Introduction
Written reporting is where most of my experience and expertise are rooted. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a “bad interview.” I think there are only bad interviewers. The reason someone isn’t giving you thoughtful responses is that they aren’t interested or passionate in what you’re asking them about, or worse, they’re not comfortable. In my experience, powerful stories don’t always come from breaking coverage, alerts, or viral posts, but from listening to someone’s conversation during passing period, or in Health 2 class. They come from other interviews, when you pocket the interesting details irrelevant to your current story. Sometimes, they come from emails buried in your inbox, or something you notice driving home from school. Good reporters are observant, charismatic, and persistent. That doesn’t just extend to writing, but it is through writing that I’ve come to learn about and embody these traits.
Breaking News
Back story: During first hour, I learned a walkout would occur later that day to protest gun violence in schools after an Annunciation Catholic School shooting occurred in Minneapolis, on August 27, killing two children and injuring 21. I spent the school day talking to protestors, administrators and popping into classrooms. This experience emphasized the importance of getting a variety of perspectives — not only talking with people protesting, but also those who stayed in their classrooms, getting not just the views of angry students, but also those of teachers. Simply asking “What do you think is happening here today?” or “What are you hoping to achieve?” gave me a greater understanding of the walkout and its impact on my community.
Back story: A balloon release on the football field unleashed students’ grief after the death of sophomore Ovet Gomez-Regalado. I found it difficult to ask questions, or even walk around taking notes. Being sensitive and respectful in approaching people was key. Almost everyone, except Ray, Ovet’s older brother, was eager to speak about the balloon release, how it honored Ovet, and why that was important. Picking up on the little moments helped me weave significant narrative details into this story. Quoting words from the local pastor or noting when two little girls wearing matching unicorn sequin t-shirts lost their balloon helped readers connect with the scene. The purpose of news is not only to inform, but also to connect readers with their community. Strong anecdotes, impactful quotes and narrative details helped me do that.
Back story: A male student at Shawnee Mission East punched a female classmate and called her the N-word. We followed the Harbinger’s coverage and discovered that, the victim, sophomore Brey’Anna Brown, her family, friends and members of the KC-Defender, ​​a digital newspaper covering racial issues, were planning a peaceful protest at the next district board meeting. Through local reporting, we learned that Brown was held in the office for two hours after being assaulted and given a five-day suspension before her parents were contacted. Going up to protesters, especially Brown who was surrounded by local network cameras and asking them questions on the spot was nerve-wracking. It’s still important to follow and cite other coverage, but the first objective was getting reporting and quotes of my own.
News Features
Back story: After the inauguration of President Donald Trump, a slew of executive orders came out regarding promises he’d made during his campaign including securing the southern border, implementing mass deportations, and ending birthright citizenship. I’d overheard my mom talk about my neighbor’s boyfriend — both around my age — who was an undocumented immigrant from Honduras and had now stopped going to school. He feared that the 15-minute drive could mean getting pulled over and potentially losing everything. I worked with a small team of reporters to interview dozens of Spanish-speaking students, local legislators, district officials, police, ELL teachers, and more. I am proud that we were one of the very first student papers to bring hyperlocal coverage on this topic. We also made the decision to change student names for protection and publish a Spanish version of this story for accessibility.
Back story: This story came after the death of a transfer student, DeMarcus Houston, who was shot and killed on Nov. 16, 2023. As the email from Principal Lisa Gruman was released, people asked, “Who was this kid?” “What happened?” “Did he really get shot?” My adviser also wanted to know how often this happens. After countless hours on hold with my local police department, the statistics were astounding. In the last five-years the rates of gun violence across ages 0-17 have risen by 280%. That could not be right. But it was. Sometimes it takes tragic events to make us question systems, trends and institutions and, more importantly, to make people care about those statistics by humanizing the issue.
