Writing.
I have fallen in love with every form of journalistic writing.
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I started out my high school journalism career as a staff writer for The Bengal Beatand ended as yearbook editor-in-chief and broadcast producer. I do not have extensive amounts of examples in any one type of writing, but I have been very prolific in my writing across multiple styles and formats. .
I am a generalist; my ability to switch from one subset of journalism to the next is a strength that will serve me well in a field that is becoming dominated by multimedia productions.
Yearbook
Dividers
At Braswell Media, we treat the copy on our divider pages like a feature-narrative hybrid. This not only creates distinction between each section of the book, but also it creates an atmosphere for the reader as they journey through the book.
August & September Divider, The Ambush 2022-2023
One of the year's defining moments was the first home game in our school's brand new stadium. I interviewed one of our school's student section leaders, or "Jungle Leaders" as they are called on campus, as well as some regular attendees of this season's Friday night football games.
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I set up this piece by highlighting all of the bells and whistles that came with having our brand new stadium: a multiple story building, jumbo-trons, etc. Then, I juxtaposed the material glitz and glam with the student section's culture, which has been unwaveringly energetic throughout the years (with or without a home stadium).
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June & July Divider, The Ambush 2022-2023
In this divider, I wanted to explore the "togetherness" found within specific groups on campus. Knowing that we would have the opportunity to hear from multiple band members in the Fine Arts Section, I interviewed the program's three drum majors to get unique perspectives of those in leadership roles.
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One thing I loved playing around with while writing this was sound. The opening paragraph begins with describing the sounds of construction and coaches' whistles during the fall sports' summer practices, which I then juxtaposed with the more melodious sounds of marching band rehearsals.
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The Braswell Band later went on to UIL area finals.
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February & March Divider, 2021-2022
One of my favorite parts of being a student journalist is getting the privilege of covering history-making moments. The theme of the edition this divider was featured in was "Rewind", and I wanted to give this spread a highlight-reel feel. For example, while interviewing players, I asked them which moments of the season they would "rewind" to.
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I really loved playing with this idea of a "tradition of making history". Since the Lady Bengals basketball team is one of our school's most successful athletics programs, I wanted to explore exactly what made these ladies so dominant.
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If I could do this again, I would include the coach's perspective, as she had a daughter on the team committed to LSU.
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Sports Divider, The Ambush 2021-2022
This divider was written after Braswell had finished their first year in UIL 6A competition after five years in division 5A. Many programs had not seen the success on the scoreboard they were hoping for, so I decided to center this spread around the work ethic athletes demonstrated during summer conditioning.
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Because the sports section encompasses all of Braswell's athletic activities, I was careful to interview players from multiple sports.
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Theme Development
Special spreads, such as opening and closing pages, are meant to encourage thematic unity within the book.
Opening Spread, The Ambush 2022-2023
The primary purpose of the yearbook's opening spread is to introduce the theme to the reader. The Ambush's 2022-2023 theme, "We Are Braswell", was chosen out of a desire to increase school spirit and unity among students. With that in mind, I chose to center the copy of this spread around commonalities within the student body.
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I wrote this piece like a sandwich. I began and ended the work discussing the experiences that Braswell students share, while I highlighted the diversity on campus in the middle.
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I was careful to make references that only a Braswell student would know, such as our principal's signature catchphrase over the intercom, or the music that plays in our hallways during passing periods.
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Closing spread, The Ambush 2022-2023
I wanted the closing spread to continue this idea of shared experiences established in the opening spread. Here, I was very careful to reference events and activities that the majority of the student population would have participated in or at least have heard about, like Friday night football games or our Adam Sandler-themed spirit day.
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Another aspect of the book I had in the back of my mind was the fact that it will be looked at decades from now. At the end, I emphasized that it is not the material aspects of high school but the memories contained within the 2022-2023 Ambush that make a student a Bengal.
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NEWS WRITING
Articles written during my time with The Bengal Beat as well as some more recent pieces. They are far from perfect, but they demonstrate my growth as a writer. Click on the article's title (red and underlined below) to view it in a .pdf or on our website.
The gist.
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Don't limit yourself to one "type" of writing too soon. There is plenty of time to find your groove.
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People don't "just look at the pictures.” Writing matters!