writing & Reporting
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Sumerton's heartwarming journey
The Huron Emery, February 1, 2021
Published on Best of SNO
First Place, Feature Story, NSPA Clips and Clicks
First Place, Profile Writing Quill & Scroll (international)
First Place, Profile Writing, Youth Journalism International
First Place, Human Interest Feature, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
This is one of my favorite pieces. Ever. Our assistant principal got open-heart surgery in late 2020. A month's work, countless rounds of editing, one too many interviews, and 73 emails later, here we are. And I'm very happy with what that is. It was a melting pot of emotions: happiness, gratitude, despair, and humor. I had the best time blending them all together.
The Huron Emery, December 20, 2020
As much as this is an article to inform our readers about the importance of the elderly's mental health, it's a reminder to not forget about our seniors. Lost in isolation is a mix of science and emotion — the exact ingredients of this dilemma.​
Published on Best of SNO
First Place, Informative Feature, Michigan Interscholastic Press Assocation
Invaluable friendship: the story of a $5 bill
The Huron Emery, November 4, 2021
Third Place, Human Interest Feature, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
I like to call this one “an absolute riot.” Never had I thought I would come across a story like this and nor do I predict on finding another one alike. Once I learned about Mr. Sumerton and Ms. Garrett’s unconditional friendship for each other, represented through such a (unique) and endearing game they share, I knew it was a gem. And like gems, I couldn’t let go of it, despite intricate outlines, meticulous interviews, and grueling edits, until I saw it as a printed paper in my hands.
The Huron Emery, December 15, 2021
This story really taught me that at the heart, being a journalist is simply being human. I held a series of interviews with Sarah about going through high school while living 6,000 miles away from her family. Throughout the interview, there were tears, there were smiles, there was comforting. And that’s what I hoped came through my article. This is much more than just a writing assignment. It’s someone’s life. It’s something someone just a desk away from me and you is going through.
The Huron Emery, February 15, 2022
An article I studied a lot when I was first learning profile writing was “Portraits of Love” by Julie Heng. It’s about our art teacher, Ms. Kim, navigating her adoption journey. During my junior year, Ms. Kim concluded her three-year adoption journey when she finally matched with a little boy from Korea. So, I decided to reach out to write a continued part to the story. I made sure to depict the experience as real as possible: beyond all the love that Ms. Kim holds for her son, it was a difficult process. What was most rewarding was at the end was when Ms. Kim told me how the article helped her reflect on the entire journey. It feels good knowing I positively impacted someone through my writing.
The Huron Emery, 2021-2022
Third Place, Staff Editorial, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
It’s an ongoing inside joke the dread of writing the editorial. There’s something very daunting about being tasked to check all these boxes: speak on behalf of the entire newspaper staff, follow our issue theme, and promote a call to action for our complete student body. Just slightly scary. But very powerful and important.
The Huron Emery, September 6, 2022
When people find out I don’t have Instagram and ask me why, I find myself retelling the same story over and over. Each time it’s more refined, so when I wrote this piece, the words naturally flowed from my years of responses to curious passerbies. It was also a nice way for me to reflect on my “groundbreaking” decision of deleting the staple app.
The Huron Emery, May 10, 2021
I learned to embrace the unknown with this story. Learning and understanding basketball terminology was a challenge, but once I overcame it, I was proud of myself to have not let a foreign concept keep me from pursuing a very powerful, heartbreaking, but grit-filled story.
The Huron Emery, December 20, 2020
While the credits rolled for this Netflix short, I knew I had to write an article about it. So, on a whim, I crafted this piece: my own take on a movie review. The whole 12 minutes of the short was so compelling and touching it felt wrong to critique it in any way. As a result, I decided to reflect on what I learned from it. Five Things I Learned from this Netflix Short.
The Huron Emery, February 15, 2022
Third Place, Environmental, Health or Science, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
The numbers themselves are a story. When I learned that there was only one nurse in our school during the height of the pandemic, two things came to my mind. 1) She must be Wonder Woman. 2) Her story needs to be shared.
The Huron Emery, February 15, 2020
I had Mr. Cummer as a teacher during my freshman year for Sports Medicine. He always had the coolest outfits, featuring your typical sports brands, but think color-coordinated down to the shoe. During the pandemic, when I started journalism, all the teachers compiled videos of them from home, telling us to keep going. Mr. Cummer's video was him in his ever-expansive closet of sneakers. The next day, I got the idea of a profile on Mr. Cummer approved by the editors, and I sent him an email. Per usual, the interview proved that his shoe closet was but a percentage of the story, enforcing my mindset even more that this was a worthwhile piece.