With all of the physical and emotional changes during teenage years, teens are often unsure what profession they want to do for the rest of their lives. But not Julia Gottier.
She has decided on a career choice because “the way to get people to listen to you is to become an education journalist,” Gottier, 18, of Tolland, said.
She recently graduated from Tolland High School and said her personal goals are to have “a stable career, getting married and having a kid.”
At her high school, Gottier was a National Merit Commended Student and took honors in science and honors in English. She volunteered at the Old Tolland County Jail and Museum as an intern giving tours.
Gottier will attend the University of Connecticut this fall to study communications and journalism.
She likes Connecticut and plans to stay in the state for a while. Her dream is to work at The Hartford Courant, the oldest continuously published newspaper in America. She would like to be a reporter but also enjoys editing. At first, she wanted to edit books but has since decided that journalism is a better fit for her.
Gottier also enjoys tae kwon do and played the flute for nine years.
Her mother, Lisa, is a substitute teacher in the Tolland elementary and middle schools. Her father, Robert, owned a furniture store but now is a service technician who fixes furniture. She has a 13-year-old brother named Eric.
Her parents listened to music like The Beatles, which sparked an interest in Gottier.
Zanira
“I was actually named after a Beatles’ song, ‘Julia,’” she said.
Zanira Abubakar is a senior at the Cooperative High School, New Haven.