Peer, student journalist and coffee fanatic are all things I can use to describe myself. From UGA Football games to neighborhood music festivals, being an Athens, Georgia native played a significant role into the shaping of my self identity.
Growing up in Athens, I was constantly surrounded by the music, art, food and culture of the diverse town. I was exposed to a variety of people with backgrounds exceptionally different than mine, which is ultimately what led me to journalism. I was intrigued by the idea of telling the stories of the people who made up the community that I love.
My journalistic journey didn’t start until my freshman year when I joined my schools magazine- the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School. Though I intended on furthering my journalistic skills, I primarily joined to get involved with my school community. I was unaware of the true impact practicing journalism would have on me, and how it would change my outlook on numerous topics. The stories I witnessed the upperclassman in my publication report on inspired me to come back my sophomore year, in hopes that I too could have the same impact. From politics to natural disasters, I was shocked by their ability to cover such mature topics with an exceptional amount of professionalism.
Following the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School, I read what felt like endless articles covering the political controversy sparked by the incident. It wasn’t until I read an article published by a student journalist at my school that I truly felt seen, heard and understood as a student. It was then that I was able to grasp the true importance and impact student journalists have on their community, and the essential role they play in ensuring that the student body is heard in a time where we often feel like the last priority.
As I continue my journey as a student journalist, I have made it my mission to be an outlet for student voices, opinions and stories. Not only this, but in a way that is diverse, accurate and balanced. It is the student body that shapes me as a journalist.
I am Finley Aldred. I live in Gwinnett County, Georgia. I am 17 years old, and I attend Mill Creek High School. At school, I stay involved by participating in yearbook. As the upcoming head editor, I am eager to step into a leadership role where I can express my creativity and love for writing. Through this class, I have been able to open my eyes to what I want for the rest of my future. I hope to attend the University of Georgia and major in journalism to become a sports journalist. The past three years in yearbook have changed my perception of the world and overall given me useful life skills for when I venture off into the world after high school.
One of my favorite things to do is being a mentor to people anywhere I go. I love helping people and being a leader to look up to. I joined a club at my school called Ilead, where I had the opportunity every Wednesday during my homeroom period to go to a freshman homeroom and provide them with information that is helpful in their first year of high school. I really enjoyed getting to build relationships with them and my fellow mentors during my first year in the club.
I am also a student athletic trainer for Mill Creek’s football team. Last school year, it was my first season with the team, and I made so many new memories and friendships with the other trainers; it truly changed my life. While attending all the practices, JV, 9th Grade and Varsity games, it is definitely a commitment, but it is worth the time spent. I love the routine of walking down to the field house straight after school and seeing my friends. It’s nice to be able to sit outside and do my homework while being surrounded by another one of my pleasures: Football.
Throughout my life, I have always been surrounded by football, whether it was my dad and brother watching on TV, attending my brother’s rec games or being a trainer myself. I feel like it brings people together in an exciting game to watch. My favorite teams are the Georgia Bulldogs and the Kansas City Chiefs. I have always felt a connection to the Chiefs because my grandparents had a lake house in Missouri. Every summer since birth up until 3rd grade, we would fly to the lake. I get so much nostalgia when I think of Missouri, and I try to show my love for the state with my team spirit.
When I’m not at school, I like to spend my free time reading. All my life, I have enjoyed reading at any moment. I love reading fantasy, thrillers and romance books. Anywhere I go, I always take a book with me and my Kindle. I also like to express my creativity through journaling. I purchased a bullet journal, and recently I have been journaling nonstop. I like making collages of memories, purchases and random items.
My church is a big part of my life and a place where I spend most of my time. My youth group is a second home away from home. Every Sunday morning and Wednesday night, we spend time with each other and grow closer as we learn more about God. Through my church, I have made friends that I will keep with me for a lifetime.
I love spending time with my family. I have one brother named Banks and a cat named Nugett. My family and I like to play board games and cards. I love getting to spend time with them and being able to learn new and old information about their pasts before my brother and I. After getting my driver’s licence, I have gotten closer to my brother by driving him around places. It makes me feel like the cooler older sister that I have always wanted to be for him.
Overall, I love getting to spend time with my loved ones, as well as a balance between my own personal time getting to enjoy my own hobbies.
I was born in Norfolk, Virginia on June 22, 2008. Growing up in Virginia Beach I made many friendships, and once in a lifetime memories either in school, girl scout camp in elementary school, being an older sister, or being active in my city. My parents gave my sister and me everything we asked for and more. As I enter my senior year at Landstown High School, I reflect on my younger years and how they shaped me into the person I am today.