Back story: This story was on the back burner for about four months. While I was reporting on breaking news, designing spreads, or leaving edits throughout issues, I’d also been leaving school early for interviews with our district C.F.O., poring over budget spreadsheets in my adviser’s office, and speaking with our superintendent. In early July of this year, the U.S. Department of Education withheld nearly $6.9 billion from the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD). Dr. Schumacher, our superintendent, went on to suggest that programs affected by this, like Special Education, had already taken hits. I found that the state of Kansas has historically underfunded special education in public schools. This means SMSD and districts alike were pulling around $20 million from their general budget to supplement this each year. This primarily impacts teacher salaries and benefits, Schumacher said. But teachers and faculty throughout special education said it also prevented their programs from making upgrades or acquiring staff to support their students. Numbers and dollar signs are not my forte, so I spoke with Tim Carpenter, a veteran and award-winning reporter for the Kansas Reflector who specializes in coverage regarding Kansas legislation and education. I learned that a lot of reporting is essentially research. It’s always important to research before an interview and gain a stronger understanding of that topic, issue, or person. But sometimes you don’t know where to start. You have to ask other people and experts what kinds of questions you should begin asking.
Features
Back story: At the start of my sophomore year, I was the head copy editor of a 12-person staff. Before the school year had even started, I’d gotten a call from my adviser, who said Will Ensley, a rising senior, had died that morning. He passed away in a nine-car pile-up on his way to swim practice. I’d never covered topics that I considered sensitive or serious in any way. Freshman year, I wrote features on school dances, reviewed breakfast burritos, and published a column about plant care. I knew this piece needed to be in-depth and powerful. People had to know who Will was and understand how his life was significant. I interviewed his girlfriend, swim coach, best friend and parents. I learned how to gain the trust of sources by letting them set boundaries, by having them ask me questions and by interviewing them in spaces they’re most comfortable. Will’s parents took me into his bedroom and saw me stand there, gazing at magazines and notes on his desk. I watched Will’s swim coach cry on the pool deck at school. I myself cried so many nights at my bedroom desk as I tried to write this string of vignettes about their grief, memories and experiences. I felt an immense pressure to make this “perfect.”
Back story: Four students died over the span of 13 months. My staff knew that it was not only unheard of, but this jarring statistic had to be emphasized while also highlighting how a high school community processes grief. These students died under drastically different circumstances: a car accident, cancer, a shooting, and heat stroke. My Editor-in-Chief at the time, Grace Rau, and I co-wrote this piece with the purpose of memorializing and humanizing each student. We also worked to find discrepancies and similarities in the way students processed these details. At the start of my sophomore year, I learned you cannot cover grief or hardship without finding hope. Just like your reporting must move your story forward, your story should also move the readers forward. Most great stories do not have a clear ending, resolution or solution. They leave readers with a feeling that makes them think and ask questions. This gives readers some ownership and, more importantly, establishes a connection.
Back story: I remember the exact seminar period when we were going through printed story pdfs and my adviser read this one. I’m not sure if I was proud or offended by what he said. “This might be one of my favorite things you’ve written.” I was interested when, during AP U.S. History, I had looked out the window and seen little crosses jutting out of dirt and ivy. When I asked Mr. Wolfe, all he said was, “It’s the pet cemetery, ask Pisani about it.” Mr. Pisani, our environmental ed., teacher said it’s where he buries the dead frogs, snakes, lizards, etc., from their classroom (which I learned happens more often than not under the care of teenagers). I wanted the piece to be funny and short and highlight how bizarre this is. At first, Mr. Pisani asked me not to write about it because, technically, our principal didn’t know. But … clearly it ended up working out. I think it’s important for journalists to search for the things that confuse, interest, or inspire us. These types of short stories, or even photo essays, are the ones that stick with me most.
