From Paper to Plasma

~ kiratay9 ~ 1 Comment

Many people have no idea that some of the most creative, and impactful filmmakers who make magic on the big screen started off as writers and critics who made magic on paper. Averi Caldwell, a 22-year-old graduate student at the University of Georgia, plans to contribute to this unique career pipeline. 

Ever since the eighth grade, Caldwell has held an interest in Journalism, overall finding a “love for [her]self after journalism.”

Caldwell has had a successful early career in writing and journalism, with her experience writing for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and InfUSion Magazine. Over the years, though, Caldwell has discovered an interest in a different kind of storytelling. 

With a love for movies and long stories, she said she has found an “appreciation for visual journalism and the ways that good writing impacts the way that things are taken in visually,” and now aspires to be a documentary filmmaker.

While the two career choices of being a journalist and a filmmaker may seem drastically different, the two are connected. Many successful filmmakers started out as writers and journalists. 

Peter Bogdanovich, director of ‘70s box office hits such as “The Last Picture” and “Paper Moon” is a riveting example. Bogdanovich started off as a film critic and writer for Film Culture and Esquire magazines. Years later, he moved on to creating films due to a deep passion for translating his creativity onto the big screen, leading him into an entire new world of accomplishments. 

Caldwell shares this same passion, and explains her sudden appeal to moving on to visual journalism by claiming that “documentary filmmaking is a great way to get audiences closer to the story and subjects”.

Ever since her professor in her first video class introduced her to the world of filmmaking, she feels more inspired by the audience of an everyday film viewer rather than the audience of a typical New York Times reader.

“It’s easier to put a quote to a face and feel a human connection,” Caldwell says.

Shaping Joe Dennis

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It’s no mystery why a New York street vendor felt compelled to match the wandering pedestrian that was Joe Dennis with a hat that had the same playful energy. A friendly face under a felt fedora brings to light Joe’s golden aura.

“I knew it was the last time I was going to see him, and he knew it, and his last words were, Be the peacemaker. And so that’s something I definitely want to spread.” Joe Dennis said, sharing the commemorative advice of his father that he’s used to guide him in all aspects of his personal life.

Joe Dennis has many roles in his life: teacher, father, coach, journalist, devoted church member, and hardcore Kesha fan. But each and every one of these stems from his love of interacting with and caring for other people. Which he admits is largely attributed to his father, Walter Dennis, and religious background. Growing up in Chicago, Illinois, Joe had a “love thy neighbor” environment as he was raised in a very Catholic family. He attended Catholic school for all 12 years of his school career before going to North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, meaning he was no stranger to a Christian mindset. However, Joe’s father, who was on the path of becoming a priest before meeting Joe’s mother, made sure that the Christian values his sons would internalize would be to respect everyone and spread the love of Christ.

“This church that we go to was doing that, and I’m like, well, this is perfect, because it matches my Christian belief that at the core of Christianity is Jesus, being a Christ-centered person, and you should treat everyone with love and respect and not judge. And I found a church that does that, and so I’m all in.”

Religion has been a major factor in Joe’s life, and it still is to this day. Different points in his life morphed his relationship with faith, like many who spend their whole lives with religious influences. Joe shared that once he got to college, he was eager to take a break from the church and became separate from sermons and sanctuary, but once he met his wife, Carla Dennis, who is evangelical, he began going to church with her and reconnected with the Christian community. Once he and his wife married and moved to Georgia, they went through another period where church didn’t factor into their daily lives. But once the tragedy of 9/11 occurred and the entire nation entered a time where they needed faith, Joe and Carla found their way to another local church. Now they’re active members of a united methodist church that perfectly aligns with Joe’s accepting beliefs.

“Yeah, so it’s basically raising them in a way similar to how my dad raised me, where, you know, I tell them not to bully, to see the good in everyone you know, and just to be the light for someone, because you never know how you can change someone’s life at any given day just by a positive interaction.”