Growing up my family has always been passionate about sports if it’s NFL, CFB or NBA. Many of my earliest memories consist of Saturday afternoons watching my dad cheer for the Florida State Seminoles or late Sunday nights as he watched the Washington Redskins, take the field for a game. I soon became a fan of different teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Timberwolves. Being exposed to the atmosphere of sports at such a young age made me passionate about pursuing a career in the sports industry.
I knew from my freshman year I wanted to go to an out of state college. When I became passionate about getting a degree in journalism I looked into UGA and that soon became my dream school. I hope wherever I end up going to college I get my degree in journalism and become a sports reporter for a professional team in a big city, with hopes to interview some of my favorite athletes like Ja’marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Anthony Edwards, Tank Dell, and of course the GOAT Lebron James. I love watching women dominate in the sports industry with reporting, it shows women can work just as well as men can in a male-dominated career.
Outside of watching sports I played soccer for many years, but eventually got tired of it. My mom signed me up for volleyball and I fell in love with it. I met so many people and have won two city championships within two years. I ventured out of my comfort zone and joined my schools basketball team and gained so many fun memories along with amazing friendships. Besides being on a court you can find me in the kitchen baking or with my Beats on blasting music, at the lake house with my cousin, or cuddling with my three dogs while watching a Disney movie.
Growing up with unconditional love and support from the people around me made me appreciate the little things in life and how to always look on the bright side of things.
Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia in 2008, and later moved to McDonough in 2012 when my little sister was born. All my life I knew I wanted to do something that was important to me, but I wasn’t sure what that was. I ran track since elementary school then stopped because I felt overwhelmed with it, just to go back to it in 11th grade. In my years of down time, I joined my high school’s dance team and left which led me too the school’s step team, where I later became captain. After I left the step team I finally joined color guard and I feel like that was one of the best things I’ve done in my high school career.
Starting in 9th grade, I had a teacher named Mr.Usry. He was a real important part of why I enjoy writing today. Poems specifically, he encouraged me to be able to express myself in a way I didn’t think I could. Saying how I felt was always hard for me but writing them out wasn’t. This sparked the want to become a writer. I feel as if I could speak to the public and connect with people that are going through the same things that I am going through and/or experienced.
Today, I have a good 10 (or more) poems based on emotions, and things I’ve noticed about certain lifestyles. I would have more but I got busy and stopped writing for some reason.
I’m not sure when I made the decision that I want to become a news reporter/television personnel, but I know since then I’ve always had my heart set on those goals. I want to major in journalism and minor in hospitality management because not only do I want to write books and become a news reporter, but I also want to own my own hotel chain. I’ve been told I have the personality to do both, so that’s exactly what I am going to work towards. I believe if I continue to work toward my goals, I will get what I really and truly want.
There have been two outlets for me. Other than writing poems from my feelings, I’ve been dancing on my color guard team, known as the Flying Redz. I started late 9th grade going into 10th grade and I’ve absolute loved it ever since. As I’ve continued, my love for the sport has grown more and more and I really and truly thank one specific coach and my captains for seeing something in me. Fast forwarding to today, I am the captain of the Flying Redz for my last year of high school. I can say that this team will forever hold a special place in my heart and when I graduate I pray that they continue to grow and get bigger.
Identity has been my biggest challenge and my only consistency, on the surface I’m a 16 year old hispanic, multilingual student born and raised in Georgia. Despite my residency, I have traveled out of the country all my life to visit family. I’ve struggled discovering my future plans, always undecided but have yearned to find my voice by being vocal of my opinions. My love for being vocal on my opinions and researching into topics that interests me formed into joining MODEL UN and a debate/politics class exploring what my future has in store for me. This self-discovery opened up doors for opportunities to flow in my future and my college experience. I fell in love with literature years prior and would love to debate controversial topics which has me juggling between presuing journalism or law at UGA.
I also have a love for music, enrolled in intermediate choir class at Sprayberry High School and plan to continue choir after high school. It has made me develop a community and common interest in music as well as playing the ukulele and learning my 4th language: American Sign Language (ASL) and got my ASL 1 Certificate last month.
Many people I know personally have their story untold or twisted, especially minorities. I want to seek the truth and unveil it weather pretty or ugly and get other people’s voice heard because I know what its like to be silenced. I want to bring out that freedom, that right to be vocal and not feel powerless regardless of age, sex, gender, race, etc.
