Reporting and Writing

My work speaks for itself in this category, I have always been committed to writing a good story, a story that makes an impact. I have, in a number of stories, interviewed experts across the country with specialized knowledge over a subject. I pride myself on my in-depth writing, in particular, my stories that touch on Solutions Journalism. Solutions Journalism is an approach to investigative reporting that touches on the solutions taking place to address widely experienced issues. Read those stories below.

Solutions Journalism

Dear World, Save the Bees

The growing movement to protect the tiny, mighty heroes of the ecosystem

Fostering hope for austin’s homeless

Exploring the presence of homelessness in Austin, city protocols, and the resources and solutions availible

In-depth/investigative

Modern Masculinity

How social media is influencing young men’s definition of what it means to be a man

Statehouse to Schoolhouse

How the 89th legislative session has changed the educational environment, students and staff adapt

AI takes a seat in the modern classroom

The use of AI in the educational environment, and its impact on students

the Echo of protest music

Examining the influence of music on political and social movements throughout history to now

From the vote to the whitehouse

Fleshing out the process of the election of the United States President

Students juggle jobs and school

Features/objective

How teens balance school, work, and extracurricular activities and the skills they have learned from their jobs

Students share soup drive sculptures

Upperclassmen create handmade bowls to donate for charitable event at local food bank

Bulldog Nation; a lasting Legacy

The nearly ten-year impact of now retired principal Mark Robinson

Closing Thoughts

Story-telling has been one of the strengths that has been a pillar for my success in my program. That, in part, comes from an understanding I have that any story can be a good story if you look in the right places, that stories are every where and it just takes a good journalist to share them with the world. The interviewing, writing, and reporting skills that I have learned in my time in this program are going to carry me into the next walks of life. I hope, even if just a little one, that my writing during my time on The Dispatch has made an impact.

Awards:

Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) 

  • 2cd place newspaper writing portfolio 

  • 1st place newspaper news feature 

  • 3rd place newspaper investigative story 

  • 2cd place newspaper investigative story

Texas Association of Journalism Educators (TAJE) (State)

  • Superior in-depth feature story 

  • Excellent in-depth News Feature story

  • Superior infographic presentation

Interscholastic League Press Association 2024-25 Individual Achievement (ILPC IA) (State)

  • 1st place news feature