Behind the Curtain: Introducing Alexa Jurado, from long-time reader to reporting intern

A native of Chicago's suburbs, Alexa Jurado grew up with the Daily Herald on her grandparents' coffee table.

Now, she is a reporting intern for the paper, covering Bartlett, Hanover Park and Streamwood as well as other suburban news.

After writing for her high school's student paper, Jurado went on to study at Marquette University in Milwaukee. She is a rising senior studying journalism, digital media and Latinx studies.

It's really no surprise. In fourth grade, she began waking up hours before school began to watch WGN's morning news. While the willingness to wake up so early has long gone, the passion for journalism remained.

She went Cary-Grove High Community and wrote for the student newspaper. At Marquette, she has been a reporter and editor for the student media organization the Marquette Wire. During her time there, she earned collegiate awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association.

In the fall, she will be interning with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the O'Brien Fellowship for Public Service Journalism.

Along with writing, Jurado loves Thai food, stand-up comedy shows and visiting national parks. Watching "It's a Wonderful Life" always makes her cry happy tears and she believes "Night Moves" by Bob Seger is the best song for a late-night drive.

In her free time, Jurado can be found painting, kayaking, listening to true crime podcasts and finding new coffee shops (she could never pick a favorite).

Her reporting experience at the Herald reminds her of the importance of local journalism. She can't wait for what the rest of the summer has in store.