News
Embedded Files
I'm sitting in the back row of a council meeting adjusting my camera settings and the deputy mayor, Amy Bartley, calls out my name to let the people in room acknowledge my presence. Immediately, I get flustered and do just a quick bow, not realizing the significance of what just happened. A few days, I look back on the meeting agenda to help me write my latest parks article and notice "Trisha Panicker" written in the opening statement. Now, I realize its significance — I got a response back on my love letter to Prosper and it has affirmed how my coverage has helped me build a connection to the town.
News writing is my first love and it ignited my fondness for Prosper and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Through my on-the-ground coverage, I met and networked with so many influential town elected officials, residents, and first responders. It was this work that fueled my desire to cover news in a student-driven perspective that was otherwise overshadowed or undercovered by national news providers.
"New traffic protocols to alleviate congestion"
"New traffic protocols to alleviate congestion"
Published Nov. 13, 2024
This the first news story I was assigned and it was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. In addition to being tasked to cover a controversial issue within the school, I was expected to reach out to the associate principal at the time and now principal, Mrs. Paige Trujillo, to conduct an interview about this. Even though I was trembling as I got Otter.ai set up and pulled up my interview questions, I managed to carry myself professionally as I asked unbiased questions and learned more about school regulations and safety protocols. I'm especially proud of this piece because I covered this divisive event in a way that acknowledged both students' and staffs' perspectives.
"Prosper opens new parks to accommodate growing population"
"Prosper opens new parks to accommodate growing population"
Published April 4, 2025 - *National Best of SNO publication*
In this article specifically, my teammate Aarushi and I got to interview the parks and recreation department of Prosper, and I learned the impact that our parks have on uniting the local community. From visiting the construction site of an upcoming park to immersing ourselves in youth athletics, we saw the growth of one of the fastest growing towns in Texas. Being able to write the full-length story accompanying this video package allowed me to receive a first-hand perspective as to why this town attracts so many new residents — it's full of life, love, and joy.
"Faith in classrooms"
"Faith in classrooms"
Published Nov. 21, 2025
What differs this article from the rest is the fact my staff and I decided to include staffs' perspectives on a hot topic that affected them directly. My teammate Srinitha and I went from classroom to classroom to directly interview teachers on their opinion about Senate Bill 10 (if they chose to share it), utilizing an unconventional contacting style to uncover the rawest feelings surrounding the law. While covering difficult issues is painfully strenuous, I find them to be the most rewarding — this article encouraged productive debate among the school and we got access to the opinions of teachers that otherwise had no platform.
My News Publications for the Community Impact Newspaper
Building a connection to Prosper was the first step in my student journalist publication journey. Getting the opportunity to complete an internship from the UNT Scripps Howard Fund Emerging Journalists Program and cover the cities close to Prosper like Frisco and Plano became the next step as I broadened my understanding of different community values and received invaluable lessons on how to modify my reporting based on the region. Not only that, this work environment pushed me to pump out better quality news articles more efficiently, priming me for a professional job in this field.
"Cook Children’s program coordinator shares water safety tips for Fourth of July celebrations"
"Cook Children’s program coordinator shares water safety tips for Fourth of July celebrations"
Published July 3, 2025
I am most proud of this piece from Community Impact because my supervisor, Connor Pittman, taught me how to prepare meaningful but unbiased interview questions, which allowed me to get thorough answers from Cook Children's coordinator Jillian Mitchell. This experience also taught me the importance of recording interviews and looking over transcripts to ensure no misinformation.
"Flower Mound council approves over $1.2M for water, street projects"
"Flower Mound council approves over $1.2M for water, street projects"
Published July 14, 2025
The amount of technical information that my sources provided for this article was overwhelming at first, and I learned how to adapt to this as I was researching. Since then, I know how to sift through this kind of information efficiently but precisely, and it has greatly aided me writing for ENO. This was my first time covering local government news outside of Prosper and it only deepened my love for local government and politics.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse