Journalism is a powerful form of activism, inspiring me to cover underrepresented stories to put a spotlight on the issues that need it most, whether locally, nationally or globally.
Highlighting Diverse Perspectives
In my experience as a journalist, I have first-handedly discovered the impact that an article can have in creating real change within my school district and community. As such, I have dedicated myself to covering topics that I believe are important to solving issues that often go unnoticed.
Work Samples
|
New Iowa book ban: the changing landscape of education in public schools
I wrote this article in the wake of S.F. 496, a broad piece of legislation that sought to censor free reading in Iowa public schools. While I believe that book bans are detrimental to public education, I did not write this as an opinion piece. Instead, I wanted to assess the unspoken side effects of the book ban in public education, particularly the unpaid work that teachers libraries would be forced to do in order to implement the bill appropriately. I interviewed teachers and students for insight as to the implications of and reactions to the bill and consulted our school librarians to understand the breadth of the ban and its effects on the library staff.
Originally published to The Spartan Shield on Sept. 11, 2023 Republished to Best of SNO on Sept. 19, 2023 |
|
Environmental Justice Reporting
|
Environmental injustice: Minority communities face the brunt of pollution and degradation
|
As an avid lifelong environmentalist, many of my articles tend to focus on environmental issues that otherwise go unreported on. I have lived on the Mississippi River for my entire life, so I have first-handedly seen the detrimental effects of agricultural runoff and pollution in low-income areas in my town. So, I sought to tackle a broad social and environmental crisis: environmental injustice. In these two articles, I highlight stories of suffering at the hands of water pollution, specifically in low-income areas. It is vital that a farming community like mine is made away of the consequences of unsustainable agricultural practices, and by highlighting stories about Midwesterners who have suffered from the effects of pollution, we are one step closer to taking proactive measures against agricultural runoff.
Published Oct. 9, 2023 and Nov. 28, 2023, respectively |
First-world country, third-world water: The urgent crisis of America's dilapidated water systems
|
|
How to make a school shooter
Journalism can be straight forward, factual. It is one of society's most prominent tools for conveying the truth in a digestible way—but I've found that it can be so much more than that. I love to read, and compelling storytelling is often more powerful than the truth alone. Because sparking emotion in readers can be a driving force to change—a force I have learned to wield.
Colt Gray was the youngest school shooter is American history, at only 14 years old opening fire at Apalachee High. When this news broke, I was confounded—no typical upbringing could cause a young individual to feel compelled to commit such a heinous crime. So, I dug into the case, learning that Colt Gray was a lifelong victim of neglect and abuse, culminating in his tragic crime that took four lives. This article is a reflection of his life's story, told in second-person to communicate directly to the reader that we are all complicit in creating school shooters. Between school systems that are unresponsive to bullying and home issues like parental neglect, it is all too easy for a students like Gray to slip through the cracks of society. The United States' relationship with firearms is the nail in the coffin, allowing for hurt individuals like Gray to, in turn, hurt others. |
Originally published Oct. 11, 2024 to The Spartan Shield site
|
This is one of the most impactful pieces I’ve had the privilege of writing. Writing from an untold perspective is always a goal in my mind, and this article accomplishes that by shedding light on the circumstances that contribute to America's school shooting crisis. While I wrote outside of typical journalistic conventions with this article, I believe its impact was more profound than any other piece I have published in The Spartan Shield.
Staff
|
As Editor-in-Chief, I’ve embraced the responsibility of setting guidelines to ensure that a wide range of diverse of perspectives are represented in our monthly editions.
To achieve this, I’ve established article requirements mandating a minimum of three quotes from at least two distinct sources. I encourage my staff to prioritize diversity in their interviews, ensuring that their sources offer balanced viewpoints. In non-opinion articles, quotations can easily skew the bias of a piece of work, which is why quotes that offer different perspectives or opposing views are ideal to display the contentions of a topic without expressing bias. Additionally, I’ve implemented a rule to prevent the same individuals from being quoted repeatedly. Each staff member can only use a source once and cannot rely solely on their friends for interviews. This way, more student voices are included in The Spartan Shield. I also encourage my team to tackle stories that highlight diverse groups and perspectives. While I can’t singlehandedly cover every topic or represent every voice, it’s vital that we provide a platform for underrepresented groups and bring fresh perspectives to our audience. To support this, I actively help staff members develop these stories, offering guidance and resources to ensure these voices are heard. |
|
Staff Highlights
Below are a few standout pieces that demonstrate my staff's ability and eagerness to report on a wide range of topics, whether within PV or beyond Iowa, to share the truth about issues that matter to the world.
Dealing with Bias
Expecting myself or my staff to be completely free of bias is an unrealistic standard, but we prioritize holding ourselves and each other accountable when it comes to impartial reporting. If I determine that bias in an article cannot be fully removed through editing, I take immediate action. One approach is to encourage the writer to embrace their perspective and reframe the piece as an opinion article, allowing them to openly express their views rather than attempting to maintain an illusion of neutrality. In other cases, I put the article through additional rounds of editing to remove biased content and rephrase any sections that come across as one-sided. These steps protect the integrity of our publication, promote critical thinking and ensure that The Spartan Shield upholds its commitment to fair and balanced reporting.
