Denton ISD Our Impact In Your Community Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 23

the people you report on every day. And it was my
journalism adviser who encouraged me to apply
for the Mark Holtz Broadcast Scholarship from the
Dallas Mavericks, which I won, and led me to my
first internship right out of high school. And the rest
is history!
DISD:  You just got back from covering hockey at
the Olympics for NBC. Is there anything that tops
that experience so far in your career?
LR: That was a career goal for me! It was humbling
to know I was in the same room and at the same
game as major world leaders, like the Japanese
Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. That was on my first
day! You’re reporting on something the world is
watching, and it’s awe-inspiring.
DISD:  Can you tell us a couple things you learned
while you were in South Korea... or, even share your
favorite Olympic experience?
LR: The great thing to me about travel is learning
about the people. And the people in South Korea
were so generous in spirit. Their hospitality was
infectious. So much so, that most everything
important or necessary was also translated into
English, like street signs, menu items, building
descriptions, and things of that nature. I had great
food, and really enjoyed learning more about the
culture. It’s a place where ancient meets cutting
edge in a very graceful way.
DISD:  Do you get a chance to come home
often... and when you do, what are your “go-to
spots” in town?
LR: I do, and now that I live in Chicago you
might laugh at what I miss, like Beth Marie’s, or
Whataburger, or even the Super Target, because
in downtown Chicago the City Target is nice, but
it’s not that big! I also like stopping by the UNT
campus to see how it’s grown.
DISD:  What advice would you give students
interested in a career in sports or
sports journalism?
LR: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Ask
questions. Come from a place of learning. You’d
be amazed at what you learn in the most unlikely
places and from the most unlikely people.
DISD:  You’ve covered lots of teams in lots of big
cities. Are the DHS Broncos still your favorite or
has someone surpassed them?
LR: To this day, I still check and see what the
Broncos are doing. I was so sad when I had to
work the night DHS played Ryan on ESPN and I
couldn’t watch the entire game! I really wanted to
hear “Funky Beat.” That’s what you miss. I have
enjoyed covering every team I’ve worked with,
but the Broncos are the first, and will always be
my home team.
My favorite Olympic experience was covering
teams where you know the athletes have worked
so hard to get there, for years they work to achieve
this goal, and make it to the games. For Team USA,
they had the emotional OT loss to Canada in Sochi
in their minds. For a team like the Unified Korean
team, they wanted to perform as the host country
on a world stage. And I was lucky enough to listen
to their stories and see their work in person.
DISD:  What’s your favorite thing or memory about
going to school in Denton?
LR: I truly loved how inclusive Denton High
School was when I was there. My friends were
from all walks of life. We got along. I always felt
like I belonged, whether from my principal, Milton
Wallace, or from my friends, or my Fillies instructor,
or even Mr. Moss, the beloved custodian. Everyone
made you feel like you could be who you wanted to
be. And that’s why I became who I wanted to be. I
get teary-eyed saying this, I believe it that much.
Leila Rahimi learned the importance of building relationships
with the people you report on every day from her time at
Denton High - including celebrating like she did with Houston
Astros’ Carlos Corporan.
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