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I've reported for the Detroit Free Press and Youth Radio. In eighth grade, I founded The Cougar Star at Clague Middle School, and I still volunteer as a mentor there. When not writing, I enjoy debating in mock trial, watching figure skating choreography and discussing exoplanet theories.
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As a student journalist, writing has built me into a storyteller and truth-seeker. Each new interviewee -- whether Olympic ice dancers, Supreme Court plaintiffs or Nancy Pelosi -- teaches me the emergent art of history-making. Working in the Detroit Free Press newsroom -- covering ethics complaints, contacting intrastate agencies and handling live coverage and data analysis of presidential debates -- taught me the value of truth-seeking. Experimenting with literary devices -- whether reflecting on Grandma’s death on my family or the effects of parental deportation on children -- teaches me wondrous forms of story-telling. But what’s more validating is having a classmate tell me my Yoshi Hattori commentary changed their mind about policymaking. Or having my brother give my mom a hug after hearing my open letter to her. Or having New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz say a piece I wrote is worth keeping, perhaps for a future smile. Because at the end of the day, even as I strive to tell stories, to seek truth, to write those first drafts of history, I want my pieces to spark curiosity. Every day, I continue to ask questions, start conversations and find stories to tell. I try my best to help other writers find their own voices by coaching and editing the newspaper staff at our school. Newton’s third law talks about actions inspiring reactions, and I feel no different. If readers can learn something new or think somewhat differently after reading my work, then I've succeeded. That's when I can call myself a storyteller, a truth-seeker -- that's when I can call myself a history-maker. |