Sports
Back story: I first noticed a girl wearing an all-black tracksuit and hijab running after school. I recognized her from the halls, but what confused me was group of cross-country girls far ahead of her. Not only was she running alone, but, in 90-degree heat, she was completely covered. How someone can be so dedicated to cross-country and religion when the two conflict? I found out she was the first cross-country runner at Northwest to compete in a hijab. I shadowed her during practices to find her teammates make subtle racist remarks and laugh. Even her coaches still couldn’t pronounce her name right, Husna Asalati. I received a lengthy, angry email from one of our cross-country coaches after this story was published, saying and I’d misrepresented the cross-country program. I knew this was an accurate depiction of Husna’s experience. She’d even said she wanted to be an inspiration for other Hijabis afraid of joining sports like cross-country. While the criticism stings, it’s a reminder of why gathering diverse perspectives, triple-checking facts, having multiple editors and going through the story with primary sources before publication is important. And maybe the criticism stings even less.
Back story: After the passing of sophomore Ovet Gomez-Regalado at football conditioning, my Editor-in-Chief I wanted to know how Northwest’s football program was coping with his loss. How would this season look different after his death? How did this affect their motivation? Would they dedicate the season to him? Grace and I split the interviewing load and reconvened after speaking with players and coaches who were close to Ovet about who he was, how his death had impacted the team and what looked or felt different. Due to the culture of football and men in general, finding sources on the team to speak about grief was difficult, but many of them ended up being much less reserved than we expected. I learned how sources can surprise you in interviews and to reach out even if you think they’ll say no.
Opinion
Back story: This was the first story I was ever proud of. My Editor in Chief said she’s wanted to have a thematic issue on inclusivity, particularly extending toward the LGBTQ+ community. I mentioned being able to talk about having a transgender brother, and immediately she jotted that on the story plan. We don’t realize what’s storyworthy in our own lives when we become so accustomed to it. I forget that there are people who hold hatred for my brother, who believe he’s committing sin, or faking something. But to me, he’s just my brother. It’s important in columns to circle or illustrate hard-hitting news with a personal story. That way, I’m not just summarizing the debates around transgender culture, but I’m giving a first-hand perspective of what it’s like to grow up beside that and see it affect one of the most important people in my life.
Profiles
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"Are you Sofia?” I was shooting a cross country meet and thought she was angry about something I’d written or published. She said her daughter, Piper, a freshman, was running this race, and that her other daughter was Courtney. I’d written a profile during my sophomore year about Courtney and her experience with cancer. She struggled with the feeling of missing out on quintessential high school experiences. I’d talked with Courtney for a few hours in the Panera by my school. Then I talked with her mom on the phone. I remember she had to pull over and cry on her way home from work. I was struck by the idea of how Courtney and my's roles could be switched. She could be the one asking me questions, and that goes for any sources I’ve spoken with. This same feeling struck me when writing about students whose parent passed away, who were suicidal, or who faced severe racism. Journalists hold the privilege not only of earning strangers’ trust, but being able to feel their vulnerability and passion first hand. Courtney’s mom ended up asking if she could give me a hug. That’s the first time something like that had ever happened.
During my sophomore year, my Editor-in-Chief said there was a girl he knew who did everyone’s homework for money. This came from a conversation where I’d once again complained about an English project. In an age where most students rely on Google, Ai tools and other technology for quick fix solutions and answers, this student was writing people’s Shakespeare essays by hand. I found it most interesting that initially she wasn’t doing it for money. She just genuinely liked doing homework. To protect her identity her name was changed.
This was the first time a source had approached me wanting to be interviewed. He send me a message and also asked someone on my staff. At first I dismissed this as we had hit a very busy point in our production cycle. But when things calmed down, and of course I was curious, I’d ask to meet at a local coffee shop. Charles Lin, the source, said he’d been in culinary throughout high school. He’d been cooking his whole life. He won baking competitions at the Center for Academic Achievement. He spent nights there working the restaurant. And just recently he realized he didn’t like any of it. None of it. And he made the difficult decision of quitting without knowing what’s next, all right before senior year. This follows a shared experience, especially throughout high school, that we feel afraid of quitting something because that might mean all the work, time, and energy expended was for nothing. I love stories and conversations where I’m able to directly relate with my source. He baked me banana bread before the interview and said I was one of the first people he told. Not even his parents knew yet.
