social media + broadcast
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Oftentimes, journalism is about learning to wear many different hats. Sometimes, it’s okay to let go of profile writing, delicious quotes, and emotional transitions. Sometimes, what is needed are solid quotes and objective facts. Sometimes, the hat I need to wear is delivering information that informs our readers about something that so closely impacts their day-to-day schedule, whether it is a sudden halt in spring sports or a delay in in-person learning. They may be short and concise, but as — and depending on the time, sometimes most — important for our readers. Here are a few news articles that were most pivoting for our community in the era of change. They were packaged with a social media post, because when the news is breaking, we need to place the news where the most readers are.
As a student, I understand the difficulties of adjusting to half-day or shortened day bell schedules. It’s embarrassing the amount of times I have confidently showed up to the wrong class during the wrong hour. To help our students, I worked with our News Editors of 2021-22 to make it a “tradition” for The Emery to post the bell schedules on adjusted schedule days on our Instagram story. To this day, it’s still going.
The Huron Emery Instagram, March 15, 2021
I never knew I could be so captivated during school board meetings until I attended one I had to report about. This was during the times everyone in our school district was unsure of what was going on. Were we going back in-person? Staying virtual? Hybrid?? By combing throught the meeting’s transcript, taking notes, and creating social media slides through efficient graphics in a timely manner, I was able to create a report that eased community concerns and questions during a very uncertain time.
The Huron Emery Instagram, January 2022 - present
Over the past year, we have worked to expand our social media platforms so that they are not simply a side entity to support our print or website. This meant starting content that was social media only. We began multiple series, such as "Tuesday Tunes" and "Caffeine Corner." The series that I worked with a group to realize was "In My Shoes." The gist was that we would interview people with various interests, and what those experiences are like for them, hence literally stepping into their shoes. We would meet as a group weekly to brainstorm ideas and delegate who would interview and photograph whom. Below are a few posts from our series.
The Huron Emery Instagram, March 3, 2022
If you’re part of Huron you know we have a robust soccer team. And if you are part of Huron you also know our soccer coach Luiz goes above and beyond in all imaginable ways. Every year at the start of the season, there is a Huron Soccer Alumn Game. This was the first time The Emery reported on it. To capitalize on this unique opportunity, I decided to report by creating a fun Instagram reel with the versatile question of “What do you miss most about Huron Soccer?” I was amazed by the wide array of answers, ranging from a player who was just a year older than me or someone who graduated years before I was even born. In post-production, I made sure to evoke the sense of love and fun all the players (myself including) were having on the field.
The Huron Emery Instagram + YouTube, June 5, 2022
When my newspaper adviser asked me to make a video about our Senior Clapout, a tradition happening for the first time since the pandemic, I was scared. Anything related to broadcast was new territory. But after I recorded different parts of the clapout and began recording an interview with my principal, I realized how similar it was to writing. The recipe was the same: interview and record. But instead of writing, I had videos saying the quote transitions. It was like I had found my long lost sister.
The Huron Emery Instagram, March 3, 2022
A big highlight for many students at Huron is our great privilege to be able to spend a week at Interlochen Center for the Arts during the end of summer in our music cohorts. For many years, our students’ time at Interlochen would be featured in our first issue of the year. But never has it been documented on our social media. Understanding the growing space digital media is taking, I decided to take the leap and record a day-in-the-life in orchestra’s camp. I had designed the Interlochen page the year before, but when reporting on the same topic, a year later, with a different tool, I realized the value of adding this multi-dimension in reporting.
The Upstart, August 2022
During the summer of 2022, I attended MIPA's summer camp for the social media course where I helped manage MIPA's Instagram (@mipaupstart). Under the tutelage of Tracy Anderson, I went out of my comfort zone in the social media realm and began exploring video-making. Through Capcut sessions and reporting during lunch, I was able to weave together carefully-chosen music, thoughtful video shots, and attentive questions.
The Huron Emery YouTube, February, 2023
A long-time idea our design editor Annabelle and I finally realized. The purpose of the series is to highlight love in all its forms. For our first episode, we interviewed one of our school's teachers and her husband on their relationship and the unfiltered reality of marriage. Our second episode, currently in post-production, is about a high school couple, and our third is about our school librarian's journey with self love amidst the journey of her husband's passing.
