NEWS
The following stories were published by either Prospective or The Saline Courier.
Jan. 26, 2018
PHOTO | Alexis Burch
BRYANT OFFICIALS EDUCATING STUDENTS ON BHM
Bryant High School held a program in Love Auditorium Jan. 24 to educate students about Black History Month and leave them with "words of encouragement."
ABOUT: As a student working for the local paper, I sometimes know of events before my coworkers. When I heard that Bryant High School students must attend a program in celebration of Black History Month, I immediately asked my editor if I could cover it for the local paper. I took photos and once the event had ended, walked up to vice principal Dondre Harris to schedule an interview for later that day. I talked to several teachers for information, along with a Central High School park ranger who spoke at the assembly. This was the first time Bryant High School held an event to commemorate the month, so I felt it was crucial to make the school's efforts to create an inclusive event known. Harris worked hard to make the event a success, so I felt honored to speak to him and let the community know of his efforts.
Dec. 8, 2017
The 1967 Ford Mustang, covered in rust, with holes through the floorboards, rolled into the scrap yard. The owner did not want it anymore. ​So senior Sam Blackwood did what he could. He haggled the price down to $2,600 and named her Norabelle.
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FIXING FORDS
PHOTO | Connor Morris
ABOUT: During Prospective's budget meeting, I chose a feature story about students who fix up old cars. Knowing nothing about the topic, I approached a guy who was a friend-of-a-friend. He was helpful through every interview and follow-up question, but I was not the only person touched by his kindness. Every person I interviewed had several great things to say about his character. I wanted to try a different writing style, so I tried to write as if I was sitting in front of someone, retelling his story. I liked the simple sound of it, as it matched how Sam Blackwood and his friends told the story of his inexperience with fixing cars.
PHOTO | Connor Morris
Nov. 11, 2017
If the boat was still above water, then there was still a chance that the four men in the capsized sailboat could be found. Second class Petty Officer Boatswain Mate Terry Griggs went wherever the USS Henry B. Wilson went, and near the end of 1979, he found himself in choppy waters south of Hong Kong.
SHIPS ON THE HORIZON
PHOTO | Courtesy of Terry Griggs
ABOUT: This story has stayed with me since Terry Griggs sat across from me at my desk in The Saline Courier. This time in his life has always stuck with him, and he gladly provided me with articles of the event from right after it happened, along with pictures he took during his time on the USS Henry B. Wilson. He had a lot to say about the men he rescued, life on a ship working long hours and the empathy he had for foreign nations. While I focused on this story, he told me several different pivotal moments from this voyage. Our conversations still stick with me, and I was glad to share his story of heroism to a community that only knows him as a window washer.
Early one morning, Patsy James woke to a sharp pain in her left breast. She felt a lump, but her husband Jerry James reassured her that she was OK, and told her to go back to sleep. ​She went to three doctors who all believed it was nothing to worry about.
PATSY JAMES: 'LIFE GOES ON AND GOD PROTECTS YOU'
Oct. 28, 2017
PHOTO | Alexis Burch
ABOUT: Patsy James is a kind woman and was beyond grateful to get to share the hardest moments of her life with me. It was a difficult interview, but when she started talking, I wanted to know more and more.
Oct. 27, 2017
PHOTO | Abby Herrmann
P.L.A.C.E. TO CALL HOME
He walks with a silver Macbook balanced on one hand and an attached, portable electric keyboard in the other. He pauses the track that he has been sampling and sits down in the cafeteria. Just over a month since his first day in P.L.A.C.E., Positive Learning And Creative Education, senior Cartie’ Braggs feels he is home in the small building off Reynolds Road that only allows 76 students at full capacity.
ABOUT: I always thought of P.L.A.C.E., Bryant High School's alternative learning facility, as where the "bad kids" go. I wanted to know what the students there are actually like, and why they are there. I got to tour their facilities and the students and faculty were excited to have me. I had a line of students who wanted to talk to me, because they wanted to tell people that no, they aren't the bad kids. These were kind students who needed a different learning environment. The faculty was so gracious that I came to speak with them and spread their truth to the rest of campus. When our papers printed, I personally delivered a stack to their building. Talking with them forever changed my view on these students. Just because I can succeed in a school with 3,000 does not mean every other student can. This was a lesson I got to learn first hand, and from there, I shared it.
Oct. 25, 2017
PHOTO | Courtesy of Brian Johnson
AFTER MOM'S DEATH SON STRIVES TO RAISE AWARENESS
She was the backbone of the family.
But in May of 2005, Brenda Johnson was diagnosed with breast cancer, beginning her four-year battle with the disease.
ABOUT: A man believed that his mom was indestructible. He learned that only few can win against a deadly disease. Because of this, he speaks out to raise awareness about breast cancer. His story should be a wakeup call to us all.
Sept. 21, 2017
LOCAL DREAMERS MARCH
They marched with signs fashioned from poster board and paint. They chanted “El pueblo unido, jamas sera vencido,” the people united, will never be divided. They were mothers, fathers, recipients and even nuns dressed in white.