Joe has three sons and has made sure to model his parenting after his fathers. He finds it extremely important to pass on the moral code of giving, understanding, and viewing everyone as human that he was raised with. He makes sure that in every family quarrel there is mediation and peace, and he has stressed to them that no matter who you’re talking with, judgment has no place in the conversation. 

“You know, it’s funny, because my oldest son just kind of told me, he’s 20 now, and he was like, ‘Man, Dad, you did something right. Because if I see $1 on the ground, I can’t pick it up without looking around and seeing who I should ask. Is there anyone who might have lost his or is asking some stranger, is it yours?’ Yeah, and that meant a lot to me.”

There are many factors to what makes Joe, Joe, but he evidently carries on Walter Dennis’s legacy and the word of God with respect and radiance.
“Really, I was raised as a Christian who truly embraces the love of Christ and tries to spread that in my interactions with people. And so I was raised to never judge people, to not talk bad about people, and so that has been a huge influence for me, as I’ve ventured out into journalism and interviewed people and talked to people, even people that I like vehemently disagree with, I’m able to recognize them as children of God, basically, as fellow humans, and see the good in everyone.”

Community during COVID

~ luciarcuevas ~ Leave a comment

During a time of isolation and chaos, college student Averi Caldwell found a unique way of connecting with her community. 

“I was on the internet a lot more,” Caldwell said. “I made online friends with people that watched the same shows I watched.”

On March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and the world stood still. Businesses, restaurants, sports venues and schools shut down forcing people all over the world to quarantine. Caldwell was halfway through her first year when she heard that she had to evacuate campus and return to her hometown of Griffin, Georgia. Alongside 6,000 of her peers, Caldwell missed out on numerous opportunities and experiences her freshman year due to COVID. 

“Those are two years of network building and community that I missed out on,” she said. 

Students, teachers and parents across the globe had to adapt to school on a screen. This led to many complications such as internet crashes, absences in class, and a lack of learning. For Caldwell, online school didn’t present a major challenge as she managed to maintain good grades and motivation to keep learning, but certain subjects like Spanish presented obvious challenges. 

“In my Spanish class, virtually, I don’t think I got the most out of that just because it’s hard to learn a language you don’t know on a computer,” Caldwell said. 

Although it was prohibited to see others outside of one’s immediate circle, people found creative new ways to connect with friends. Caldwell discovered that her love for movies and TV was a good way to interact with people online, and formed friendships through their shared interests. These interactions helped Caldwell break out of her shell during the pandemic, which was important for her future as a journalist as she’s required to interact with people for interviews.

“When meeting someone, I’m a little shy,” Caldwell said. “But then, I just got to cook.”

Joe Dennis: A Man of Many Hats

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Dr. Joe Dennis, Chair of the Department of Mass Communications at Piedmont University, has impressive experience as a radio host, journalist, professor and father, each role providing numerous opportunities and obstacles. 

“I looked at college as a time to reinvent myself, and I wanted to be a big fish in a little pond as opposed to a small fish in a big pond,” Dennis said.

Joe attended North Central College, a private liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois. Dennis was attracted to North Central because they had an exceptional radio program, an interest of his since childhood. Dennis became a professional disc jockey and emulated the energy of the radio show hosts he had listened to as a child. Joe still utilizes his high energy to this day as he is the public address announcer for the University of Georgia hockey team.

“I think if you are a journalist, and especially if you are a news journalist or a community journalist, you will develop empathy,” Dennis said. “It is undeniable, because you are put in situations, and you see things that you would likely never see.”

Joe is referring to a series he worked on at the Walton Tribune that covered slum-lording, which went on to win a Georgia Press award for Best Community Service. The story was told through the lens of a child who lived in a slumlord’s home. Dennis said that the environment was disgusting, filled with rats crawling into the home and fly traps hanging from the ceiling. Joe took pictures of the small child playing and the photos created an enormous amount of sympathy, spurring the Monroe City Council to address slumlording and pass bills to potentially fix the problem.