Who am I? I do not think that anyone could truly put the person that they are into concrete sentences. It is nearly impossible to encapsulate a daughter, sister, student, friend and so much more into a few hundred simple words. Above anything else, I am made of the experiences in my life, and the people who have brought them to me. I do not have the capacity to describe every impactful instance in my life that has shaped me into the girl I am now. Even so, I will do my best.
My dad is from rural Michigan. It is a place of rednecks and green trees, loons calling from the lakes in the dewy mornings. When I visit there, I remember the history of people before me, living among the secluded natural parts of the world.
My mom is from a small town in Wisconsin. It is a place of culture and theatre, community united despite many differences. When I visit there, I remember that the most natural part of humanity is caring for one another, attempting to ensure that, together, we all thrive.
I have grown up in a bursting suburban town in coastal South Carolina, mere miles away from historic Charleston. It is a place of opportunities and lethargic summer heat waves, revolutionary ghosts rising from the downtown streets that have been walked upon since before the days of American independence.
My school contains around 2,500 students, with about 650 in my class alone. Within this melting pot of athletes, artists and academics, I found my place in a dimly lit downstairs classroom that once belonged to the welding class. Now, banners hang from the pipes. Stickers (and “do not touch” signs) cover the heavy machinery. The garage door only opens to distribute the representative voice of our student body. We are the Student Media of Wando High School.
I am a writer and copy editor for the Tribal Tribune newsmagazine, entering my third year of high school and my second year on the staff. I have been published in four newsmagazines and 16 online stories. Yet, every single time that I see my name on a page or a screen, an indescribable thrill races through me. The privilege and responsibility of informing my peers is not lost on me, and it has shaped my high school years.
When I sit down to write, I bring with me the people and places of my past. When I write about the importance of environmental sustainability, I call upon a lakeside cabin in Michigan. When I write about a school play, I reach for that nonprofit amphitheater in Wisconsin. In every single thing I write, I feel the pressure of the history that echoes from downtown, and the expectations of the future of the boomtown outside my doorstep.
If I am writing, then so are the people, places, and experiences that have shaped me.
Getting to know an only child is very easy because you are asking them about their most favorite topic ever — themselves! While I could be very detailed and tell you that I’m a Leo, in a STEAM program, Georgia Merit student, or how the time I fell off of my bike and smashed my bacon burger created one of my most cherished friendships ever, I can just give you a little insight.
I am from a city right on the edge of Los Angeles — Inglewood, California. After my parents split, my mom decided to move us across country, which was the end of the world to 7-year-old me. My mom promised me a bike to ease the pain. That same bike is the one to blame for the smashed burger incident, but that gave me a best friend so it wasn’t to bad (minus the huge scar and a missing chunk of my left elbow).
With that same best friend, we both tried out for a volleyball club, and that started one of my favorite hobbies. I’ve been a middle blocker ever since that day and wouldn’t change it. Outside of volleyball you can find me reading outside on a hot day because I love the feeling of sun on my skin, or inside my own world listening to music through my Beats. I’m a huge sports fan, especially football. I absolutely adore Friday night lights, every little thing about it. From the theme-matching outfits, constant screaming for joy, the majestical sounds from the band, to the post-game debriefs at Waffle House with your friends. My mom told me to find a job in doing what I love and what’s more cooler than getting to cover athletes and sports all over the world, which is why I fell in love with sports journalism. I knew I wouldn’t play volleyball in college but I still wanted to stay connected to the athletic lifestyle — or at least get first-hand info about it.
Being on my own does have some draw-backs from time to time but it also leaves me with time to figure out what to say when I’m asked “Who are you?” . The fun part is that being so young, you can never have a finished answer to that question, which means I can do what I do best — always talk about myself!
My name is Sara Anderton. I’m learning American Sign Language along with Hebrew. Once I finish those two languages I hope to learn Ancient Greek, Aramaic, Arabic, Irish Gaelic and if I have time maybe some Hindi or Spanish because my mom was a Spanish teacher. I am the person who will know the most when someone faints or has a seizure; I’m also most likely to faint with my vasovagal syncope. I love learning cultures and religions. I love to learn in general, so I love journalism where I can learn even more. My family is a big advocate for education for all.
Additionally, I’m Jewish-Christian which basically means I believe in Jesus but I keep kosher and celebrate the holidays. Just think I know Lord’s Prayer and Shema. I study Tanakh (Old Testament) and Brit Chadashah (New Testament). Celebrating both religions is just fun for me and gets me connected to my faith. How I practice isn’t for all but it is for me and I’m proud of my faith. I also go to church in my school so that’s fun.