PHOTO | Alexis Burch
ABOUT: When I heard that a march would be taking place 20 minutes from Bryant, I asked my editor, Josh Briggs, if I could cover the event. I had only written short news write ups and a column for The Saline Courier, and he was interested in what I could bring back to be published. I turned in a story with several pictures. He was impressed with my work, and I was put on the payroll shortly after.
March 15, 2017
PHOTO | Flickr
CONCERN FOR THE CLIMATE
"I'm not a believer in man-made global warming.” The words came from President Donald Trump on the Hugh Hewitt Show during the GOP primary race. He was calm and firm in his beliefs, surprising in comparison to past administrations.
ABOUT: Our environment is changing, and Bryant High School's Environmental Science teacher had important points to make about the visibility of politicians versus the visibility of scientists.
Jan. 20, 2017
PHOTO | Wikimedia Commons
TRUMP INAUGURATED IN D.C.
On the West Front of the Capitol Building, President Barack Obama stood on the right side of a podium crested with the Seal of the President with First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
ABOUT: I came into class and Mrs. Stine had the live coverage pulled up. I decided to grab a laptop as I had to work fast. I quickly had the story written and posted.
Oct. 28, 2016
PHOTO | Flickr
VENDING OPPORTUNITIES
At the bottom of the staircase and steps away from the library, students with dollar bills in their hands crowd around one of five vending machines that appeared just days before. Inside are a number of approved healthy snacks, an alternative to going hungry while waiting for lunch to begin.
ABOUT: This story is not the one I started with when I chose what to write about for Prospective's Oct. 28 print issue. At the time, I was to write a story about a boy in my history class who claimed to have had suffered through having two girlfriends who both had gotten pregnant with his children,, only to both have a miscarriage. The interview I did with him was difficult, and the questions got personal. I made a timeline of the story he told me. He was still in contact with one of the girls, but she did not want to speak with me. While I was with the boy, she sent a text to him saying "Yes, the story is true." Still, I was unsure if I should tell his story, because I couldn't find anything to prove the story, aside from his own narrative. I tried talking to his mom, but she was not interested, and only asked that her son remain anonymous. Several days later, I decided to interview him again, this time over the phone, while I referenced the timeline I had created. Suddenly the details and time frame of the events changed. I created a second timeline, this time based on his second interview. Because of the discrepancies, I decided that the story must not be true, or at least crucial parts of it must not be. With three days until deadline, I approached my adviser, Lisa Stine. While we talked about what to do, Bryant High School's ESL teacher, Vicki Hale, entered the classroom to tell Stine of the accomplishments of her students. Because of efforts her students made, vending machines had been placed around the campus. We decided to scratch my previous story, and instead share this one. For the next three days, I interviewed the students, faculty, wrote and edited this story. Several months later, I was declared a National Winner in the Quill and Scroll 2017 International Writing and Photo Contest for Feature Writing. To this day, it is one of the stories that I am most proud of.
June 24, 2016
PHOTO | PxHere
UK VOTES TO LEAVE EUROPEAN UNION
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With a 30 million voter turnout and 51.9% voting “Leave,” the UK has decided to separate itself and its economy from the European Union.
PHOTO | John Williams
ABOUT: June 24, 2016, I woke up to news about the UK voting to leave the European Union. I did not exactly know what this meant, and according to my Twitter timeline, neither did a majority of the teenagers I follow. I quickly did some research and posted this story so that I could share a simplified rundown of what happened. Journalism can be a tool, and I wanted to write something that the majority of people could understand.
May 18, 2016
THE COST OF FIRST PLACE
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Break, turn and finish. There are certain mechanics required to finish an endurance race at the statewide Electric Vehicle Rally race for the engineering teams.
However, a miscalculation sent a metal framed go-kart, powered by car batteries, into seven members of the Hornet Engineering team on May 6.
PHOTO | John Williams
ABOUT: I interviewed engineering students involved in a crash during their Electric Vehicle Rally race. I found that the clubs on campus were not getting the coverage they deserved, so when a friend of mine who was involved in the crash told me what happened, I knew I needed to write the story.
Dec. 11, 2015
PHOTO | PxHere
REASON FOR THE SEASON
Presents under a tree, the eight candles of a menorah or sweets fit for a god represent a range of holidays celebrated near the end of the year. Each family celebrates for unique reasons, with generations of history behind each story.
ABOUT: Several of the students at Bryant High School celebrate holidays other than Christmas during the winter months. Prospective wanted to emphasize this, so I had the pleasure of learning about other cultures and sharing it with the student body.
Sept. 20, 2015
PHOTO | Pexels
“NOT OUR GENERATION:” EASTERN CULTURE CLUB CHALLENGES STEREOTYPES
Chinese lanterns, milk tea and the destruction of cultural stereotypes: Welcome to the Eastern Culture Club.
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ABOUT: I did not get to choose my first story. When I was told I had to cover Eastern Culture Club, I was hesitant. Still, I woke up and made the 7:30 meeting, practiced writing "autumn" in Mandarin, ate noodles for breakfast and quickly learned about the subtle ways American's reiterate Eastern stereotypes. Writing this encouraged me to claim more stories in the future that dealt with cultural differences.