“You know, being a dad is actually how I got out of journalism,” Dennis said.

Joe and his wife Carla were shopping for their newborn son on a Sunday afternoon when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) called. The GBI was conducting massive drug busts and invited Dennis to come along, providing a location and telling him, “You’re not going to regret it.” Being part of a drug bust was a life-changing experience, but Joe wasn’t sure if he could continue to be a journalist while building a family. That is when he began teaching. 

Dennis taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. What makes UGA special to Joe is the network of students, the close knit community, and the connections each student possesses for the future.

Joe has played many roles throughout his lifetime, but he continues to stand by the advice, “Don’t let fear get in the way of a good opportunity.”

Averi Caldwell

~ elizamollyfox ~ Leave a comment

During the COVID-19 pandemic, college campuses were empty and lonely.  This is the environment in which Averi Caldwell started her journey as a journalist, making it difficult as interactions with people were limited. But that didn’t stop her from pursuing her passion.

“Don’t be afraid of hearing no, whether it’s asking for an interview or applying for something,”  Caldwell said.“If they tell you no, at least you tried, that’s the worst that will happen. Sometimes I will even go back and ask again.”

Now Caldwell is a very accomplished journalist with many pieces published in The Red and Black as well as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She grew up south of Athens in a small town called Griffin and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2023 receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism with minors in English and Spanish. Now she is working towards a master’s in journalism and mass communication also from the University of Georgia. In the future she hopes to become an author.  

Despite Caldwell being more of an introvert, that doesn’t stop her from going out to get the information she needs to write. The setback with the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult, but Caldwell said. The Grady College  of Journalism and Mass Communications helped her stay connected. Having a sense of community during a time of loneliness was very important. 

“I didn’t really leave my apartment much,” she said. “But looking back, I probably would have gone out a little more on and tried to break into the industry a little earlier.”

Caldwell followed in the footsteps of her favorite author Rainbow Rowell, a Goodreads Choice Awards Best Young Adult Fiction writer. She loves to read and growing up always wanted to be a CIA agent. In eighth grade she read many mystery books. Her favorite was a book by Rowell, “Carry On.” After learning that Rowell graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in journalism, Caldwell was intrigued to explore the journalism field. 

 With the tool of being bilingual, Caldwell  can translate for people who do not speak English. She worked for The Red and Black for eight months, serving as the Social Media Director during the 2022 election.. She was the only one in the office who spoke Spanish, and believed that it was very important that people were educated on what was happening in the election. Journalists often face criticism during elections, with partisanship being high during recent election cycles. Being social media director, Caldwell witnessed this firsthand, but it didn’t impact her view of humanity.

“It might be naive, but I don’t think people are bad,” Caldwell said. “I think all people are good and circumstances in life, push people to be a little mean, or make bad decisions.” 

Cora Williamson

~ Cora Williamson ~ Leave a comment

Leprechaun, Ed Sheeran, Coral, Coco, Cora Bora…I’ve heard it all. But despite my extremely Irish complexion and a name that’s impossible to create nicknames for, I think it’s best you know me as Cora. I am 16 years old and a rising junior at the Durham School of The Arts in Durham, North Carolina. Given the fact that it’s the “School of The Arts” I am required to have two artistic pathways, and the two that I have chosen to follow are journalism and creative writing! Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a great affinity for story telling; whether it be through imaginary play, acting or writing, I found a way to get the many stories swirling in my head out into the world. Now that I’ve matured and I have new methods of story-telling, I no longer find talking to myself as a “sane” outlet and my creativity has become much more technical, though just as strong. I first took interest in journalism the summer before my freshman year, which was heavily inspired by Rory Gilmore and her devoted journalistic spirit throughout the entire Gilmore Girls series. I’m on my schools paper and have recently found that I enjoy writing features on local businesses or pop-cultures role in mental health. I hope to pursue a career in journalism or at least a career that requires me to write. With luck I will be going to UNC Chapel Hill to guide me into that field.