I hope to go into journalism either with a small company or with NPR over the radio. I’ve been writing for my Newspaper “Fuquay Varina’s Roaring Bengal” since freshman year. I’ve written about faith, to infrastucture, to school events. I know a lot about boats, space and planes because of these articles. My most notable works are my JDRF (now Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes) walk article and my four part series on the different religious holidays in spring. I was a part of a workshop called Post 5 where I worked with WRAL, a local news station in North Carolina. I got to see broadcast journalism. I learned a lot from them, especially what I want to do and what I don’t want to do.
I am a writer with a book published on Amazon. I write fantasy war stories, mixing religions (hints: my own faith) and cultural stories where I create a whole new place. I also work on the sci-fi and romance genre which can be difficult. One has many of many ideas but no plot. I’ve made tons of maps out of rice and don’t have enough stories for them. I use what I got from my day for some of my stories especially if someone does something particularly funny.
I love dogs. My yorkie-poodle, Tessa is my little sister. I’m an only child of only children so the dog is worth it. I got her in fourth grade after fostering many other dogs from boxers to terriers. Tessa’s full name is Pequina Tessora Trouble Anderton. Her first name is Spanish for little treasure. Spanish names for dogs are a trend in my family. When I was a baby we had a dog named Quesi (Kacy), short for Hermosita Quesi which means definitely cute. We foster with Second Chances Pet Adoptions. I’ve fundraised for them with my school’s Pet Parade. I wasn’t the first with the idea but I continued it and I hope that another shelter gets money from the parade again.
I am Paul Chandler, a current student, and I am lucky to have two loving parents and an older brother. I have been given a front seat ride to multiple different experiences and cultures. I was born near Baltimore, and I moved down to Oglethorpe when I was two, not having any real memories of my past. We moved into a house in a rural neighborhood, with access to the woods and a river behind our house. I loved when my parents would take me back into the forest on hikes with me and my brother wearing our superhero costumes. I remember when I would get tired, my parents would convince me to keep going by saying that Joker was up ahead the next bend.
I started school at a small montessori school, which I went to until I was in third grade. There I made my best friends which I still am connected with today. I was taught how to garden and have a somewhat free childhood. We stayed in the same class with 1st through 3rd graders for three years, allowing to form deep connection with those kids in our class.
In 3rd grade, I switched schools to Whit Davis, a public elementary on the East Side. At first I somewhat held onto my brother because he had gone to that school the previous year, where he accidently pulled the fire alarm during his tour with the principle. I ended up getting used to the transition, and I met a lot of people with different personalities and stories. I enjoyed it a lot and it got me a good grip on the larger school. That summer in 5th grade I went to a YMCA Christian sleep away camp in Tullulah, where I won Camper of the Year and enjoyed it a lot. I did remember feeling out of place jumping around singing Christian music in a circle, being punished if we weren’t screaming but whatever.
I went to Hilsman for middle school, which is the school everyone went to after graduating Whit Davis. It was way bigger than my last two years of school, because all 4 elementary schools joined as one, so 4 times the people. A few of my old friends from 3rd grade came to this school from the other elementarys that led to that school. I really enjoyed the experience, and I had a lot of fun in classes and making new friends. 6th grade went well. I returned to the same camp in the summer, this time for two weeks. This ended up somehow becoming miles less joyful, and one time we were sleeping in a bungalow type place by a lake, when a neighboring house burned down, giving me severe Bronchiectasis.
In 7th grade, I had an even better semester at school, and made a lot more new friends than the previous year. That November, we moved into my grandpas condo for two months and rented out our house, for 7 months while we went to Switzerland, which was such a special trip that we got to take because my dad had a job opportunity over there for the semester. I was sad to leave, because I was enjoying school so much, but the homesickness wore off after two months of being over there. I went to the public school on the german speaking side of Switzerland. Most people were welcoming and spoke slow German to me allowing me to become semi-fluent after my trip concluded. I was very into basketball then, unlike the majority of the country, who played soccer and tennis. Thanks to the amazing public transportation, I was able to take a free bus to the train station, ride to the closest city, Lucerne, take another bus to the town Kriens, then walk a bit to the basketball gym, where I practiced with kids from around the city. My coach was very nice, and although I couldn’t play in the games, I was able to improve a lot and learn more Swiss casual German. We went to multiple countries using the train system since we didn’t have a car.
