When Vandalism Strikes

I was the only returning staff member on this story. Producing a story along with training new staff members can be a lot to juggle. However, I feel like I was able to manage both tasks well. This was the moment in Blue Jay Journal TV where I gained confidence and knew I could do this for a career. 

Ultimately, this story needed to be told. Vandalism at our school is on the rise and has had a negative effect. However, it was a challenge to get adults to open up about this situation. The custodian we interviewed emailed our adviser several times because he was concerned that his comments could lead to some issues with the school district. She assured him that our goal in telling this story was not to get anyone in trouble with their employer; it is simply to present the truth to our viewers. 

Homeless in the Midwest

In Blue Jay Journal TV, we are expected to produce a story by ourselves without assistance from other staff members at least once a year. This was in the back of my mind when I was honored at Rotary Student of the Month in November. The Franklin County Homeless Task Force spoke at the same luncheon I was honored at. As I listened to them explain the severity of the situation, I felt like more people in my community needed to hear this story.

When I started working on this story, I felt like it was missing a key element. Yes, it is important to hear officials talk about homelessness, but when someone who has lived that life shares their story it carries more weight.

I was expressing my frustration about not having this critical element to the story when a friend of mine told me about the new youth pastor at First Christian Church in Union. Codie Pointer experienced homelessness in his youth. When I called him, he was more than willing to share his story. 

GSA at WHS

I knew I wanted to produce a story about Gay-Straight Alliance. Going into the story, I didn't know a lot about the club, and it intrigued me. Living in a very conservative Midwest town, I also believed the community should know more about it too. 

Getting interviews was a bit challenging since the club is very small, but I managed to get a handful of members and one sponsor to share their story. The biggest obstacle in telling the story came unexpectedly: one of the interviewees cornered my adviser about using her legal name instead of the name she goes by at school. I wish that individual had talked to me first because I would have gladly honored her wishes. 
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Overall, I hope this story brings more awareness about the Gay-Straight Alliance club and what they do. 

Operation Puzzle Piece

At the start of my junior year, a fellow Blue Jay Journal TV member and I were given an assignment to partner with two Washington High School DECA students to create a PSA for their project, which was centered around the Cocoa Cafe. This is a school-run breakfast hub that our Life Skills students manage.

After producing the PSA, I instantly knew this was a topic that would make for a heartfelt feature story. Seeing this story come together gave me a feeling of accomplishment and pride because I knew others would love this story as much as I did. I also believe in promoting programs that help those with mental and physical challenges feel more included and interact with their peers.