility, about finding their voice in a digital world and the challenges with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.
And Aden, with his usual calm and thoughtful tone, answered them all – not with textbook answers, but with honesty.
We talk a lot these days about the future – future leaders, future writers, future changemakers.
But too often, we forget that the future needs tending to, it doesn’t just happen but grows from moments like this.
From one person showing up, sharing what they know, and giving the next generation the tools to figure it out for themselves.
I left that school reminded of the power of guidance – how just one hour of real engagement can shift a student’s perspective or even chart a new path.
And I left, once again, thankful for the many lessons I have received from Aden over the years – lessons that go beyond journalism.
Lessons about resilience, curiosity, and integrity.
Those students may not know it yet, but they have been given a rare gift.
A glimpse into the real world from someone who’s spent a lifetime shaping it with words.
And maybe, just maybe, one of them will carry that spark forward.
After all, the seeds we plant today are the stories we will one day be proud to read.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at sarahhafizahchandra@gmail.com.
