Before I ever set foot in a newsroom, I was the kid who filled notebooks with observations, questions, and unfinished stories, always searching for the right words. Journalism gave me the space to turn that instinct into something real—to not just tell stories, but to uncover them, to listen, and to give a voice to moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.

I spent years trying to join my middle school’s newspaper, The Daytime, sitting through meeting after meeting with my counselor, hoping for a spot. But every year, it was full. So, by the time I entered high school, I made it my mission to join The Newtonite—or at the very least, take journalism class, the prerequisite for joining the paper.

My first year on The Newtonite taught me more than just reporting. It taught me how to listen, how to learn, and how to shape stories that mattered. It was my first introduction to InDesign and page building, something I would later learn to do independently. It was also the first time I truly saw leadership in action and realized that it would become one of my greatest passions.

That year, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone—interviewing people in the building whom I had never spoken to before, learning how to ask the right questions, and building the confidence to seek out stories others hadn’t thought to tell. Journalism quickly became my bridge into the school community. It gave me a strong relationship with school admin, an endless curiosity about the world around me, and, admittedly, a reputation as someone who always asks too many questions. But that’s what journalism is about.

Over the years, through my work at The Newtonite, my leadership at Girls Who Start, and my ventures outside the classroom, I have truly learned that journalism is a responsibility. It’s about uncovering what matters, amplifying voices that need to be heard, and creating a lasting impact with every story told.