My Portfolio
Welcome to my portfolio. Here you’ll find a selection of my work. Explore my projects to learn more about what I do.
LAWS, ETHICS & NEWS LITERACY
In a world dominated with fake news, we as student journalists, are responsible for upholding professional and ethical standards of journalism. My dedication to accurate reporting and writing has enhanced our staffs' professional methods for sourcing and relying on credible resources. Moreover, I have continously promoted news literacy both within our journalism program and across campus. As a leader in our journalism department, I have ensured that both myself and my fellow reporters adhere to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.
STUDENT PRESS FREEDOM
I am fortunate to be a student journalist at a school that proudly supports our journalism program, and doesn't enforce censorship; however, I know this is not the case for countless school across the country. I wanted to bring acknowledgment to this vital issue, as the topic of censorship and student press freedom has greatly impacted conversations that we have had in class. Below I've written an opinion article about the ongoing issue of student press freedom and its effect on our classroom, journalism programs in the state of Nebraska and student journalists across the country. Along with the story I created an infographic detailing the issues and how you can be apart of the solution. Click the infographic below to read the story.
CENSORSHIP
After learning about censorship and book banning in my Advanced Placement Language and Composition class, I felt a profound urge to address the issue through an opinion story. After conducting thorough background research, I discovered that a book had recently been pulled from a competition I had fond memories of participating in: the Golden Sower Award. The Golden Sower Award, was a state wide book competition for elementary school students, where they could read four out of 10 books carefully curated by librarians across the state and vote for the one that they resonated with the most. Controversy arose when one of the books was removed due to its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters.
Being able to intertwine the crucial themes of book banning and censorship, along with tangible real-life examples of their impact in our local community, has given me insight into my ability to create content that advocates for news literacy within our school's community. Click on the image below to read the editorial I wrote on book banning that qualified for the 2022 NSAA State Journalism Competition.
OPINION POLICY
Situated on the opinions page of our print paper is a crucial statement. It emphasizes that all opinions featured in our newspaper are exclusively those of individual journalists, affirming that the expressed thoughts on various subjects belong uniquely to our team. This commitment not only aligns with journalistic principles, but also reinforces our dedication to promoting news literacy by celebrating the diversity of the voices that shape our editorial content.
DATABASES
In the age of social media, the presence of fake news has continuously become more and more prominent. Within our Advanced Journalism Google Classroom, we've shared a document containing Millard Public School's provided Databases and Online Information, all sourced from reputable sites. This resource is intended to empower our staff reporters to engage in thorough background research, aiming to counteract fake news and misinformation.
FACT CHECKING
Fact checking is a vital part of my editing process. I consistently prioritize source verification, with a specific focus on ensuring that the statistics provided by our staff reporters comes from reputable sources, thus presenting our readers with accurate and reliable information. This commitment to accuracy not only defines my editing approach but also aligns with the ethical standards of journalism. Below are examples of times I've had to fact check my peers' work.
IDENTIFYING OPINION
Below is an example of an edit I left on a staff reporter's story that represents editorialization. By highlighting their text and pointing out their use of opinion, I encourage my fellow student journalist to observe their own biases and continue further research in order to correct their opinionated statements. Especially in the areas of news and feature it's vital to keep the writer's own personal opinion out of the story and leave it to their wide variety of sources.
GIVING CREDIT
When it comes to upholding the ethical standards of student journalism, it is important to acknowledge and credit the individuals responsible for the various components of our publication. This means attributing names in every aspect of our work—whether it involves authorship of articles, creation of infographics or photography. This is crucial as it ensures that credit is rightfully given to those who contributed, preventing any misrecognition for work one did not personally do.
CURRENT EVENT QUIZ
As a student journalist I've learned the importance of consuming news on a daily basis and informing our audience on important events and topics circulating the news. In order to improve the news literacy within our journalism class and on campus, I've encouraged my staff to share a similar passion for regularly consuming news. To encourage our staff members to delve more into researching news and current events, we take a current event quiz every Wednesday provided by the New York Times. It's a great way not only to improve our news literacy abilities, but also bring acknowledgement to ongoing news topics.
