Growing up as a military child, moving from place to place fueled my love for travel and storytelling. I believe that stories are more than words, but the foundation of history and all we remember. Knowing we will one day become part of the past, I find it important to preserve stories and experiences. Having lived in seven different places, including Minot, each move gave me a new perspective and curiosity about the people around me. Writing has been my way of understanding the world, and journalism is the perfect combination of that curiosity, perspective, and storytelling.

My name is Fatimzahra Elbouab, and I am 16 years old. My love for writing began in second grade, and by eighth grade, I had published the first book of my trilogy, “Drowning Truths.” It’s available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/0hRAEgsq. Since then, reading and writing has been a central part of my life, shaping how I see the world and connect with others.

I attend Minot North High School, where I am involved in the National Honor Society, FBLA, HOSA, Keystone Club, Science Olympiad, FRC Robotics, and Speech. In Student Congress, I placed first in House 3 at the state competition, becoming a state champion. I am also on the swim, track, and varsity wrestling teams, placing sixth at 118 pounds at the state tournament. Outside of school and athletics, I enjoy traveling, scrapbooking, photography, and spending time with my family. I have played the piano for 11 years and competed in piano competitions, earning second prize at the Jugend Musiziert competition in Germany. I also enjoy playing the cello and studying new languages such as German, while continuing to enhance the current languages I know, which are Turkish and Moroccan Arabic. Learning new languages has helped me see the world from different perspectives. I am interested in aerospace engineering, biochemistry, neuroscience, and astrophysics, and I aspire to be an astronaut, neurosurgeon, and U.S. senator.

I am drawn to journalism because it combines my love for writing with the world around me. I enjoy meeting new people, hearing their stories, and sharing those experiences with others. This internship is an exciting opportunity for me to enhance my writing skills and explore new ways to tell stories that matter. I hope to grow both as a journalist and storyteller, bringing passion and a new perspective to every piece I work on. I look forward to learning from the team, meeting readers, and contributing meaningful stories while continuing to develop my voice as a writer.