On a more personal note, I have a large variety of hobbies and interests that have rounded me into who I am. From ages 2-12, I did all kinds of dance, but after the pandemic I found that I enjoyed Aerial Silks the most so I have continued with that. I don’t do performances but it is a fun and niche side hobby for my weekday afternoons. I’m super interested in the fashion and streetwear scene therefore I’ve become a chronic thrifter. Of course, a thrift outing isn’t complete without at least two lattes. My coffee addiction has become a trademark characteristic of mine, which is a direct result, yet again, of Gilmore Girls. Gilmore Girls is my favorite series and the witty pop-culture comments and jittery energy of Lorelei and Rory quickly became one of the largest influences in my life. I’ve modeled a lot of my personality after them, along with many other cultural influences like Jeff Buckley, The Dead Poets Society, Lala Land, Juno, Arctic Monkeys and Pinterest, just to name a few. Some of my other smaller interests are sewing, reading, crocheting, photography and collaging.

Durham is a wonderful city to grow up in, especially because I live within walking distance from downtown. I live with both of my parents and have one older brother named Jack, with the most ginger hair you’ve ever seen, and our Pitbull/Rottweiler dog, Pete. I am thankfully surrounded by a lot of good friends that I spend most of my time with. Who else would I go shopping with! My best friend Emerson unfortunately goes to boarding school in Virginia but when she comes home on break it’s like no time has passed. There is so much more I could tell you about myself and all the lovely people who have influenced my life but you’ll just have to talk to me to find that out!

Visiting Emerson in Virginia!
My friend Norah (on the right) and I (on the left) taking pictures while on a hike in Boone!

All About ME!

~ ashleybrrghs ~ Leave a comment

Hello! My name is Ashley and I am 14 years old ,I am a rising freshman and will be attending Arabia Mountain High School in the fall. I do not have any journalism background but I love to write about things that I am most passionate about that could be ranging from talking about my favorite artist which is Frank Ocean at the moment to talking about social issues in the media today. I believe that the different perspectives that people have are so interesting and honestly so refreshing and sometimes very much needed

Growing up I’ve always liked giving my perspective on topic as well as hearing others. I believe that it’s a mixture of both, you are able to hear the opinions of people and are able to do research about it and come up with your own opinion. It’s so much easier to write on a topic that you are passionate about because there is some motivation behind it, rather than writing on a topic that you are not because you are less likely to care as much.

Overall, because of my love to give my opinion and love to write I am interested in journalism and would love to know more about it.

Biography

~ emorymiller8 ~ Leave a comment

Hi! My name is Emory Miller, I am 15 years old, and I am a rising sophomore at The Burlington School. I live in Burlington, North Carolina with my mom, dad, and younger sister named Addie who is twelve years old. I love to travel, spend time with family and friends, play soccer, and love going to the beach and lake with friends.

I started to attend The Burlington School in 6th grade and have been involved in various academics, athletics, and arts which have shaped who I am today. Specifically in athletics I participated in middle school cross country, basketball, and soccer even receiving the honor to play high school soccer in 8th grade and even becoming varsity captain for our schools woman’s soccer team as a freshman.

In academics I have participated in AYLA (Alamance Youth Leadership Association) in 7th and 8th grade even being elected as president in 8th grade. I have run for freshman and sophomore class president and won the running both times. While being 9th grade class president I raised over $600 and even ran a school wide community day which was a big success. I have also applied and been accepted into AP capstone program hoping to help expand my writing and research skills for the future.

In arts I have been apart of chorus since the 6th grade even taking part of winter coral reviews with broadway stars such as Aaron Lazar, Jordan Donica, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. I have even received the opportunity to sing in Vienna over Thanksgiving break.

But over the years my main interest has been in sports. I love playing soccer and watching American football. Since I was little I have always known that I wanted to do something in sports but about 3 years ago I started to gain interest in sports media and journalism. At the beginning of 7th grade I decided I wanted to do sports statistics for the NFL. I always found the statistics side of sports interesting even asking my club soccer coach for my game statistics after games.

