Writing
Column Writing
When I first joined the newspaper team, I noticed that effective journalism urges the reader to reconsider some aspect of their paradigm. This is what drew me towards column writing. The written word can be revolutionary. It has potential to create waves through the public. My column has always been an outlet for me to strengthen my advocacy and open up my opinions to scrutiny by making them public. The intent behind my columns is not only to educate my community with differing perspectives, but also to ignite a conversation with transformative implications.
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Immigration Makes Us Stronger
Published in The Hoofbeat on Feb. 6, 2017.
One of my most personal columns, this piece was written the night before we sent to print as a passionate response to a presidential executive order. I reached out to my parents to understand their experiences as immigrants in America and used their story to combine the political with the personal. Since I published this piece at the apex of controversy, I felt truly vulnerable of my opinions. I received opposing comments, but I also received praise from members of the community for shining a different light on immigration through human stories and bringing a novel perspective to national conversations.
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Column
Published in The Hoofbeat on Feb. 6, 2017.
One of my most personal columns, this piece was written the night before we sent to print as a passionate response to a presidential executive order. I reached out to my parents to understand their experiences as immigrants in America and used their story to combine the political with the personal. Since I published this piece at the apex of controversy, I felt truly vulnerable of my opinions. I received opposing comments, but I also received praise from members of the community for shining a different light on immigration through human stories and bringing a novel perspective to national conversations.
Ready Story →
Column
Stop Victim Blaming
Published in The Hoofbeat on Sept. 20, 2016.
After I read the powerful letter from the Stanford rape case survivor that spread across the nation, I was still surprised by the type of rhetoric and lack of compassion that surrounded issues of sexual assault. As an issue that hit home with me, I decided to address the phenomenon of victim blaming that always snuck itself into these conversations. By presenting a different perspective, I aimed to tackle an issue that was close to my heart.
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Column
Published in The Hoofbeat on Sept. 20, 2016.
After I read the powerful letter from the Stanford rape case survivor that spread across the nation, I was still surprised by the type of rhetoric and lack of compassion that surrounded issues of sexual assault. As an issue that hit home with me, I decided to address the phenomenon of victim blaming that always snuck itself into these conversations. By presenting a different perspective, I aimed to tackle an issue that was close to my heart.
Read Story →
Column
American Sniper Misfires
Published in The Hoofbeat on Feb. 11, 2015.
This piece was a reaction to the 2014 blockbuster film American Sniper and the consequences it had on the American public. I was overwhelmed by the amount of hate it triggered against certain groups in the U.S. Since many people had given the film glowing reviews, I hoped to make insightful commentary about the larger impact it had on our country through my dissatisfied review.
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Column, NSAA 2015 State Qualifier in Column Writing
Published in The Hoofbeat on Feb. 11, 2015.
This piece was a reaction to the 2014 blockbuster film American Sniper and the consequences it had on the American public. I was overwhelmed by the amount of hate it triggered against certain groups in the U.S. Since many people had given the film glowing reviews, I hoped to make insightful commentary about the larger impact it had on our country through my dissatisfied review.
Read Story →
Column, NSAA 2015 State Qualifier in Column Writing
No Relief for Drake-Meek Beef
Published in The Hoofbeat on Sept. 15, 2015.
While I lean towards political and social commentary, the feud between rappers Drake and Meek Mill had caught my attention, largely because of the massive following that it created for both artists. It was challenging to incorporate analysis about the music industry, marketing, and public appearance with interesting segments of the feud, but I made the final column engaging by finding a balance between commentary and entertainment.
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Column
Published in The Hoofbeat on Sept. 15, 2015.
While I lean towards political and social commentary, the feud between rappers Drake and Meek Mill had caught my attention, largely because of the massive following that it created for both artists. It was challenging to incorporate analysis about the music industry, marketing, and public appearance with interesting segments of the feud, but I made the final column engaging by finding a balance between commentary and entertainment.
Read Story →
Column
Oscar's White Out
Published in The Hoofbeat on Feb. 2, 2016.
I wrote this piece after seeing the 2016 list of nominees for the Oscars. Race is a complicated issue to handle, especially in entertainment, because it is evident that no one is trying to be actively discriminatory. In order to tackle this commentary, I had to dig into deeper, structural issues that could have caused the 2016 Oscar White House.
