By E. Streeter

Where most people see a simple protest in the streets, Chris Kohley sees a possible uprising for the ages, and feels the need to document it.

Since Kohley’s junior year of highschool, he has immersed himself in journalism.

Kohley is set to be the editor of multimedia in his school, Naperville North High School’s newspaper, The North Star, during his senior year.

Kohley hopes to one day work for what he considers a highly respected publication such as Time, Life, The New York Times, The Washington Post or Chicago Tribune, or as he puts it, “the people that reach the masses.

He’s not yet sure of what he’d be doing on the staff, but he knows he’d like to do some form of journalism: photography, feature writing or multimedia.

“But that’s the cool thing,” Kohley says “I don’t have to be stagnant, I can do different types. But bottom line, probably being a journalist at some publication.”

Kohley knows that he would like to study journalism, particularly photojournalism. “I do plan to go to college after high school…where, I don’t know where, and I won’t until I apply.” Kohley said. And although he is currently keeping his options open, he thinks that schools like WKU have great programs for what he would like to do.

“What I find most important in life, is finding your purpose.” Kohley said. “Because I think as a human, you deserve to be happy, doing whatever you want to do. And I hopefully by doing those things you’re doing a service to others. So I think just finding your place–what makes you tick, is what’s most important.”

Kohley is interested in being a journalist, so he can be the person who records the noise of the world and puts it into terms that the people can understand, “covering things that matter” as he puts it.

”What I’d like to do is, cover things that are making a difference in the world, there’s been so many protests and uprisings and elections…” Kohley goes onto to say. “This is the now, these are the things that are going to be in history books, and so, being a part of it and holding the pen that’s writing that history is important. Because, it’s history, and you’re living it.”

Kohley was raised in a liberal household and although his father may appear conservative, with the way that he handles his money and holds his stance in a conversation, he and his mother are quite left leaning.

“My parents didn’t come from very good households, so their whole vow was ‘I’m not gonna raise my child the way I was raised.’” Kohley said in about his upbringing.

Along with political beliefs, Kohley also inherited a sense of love for music from his father. “Listening to music, finding new music listening to music repeat.”

Kohley owns a collection of around 80, and growing, vinyl records.

With titles ranging from Led Zeppelin to Wolf Mother to even the occasional jazz song. Kohley makes sure that every time he turns on his music it’s something heavy that has a story to it.

“At the end of the day I really just need something that rocks,” Kohley said.