Reporting and Writing
My Work on The Muse
As a coverage editor for The Muse, I edit the first drafts of each article my staffers create while helping to maintain diverse, balanced coverage for the publication. Alongside these duties, I have received the opportunity to write some articles. Scroll to see my high
school works.
My Scholastic Media Experience
Entering my second year on The Muse and DSOA Today, I am blessed with the ability to reflect on the impact that I have made on my local community. I have had the opportunity to tell stories that have showcased the essence of love, the strength of family, testaments of strength, and the power of togetherness. I learned how to connect with people, make interviews feel like conversations.
Embracing the transition from a copy staffer to coverage editor on the school newspaper was one that I was excited for. I wanted to help others find their voices so that they could in turn amplify others’. I find myself enjoying going through drafts, ready to bring out a writer’s true abilities. As I look back on this first semester, I feel an overwhelming amount of growth — not solely as a journalist, but as a collaborator as well. This position has challenged me to balance responsibility with the utmost sense of compassion, a culmination of all of my years dedicated to the craft of journalism.
To guide without overshadowing was a lesson that I found myself having the most difficulty with comprehending this year. I believe that I struggled because I had such strong opinions about stories at times, but then I started to realize that at the end of the day, it is not my name being published alongside the story, it is the staffer’s. I learned to think in their shoes, and to do so, I needed to get to know them as people first. This enabled me to see how their brain worked so that I could make suggestions that were most representative of themselves as a writer and deliver feedback in a way that they would be the most receptive to. I have learned that editing is not simply fixing words on a page (like copy), but it is about uplifting someone’s confidence and showing that their perspective does matter.
Being on both The Muse and DSOA Today has taught me that adaptability is critical. Whether it is coordinating coverage assignments, navigating unexpected challenges in the stories, or assisting a staffer when they are not quite sure about where to take a story, I now know what it means to hold myself accountable as a leader.
Overall, this semester truly brought me back to why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place in fifth grade. I enjoyed the quiet conversations after an interview, the excitement of discovering the heart of a story, and the beautiful smiles of someone who feels as though they are actually seen by someone. These moments have shaped me as a journalist, but most importantly, as a person, and they inspire me to continue seeking stories that matter.
Moving into the next semester, I carry with me the challenges, the lessons, and the happiness of watching The Muse evolve. I am excited to keep growing, to keep listening, and to keep helping others find the words that elucidate their stories.
