Reporting and Writing
Though I have always been reporting about others, my senior year was the first time I was planning articles and having stories be written in a style that was suitable for online news. Since I had already experienced the process of learning to shift to a new style of journalism, it wasn't too difficult to tweak my methods to meet the requirements of what written stories should look like.
It's the Little Things
Writing has always been something that has brought me joy in some way, shape or form. In middle school, I was part of our UIL creative writing team, and by freshman year, I was the go-to for essay editing.
Even then, there are so many small things I learned that really elevated how I reported on
something. Things like tying in your words with the subject. Almost like journalism puns. For example, there was a clip I was using that had someone spreading jam on a slice of bread. The voiceover for that part said, “share kindness in their society.” My adviser told me to use words that relate to the activity, instead of share use spread. It is a simple change, but it makes a huge difference. It relates the words to the content that is being viewed.
It’s little things like these that make journalism an art. When reporting about others’ stories, the way you write about them and the way you portray things are so important. When it comes to writing articles, every word that I type is thought out and has an intention behind it. When someone reads my content, I want them to feel as if they are living through the person’s journey and following them through their story.
NEWS: Safety concerns prompts implementation of new parking procedures
This story was covered due to the misconception following the implemented procedures on our campus. There were many students unhappy with the cones being added, not necessarily because it made a difference in day-to-day life, but rather because it made them feel like there were freedoms being stolen from them. The story fought to highlight that there was no harm meant by the new procedures and that much of what the student body was hearing about the new rules were simply untrue or being blown out of proportion.
FEATURE: Spreading sweetness from the soul
I had encountered this story in an usual way, and if I wasn't paying attention, I would have missed it. Noah was walking with a cookie box in his hand, which I later learned was an order for someone else. He had conveniently started talking to one of the teachers in the hallway and they were asking him about his business. I happened to be there while the interaction occurred and decided to email him and pursue the story. This story also won a Best of SNO.
FEATURE: An old hobby becomes a new business
This story was exciting for me to do. I was there as Ava's hobby was turning into a business, and saw how she put her talents to good use. This was also my first attempt at trying to incorporate multimedia. I tried using my broadcast experience to create a mini package that featured Ava and the fun parts of her journey, while the article delved more into the development of her business and how it came to be.
OPINION: Cookie Clash
When I had first met Noah and decided I wanted to feature him, it was supposed to be just that. However, our editor-in-chief had just done an opinion piece featuring nearby dessert places and compared them. I had thought it would be a fun idea to compare Noah's business with popular cookie places around Prosper as well. It ended up being really fun and a fun team experience trying out all the cookies together.