Professional Works
Back story: I’ve done freelance work for the Johnson County Post, a hyper local news outlet covering Johnson County, KS, for more than two years. I was asked to write a story about the Overland Park Rotary Club and Overland Park South Rotary merger. I interviewed presidents of both clubs and researched national declining membership statistics. This gave me great experience in speaking with organization heads and public officials and expanded my reporting experience beyond local events and education.
Back story: This story was originally written and published for the Northwest Passage’s online newspaper. However, the Johnson County Post also needed coverage on Ovet Gomez-Regalado, a sophomore at NW who passed away from heat stroke at summer football conditioning. KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR affiliate public radio station also picked this up. This story, co-written by me and my Editor-in-Chief last year, Grace Rau, provides hard news of what happened during football practice, when Gomez-Regalado collapsed, how district administration was responding, and mental health resources for grieving community members. This story also won 2nd place in youth reporting for the Kansas Press Association, competing against professional reporters on local news organizations.
Back story: The Johnson County Post received an email from Dorothy Hines about her daughter, who received a perfect score on the Kansas State Assessment. They asked me to cover a short feature on Malia, her daughter. I went to their house and interviewed Dorothy, asking her questions about Malia’s early education, interests, and other areas of academic success. I interviewed Malia on a video call, as she was on vacation. I was given a one-week deadline for this story.
Back story: I attended the preview of a local theatre production titled “Tree of Life.” I spoke with the playwright, cast members, and other supporters about what messages were present in this show, important moments in putting it together, and what other important information audience members should know. This story, which was reported and written in three days, was a preview of the performance, meant to give readers more insight into what the show was about, and encourage that they see it.
Back story: I watched KC Superstar’s 15th annual Finals singing competition, an “American Idol” style contest, and reported highlights, winners, and more background on fundraising, scholarships, auditions, past winners, and a special performance honoring people killed at two Jewish sites at Overland Park 10 years ago. The competition was on Sunday night, afterwards I wrote and submitted my draft to my editors at the post, and it was published the next morning.
Back story: A lot of story ideas, in my experience, have started with complaints more often than questions. I loved complaining to my friends about having vegan parents and having nutritional yeast instead of cheese, or soy-based chicken strips, and lentils…lots of lentils. It’s something I’d often joked about, so I realized it could be a column. I love satirical writing, which is humor with purpose. I find it helps your readers get to know you better because your voice is so strong. It’s easy to lose satire in your paper when you are already juggling lengthy features, fluffy reviews, cutting news briefs, photo stories, and graphics. Humor is something I find a lot of papers lack. And it’s still something my paper needs to be more consistent with incorporating.
Reviews
Back story: Some of the most successful reviews address or debunk excitement. The Wicked franchise has grown tremendously since the first movie came out, last fall. It made perfect sense that right as this came out there should be an online review published the next day. Readers want to know, “Is this worth the watch?” As someone who typically hates musicals, especially the glitzy, sensationalized ones, I was excited to say “No! It’s not!” But I was pleasantly surprised. You don’t have to (but you should) go into a review with objectivity. But you need to have an open mind.
Back story: Some reviews I don’t plan for, like this one. But when the 20-minute drive home with my friend was dead silent, I knew what to do. Like routine, I’d swipe my MacBook, jog up the stairs, and start regurgitating all the horrifying details. It’s good to have someone on staff or just have your staff keep an organized track of what movies, shows, and music is releasing, or what restaurants just opened for reviews, especially if you need consistent and popular online content. But sometimes these are things you stumble upon in your free time, and you’ll know whether you need to write about them.