my story

A reporter’s job is to explore the ordinary, unordinary, extraordinary, and everything in-between. 

Growing up, I could not help but feel as though I was anything besides unordinary. I am an art enthusiast in a world of tech and science. I was, and still am, a passionate democrat in a republican-dominated county. I am a lesbian girl in a community where that mere term is whispered as if it were a curse.

But most importantly, I am a journalist in an age that needs real journalism the most. 

I devoted my last years of junior high and all my years of high school to journalistic endeavors. From documenting the controversies of the pandemic to critiquing the foundation of American education itself, I found a true passion in delving into the previously-mentioned spectrum of ordinaries.  

However, pursuing a passion never comes without setbacks. In my freshman year of high school, I was one of five underclassmen students taking my journalism class (simply referred to as “Print”). I was quick to realize that in merely a year, I needed to transition from a timid, clueless freshman to a leader. The student leaders I had in my life then secured a place in my heart, yet they seemed, to me, so detached from the memory of being a clueless freshman themselves. 

Shamefully, I turned inward to piece together the intricacies of great leadership, rather than leaning upon the resources I had all around me. I often wrote two articles for each edition of the newspaper to garner extra experience in writing and editing. I carefully constructed my assigned pages of the paper for the high-ranking editors to use in our monthly issues. 

When I became Managing Editor of the FHS Press as a sophomore, I knew how to write articles, edit them, and make a newspaper. Yet I did not know how to lead others through that process. By the time we needed to have the September issue—the first one—finalized, it was not in any condition near ready to be published. Myself and the Editor-In-Chief scrambled to reconstruct the paper last-minute to make it at least O.K. for our readers.

The September catastrophe occurred as a result of my poor leadership. Instead of turning inward again, I focused on utilizing the support of the Editor-In-Chief, other returning members, and my advisor to find my place as a leader.

Over the proceeding months, I hosted online meetings with the section editors to ensure the construction of the paper went smoothly. 

The condition of the newspaper did not improve drastically by October, but it improved notably by the end of the academic year.