A year later after Christmas break in 8th grade I was watching the AFC championship game and noticed a woman named Erin Andrews interviewing my favorite players after the game. By watching Erin Andrews interview the athletes I started to gain interest in sports media broadcasting ultimately changing my main goal to become a sports broadcaster specifically a sideline reporter for the NFL. I think sideline reporting is not only interesting but you get to understand the athletes feelings and how they handle certain things which is another aspect I think is not appreciated enough.

Right now I am still finding new things that interest me and maybe my goals in life will change but for now enjoying spending time at the beach and lake with family and friends.

Avery Staus

~ averyyclairee ~ Leave a comment

Hi! My name is Avery Staus. I am 16 years old, and I have lived in Roswell, Georgia my entire life. I have attended The Walker School in Marietta since seventh grade, and although it is small, I have built strong friendships and became involved in areas I never thought I would be interested in. For example, I used to believe that I wanted to attend medical school and become a doctor. However, after taking classes outside of my comfort zone, I realized that my dream is to utilize my creativity in my future career and major in marketing, advertising or journalism in college. I have always despised my science and math classes in school even though I tried extremely hard to enjoy them. English and history have always been my favorite subjects and I am determined to continue my studies in these areas.

When I am not studying hard or finishing homework assignments, you will find me dancing, reading, shopping, watching a new show or hanging out with my friends. I have been a competitive dancer since I was 3 years old, and I have loved every second of it. I currently dance at Rhythm Dance Center where I have found my second family and home. I take classes in all different genres of dance such as jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, contemporary, ballroom, musical theatre and many more. Not only will I spend hours at the dance studio, but I will spend hours reading books. The genres I prefer to read are romance, mystery and historical fiction. A few of my favorite books are “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and “The Hunger Games.” Another one of my pastimes is watching TV shows and movies, and a few of my favorites include “Gossip Girl,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Gilmore Girls” and “Anyone but You.”

Although I have many hobbies, there is nothing I enjoy more than spending time with my family and friends. My mom, Melanie, and my dad, Justin, are my best friends and we love to watch movies, try new foods and travel the world together. My older brother, Tanner, just finished his freshman year at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana. I hold my two best friends, Audrey and Masoom very close to my heart and we enjoy shopping trips, going to get acai bowls, going out to dinners and traveling together. Our favorite places we have traveled are New York City, New Haven and Florida!

Hopefully you have learned more about me after reading this biography!

Jadyn Barrow

~ jadynraee17 ~ Leave a comment

Hello, my name is Jadyn Barrow. I’m 16 years old, and I will be a junior at Druid Hills High School. I have lived in Atlanta for five years. However, I was born in Chicago, and raised in Miami. I absolutely love visiting places like the ocean and lake because I enjoy getting outside and exploring nature. Some of my hobbies include, reading, writing, swimming, spending time with friends and family, shopping and more. However, my favorite hobby is writing. I have always had a passion for it. Whether it was writing essays or making up my own stories, writing was always something important to me.

In the beginning of my freshmen year, I decided to join the Saga Yearbook Staff, where I could be a part of creating the school yearbook. Joining the yearbook staff sparked interest because I was able to use writing and photography skills. During school and even outside, I would spend time interviewing students and staff, taking photos, editing my work and designing spreads. It was a lot of hard work, but in the end, it was completely worth it. Going into my sophomore year, I was honored to have the position as editor-in-chief of the Saga Yearbook for Druid Hills, and I was so thrilled. I had a major leadership role and it was under my responsibility that the yearbook was made well and consisted of all events. I enjoyed covering all the stories that my school and community had to offer since it brought out my inner journalist. Overall, the main goal I had as a journalist was that every story got heard, no matter the topic.

In the end, the most valuable thing I gained from joining my school’s yearbook staff was that I wanted to be a journalist in the future and I wanted to base my career around that. I plan on majoring in journalism in college and then continue on with being a journalist.