welcome to my
Journalist
of the Year
PORTFOLIO
CA 3rd Place
H.S. Journalist of the Year
Interviewing the keynote speaker, Cupertino Vice Mayor Liang-Fang Chao, at Junior State of America's annual fall convention. JSA is a national non-profit organization promoting civic engagement among high schoolers, and its conventions draw hundreds of student attendees.
introduction
Sitting on redwood-colored pergo floors eating breakfast, I enjoy my daily tradition of watching CBS This Morning. The news show I’ve watched since 5th grade has become family. When co-host Norah O'Donnell finally got her dream job to anchor the CBS Evening News, I shed tears of joy. While much has changed since 2014, like the show’s renaming to CBS Mornings, seeing the familiar faces of co-host Gayle King and correspondents Nancy Cordes, John Dickerson and Major Garrett always brightens my day.
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The show emphasizes hard news, contrasting with GMA and the Today show’s lighthearted programs, and sparked my interest in journalism, more specifically, a passion for gritty reporting. The turning point was King and O'Donnell’s handling of co-host Charlie Rose’s firing for sexual misconduct. While shaken and devastated, they went on air at 7 a.m., like every morning, and delivered a powerful message that I will never forget.
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“What do you say when someone that you deeply care about has done something so horrible? How do you wrap your brain around that? I am grappling with that, but with that said, Charlie doesn’t get a pass here. He doesn’t get a pass from anyone in this room. I want to applaud the women for speaking up. I cannot stop thinking about their anguish—what happened to their dignity, body, and careers. I cannot stop thinking about the pain they are going through. None of us ever thought we would be sitting at this table telling this story, but here we are. Even when it affects us so deeply, we will continue to report the news as we have always had.”
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They showed me that impartial journalism is the only way to inform the public, empower the weak and hold the powerful accountable. With the growth of misinformation, promoting earnest coverage is more important than ever. Because the press's existence is imperative to a free society, we must foster its trust and sustainability. Their words and action inspired me to join the Epic school newspaper and tell the stories of our communities, especially when it is hard and especially when we need to hear it. Through exploring my journey, I hope you can get a glimpse of the joy scholastic journalism has gifted me. Without further adieu, I present to you my Journalist of the Year portfolio!
highlights
Interviewing HHS Secretary Donna Shalala about the COVID-19 pandemic, her 8 years on Bill Clinton's cabinet and her House reelection loss in Florida's Miami-Dade county, one of the most competitive House districts in the nation.
Talking with Congressman Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, about Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the committee's impeachment investigation.
Posing for a photo with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo at Saratoga's Stop AAPI Hate event after interviewing her about the lack of Asian American representation on Joe Biden's cabinet.
Learning about how Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez went from driving delivery trucks for the Kellogg Company to becoming the cereal giant's youngest CEO, dubbed "The Man Who Fixed Kellogg.”
closing remarks
Journalism has defined my high school experience, allowing me to further interact with and understand my community. It turned me from a shy and introverted person into a talkative and visionary leader. Through interviewing strangers, I wandered beyond my safe circle of friends to meet those I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Being Editor-in-Chief challenged me to lead with people-person warmth and task-oriented resolve. Most importantly, covering social justice events gifted me with a desire to fight for the truth, helping me find a voice, passion and vision. While my time in high school draws to a close, I hope to continue building confidence in journalism through writing for my college newspaper, showing others that the press connects us and strengthens our society. When more papers report impartiality, there will be more earnest discussions regarding significant issues affecting our communities. When more Americans turn toward trustworthy and unbiased sources, we can discover our appreciation for journalism.
Taking a photo with Congressman Ro Khanna after asking him about what Democrats should do in response to Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell's packing of the Supreme Court.