News Features
Compiling in-depth issue-based feature stories lights up my curiosity and inspires me to tell these stories accurately and in an impactful way. With a focus on social justice issues and Black history in Athens, I have played a role in educating my community, and my own perspective has broadened immensely. I approach this reporting with extreme organization and planning, taking care to conduct research and cross-reference facts with my sources.
Echoes of integration
February 2020
I researched the timeline and firsthand experiences of my school district's desegregation by conducteing in-depth interviews with some of the first Black Athenians to integrate Athens schools. These people spoke on their stories of hardship and hope. This story required thorough fact-checking, outlining, and the development of a sensitive and informative writing voice.
All-Georgia Feature Story
Georgia Scholastic Press Association
Design by Maya Cornish
Read my reflection on how these interviews shaped my perspective on my community here.
Seeking settlement
December 2019
With a focus on the push for reparations at the University of Georgia for the descendants of enslaved people, I encountered a variety of opinions and a lot of emotional weight from activists, which was a challenge to convert into a factual news story, but it was also the reason I was curious about the issue. It was my first feature story, and while it was difficult to compile, I learned a lot about writing news as I worked to structure it in a way that would most effectively tell the story.
First Place Newsprint News Feature
Southern Interscholastic Press Association
Design by Maya Cornish
Illustration by Lillian Sams
Redress for Linnentown
May 2020
I interviewed three former residents of a gentrified neighborhood called "Linnentown" about their childhood and the trauma they endured as they were forced to leave, as well as the progress they are making in gaining redress from the City of Athens. Connecting with these sources changed the way I viewed the University of Georgia, and fostered my interest in wealth, race, and power. At the time I covered this community, few other outlets had brought awareness to the issue, so I relied heavily on primary source documents and interviewees.
Second Place in-depth news/feature story
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
Personality Features
Interviews with a passionate people makes me want to be a stronger writer, Bridging our two passions into a compelling story is special to me as a writer, the subject, and our audience. These profiles have also allowed me to become more immersed in my school community through personal connections with people I may not have otherwise talked to.
Quiet young boss
November 2019
This stylized profile on Jay Kelly encapsulates the inner workings of his musical mind. My curiosity for his creativity, inspiration and work ethic drove a conversational interview that revealed the complexities of Jay's identity such as how his simultaneous shyness and boldness coincide. By using stylized language, I connected readers with this popular CCHS rapper in a deeper way and show them the experiences and emotions that go into his music.
Screenshot by Audrey Enghauser
Photo by Audrey Enghauser
From the top of the mountain
January 2022
This 300-word narrative profle on a school counselor shows his passion for helping teens in Colorado through mountain hiking trips. This was a challenging story for me in terms of the writing style, as it pushed me to think critically and creatively to develop a meaningful metaphor and tell his story accruately and in an engaging, heartwarming way.