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Column, NSAA 2016 State Qualifier in Column Writing
Published in The Hoofbeat on Feb. 2, 2016.
I wrote this piece after seeing the 2016 list of nominees for the Oscars. Race is a complicated issue to handle, especially in entertainment, because it is evident that no one is trying to be actively discriminatory. In order to tackle this commentary, I had to dig into deeper, structural issues that could have caused the 2016 Oscar White House.
Read Story →
Column, NSAA 2016 State Qualifier in Column Writing
Reporting
After being a journalist for over five years, I have learned an important lesson. Don’t just see; observe. As a young writer with an insatiable desire to learn about others, I found the greatest stories by being mindful of those around me. I quickly fell in love with storytelling, and that is why I pursued journalism. Whether it is giving a quick news update or delving into the cellular reasoning behind an individual's purpose, I strive to write stories as engaging and dynamic as the individuals who are in them.
Finding His Inner Self
Published in The Hoofbeat on March 6, 2017 My goal with this piece was to inform, cover, and educate the student body about the rapidly changing social landscape for transgender students. We have been pursuing this topic since the past school year, but due to the tense political, our school's censorship never permitted us to continue. After lots of persuasion, we finally received permission to share the human stories behind unique gender identities. Read Story → In-Depth Feature |
Unified Bowling
Published in The Hoofbeat on Dec. 9, 2016. After the Millard School District started a unified sports initiative, our bowling team found unprecedented success in competition. By focusing this piece on teamwork, collaboration, and ability, rather than success, this story became one of my proudest pieces because I was able to shed a light on a part of the school that is often overlooked. Read Story → Front Sports Feature |
Recording Revolution
Published in The Hoofbeat on April 8, 2014. Although this was one of my first pieces for The Hoofbeat as a freshman writer, it is defining in my career as a storyteller. As a young journalist, I was beyond excited to cover an issue that I perceived as "hard news". However, through the compilation of this story, I quickly learned that neutrality and compassion are key to writing interesting stories. Read Story → In-Depth Feature |
Mr. Jahn is the Mahn
Published in The Hoofbeat on Nov. 17, 2015. Although a teacher winning an award doesn't feel like the most exciting story in the world, by using various student perspectives and focusing on engaging parts of the teacher's class, I was able to turn a seemingly-boring story in one that captured readers' attention. Read Story → News |
White House Film Festival
Published in The Hoofbeat on Oct. 24, 2016. When SeniorJessie Chen flew out to the White House Film Festival in D.C. to meet President Obama, she was the talk of the school and the community. I released a preview piece on our online publication and followed up with a deeper story with more information. It was difficult to choose which information to include because every experience seemed intriguing. Read Story → News Feature |
The Sparkle Effect
Published in The Hoofbeat on March 8, 2016. I reached out to many students in the special education program to understand the strong impact that the Sparkle Cheerleading program had on them. Interviewing students with development disabilities is a bit different that interviewing general education students. I learned that establishing a caring relationship with the subject and keeping interviewing questions simple is the best way to elicit passionate responses from the students in this story. Read Story → News Feature |
Anxiety Disorders - A Personal Story
Published in The Hoofbeat on Dec. 19, 2016. After realizing that anxiety was increasing at an alarming rate for teenagers, I delved into this issue by talking to psychologists, counselors, and school department heads. We reached out to a freshman who had been dealing with anxiety, ADHD, ADD, and insomnia all her life. She wanted her story to be known, and I wanted to tell it right. This is why I took a narrative approach. After talking to the subject for nearly an hour, I gained deep insight to her daily struggles. Though it was difficult to approach this topic at first, sensitivity and compassion were key in telling this story. Read Story → In-Depth Feature |
Tennis Transactions
Published in The Hoofbeat on Nov. 2, 2015. This story featured a subject who combined a passion, a business, and a desire to help the community. I ventured past the walls of the school to gather information about this student-run tennis business and found inspiring stories to share through narrative writing. I quickly found that the best sports stories always go beyond the sport itself. Read Story → In-Depth Sports Feature, JEA Winter 2016 Contest Superior Award for In-Depth Coverage, Excellent Award for Sports Feature Writing |