We came home late that June since that’s when school ends there. I had a fun summer revisiting friends, and sharing my experiences. Cedar Shoals, the school my mom taught at didn’t hire her back after our trip, so she got a job at my middle school which led into Cedar. I helped my mom move her stuff into the class along with her fish for most of the summer, then started the best school year of my life. My teachers were really nice, and all I had a lot of fun. I tried out for basketball along with 70 other kids, and played really well in tryouts and made the team. Although I was kind of a bench rider throughout the season, practice was super fun and I made friends from 7th grade and strengthened my friendships with the 8th graders. We won the championship that year, and then I tried out for soccer pretty much the next day. I played a decent amount because that was the only pick up game to play in Switzerland, and some of my friends were playing. The team wasn’t as competitive, and I made it. I played CB, which was fun, and I loved the relaxed energy of the team, and even though we barely won, it was even better when we did. The season ended, and I finished out the last 2 months of school, which were really fun, because the real schoolwork ended and we just had fun.
My parents decided it was best for me to go to Athens Academy for high school because they believe the education would be better for my future. I was very sad because it meant leaving all my friends I made throughout the last five years, but I ended up going to the new school anyway. I went to my grandpas house in Maine for the July that summer and spent a lot of time with my moms side of the family, my 3 first cousins and my 50 something second cousins, along with my grandparents.
I started my 9th year at Athens Academy, and I knew one friend from 3rd grade, but it was still akward and hard to make new friends. We were assigned so much more work than I was used to, especially because I never really had homework, and now it was nightly for every class. I finished the year with average grades and a decent education, but I was still sentimental and sad that I left my old life at my old school.
Now it is the summer and I am at this journalism camp writing a biography about my life so far. I feel like I have experienced many shades of life, and I am hopefully ready to finish high school strongly and then have a good future.
It seems that a large part of me is that I am able to narrow my decisions down to no less than two choices. The question always on my mind right now – where do I see myself in six years? There’s the world of hospitals, biology, stethoscopes and scalpels. Then there’s the world of papers, notepads, cameras and red pens. In six years will I be entering medical school after working countless hours in a clinic or will I be applying for a job in photojournalism? This decision exerts itself over my life and is therefore in my autobiography.
When I am not interning at a hospital or writing articles for a blog, I am usually bothering my little sister. Or rather, being bothered by her. Having a six-and-a-half year age difference often means we have some trouble communicating and understanding each other but regardless, she makes up a huge part of who I am. My instincts to care and help others came from caring and helping her as a kid and as she continues to grow, we have begun to bridge the six-year gap—so I have not only found a permanent partner-in-crime but also a best friend.
I am also constantly influenced by my motherland, however foreign it seems. Being raised in the United States since I was barely a few months old means I have little experience in India. The one time I visited that I can actually remember was unfortunately a month of constant throwing-up and jet-lag. However, one person contributed significantly to my newfound love for my country. When he began to talk about his home state in India, a fire lit up in his eyes and his voice was filled with passion. Since then, his connection to India fueled mine, leading me to ask for the first time, “Can we go to India this summer?” Unfortunately, this passion is not shared by my mother so there are no 16-hour plane tickets stored in my Wallet app, but hopefully that will change soon. Until then, dance has been establishing my connection. I practice Bhangra, a dance form that originated in the state of Punjab. It is extremely high energy and expressive and I have been practicing it for a little more than a year now. I have made many friends that connected me to my Punjabi roots, all while forming strong connections with my coaches.
While international plane tickets are quite uncommon, “across the country” seems to be a common destination for me. Since I was born, I have moved seven times from state to state, and more if in-state moves are counted. This pattern led me to develop communication skills early on and I often have little trouble making friends. However, I also developed a strong sense of independence, being an older sibling and also leaving my friends behind often. Therefore, I categorize myself as a quite open-minded and adjustable person.
Traditional art forms also deserve a honorable mention. I have been practicing multiple mediums of art since I was very little but have recently been deprived of time and inspiration to continue. Regardless, art forms a huge part of who I am and how I respond to situations. It helped me develop extreme patience as well as an ability to recover from mistakes easily with little mental toll and a lot more innovation. Other art forms also include music. I do more than enjoy music, it dictates and mirrors my feelings and helps me connect with my own emotions as well as with the person I enjoy spending time with most. We began interacting by syncing our music on Spotify and chatting through the beats, the synths, the key changes and the riffs as they rang in our ears. I have also participated in choir for the last four years, feeling the magical harmonies and chords as so many people sing together.
Rock Star Writers Blog 