Meet the 2023-2024 NCSMA Student Officers
West Brunswick High, Incoming Editor-in-Chief, Newspaper (3rd year returning) Reach out: cowes258@netmail.bcswan.net What do you consider your specialty in journalism? “I’m really good at taking photos and doing the write ups and posting them. I also (do) a lot with our social media, getting ideas.” What skill or lesson are you hoping to gain or grow at NCSMI 2023, and how will it impact your upcoming year of student journalism? “I hope to grow relationships with other schools, that way we’re all here as one big happy family, even though we are up against each other at the end of the day. I want to learn all the basics that go into the newspaper, like how it all can come together as one. How does this year’s theme of being “On Watch,” and its characteristics of observation and relevance, resonate with you and your work as a journalist? “I feel like it’s very important because you have to observe what it could be like to be any person, you’ve got to be in your audience’s mind on what they’re going to like.” What advice would you give to other journalists? “If you want to do it, do it. Don’t be scared to ask people hard questions.” Richlands High, Incoming Editor-in Chief, Yearbook (3rd year returning) Reach out: alliedcat06@gmail.com What do you consider your specialty in journalism? “I think I’m really good at getting interviews and asking people questions, making them feel comfortable. I’m also good at taking photos and I’m always there if someone needs help. A lot of people ask me for help, and I’m also good at editing.” What skill or lesson are you hoping to gain or grow at NCSMI 2023, and how will it impact your upcoming year of student journalism? “I want to learn more design, because with us, a lot of people do the same layout, and I think it would be different and really good for our next yearbook, to be completely different.” How does this year’s theme of being “On Watch,” and its characteristics of observation and relevance, resonate with you and your work as a journalist? “I think it shows to look out for more things, and to look for creativity and just keep searching for things.” What advice would you give to other journalists? “No matter how stressful it gets, just keep going.” Riverside High, Incoming leadership, Newspaper (3rd year returning) Reach Out: elena.paces.wiles@gmail.com What do you consider your specialty in journalism? “We did some investigative stories, really long in-depth research, and I think I was good at those. I’m good at writing, not so much the other mediums, so it was really nice to do an in-depth, semester-long project.” What skill or lesson are you hoping to gain or grow at NCSMI 2023, and how will it impact your upcoming year of student journalism? “Working fast, interviewing quickly, getting the story out and doing all the steps in, like, three days.” How does this year’s theme of being “On Watch,” and its characteristics of observation and relevance, resonate with you and your work as a journalist? “I think as journalists, we always have to be on watch for the new stories, what people are talking about; for my investigative work, (I focus on) what issues I see in the community, so I think it’s very relevant.” What advice would you give to other journalists? “Just keep trying, keep asking questions, keep bugging people if they won’t get back to you.”
First Flight High, Incoming Photo Editor, Newspaper (2nd year returning) and Incoming Staff Member, Yearbook Reach Out: greggka4446@daretolearn.org What do you consider your specialty in journalism? “I don’t know if it’s a specialty, but I love photojournalism and the aspects of telling a story through photography. One thing I love to do, and it’s why I’m becoming a photo editor, is to take photos and to attend the school events and have a job. I also like to write articles about things that I can relate to … (such as) queer rights for students or student press or photojournalism ethics. Writing stories like that, that I know someone will read and know that they aren’t alone or know that other people can go through it, is what really drew me in.” What skill or lesson are you hoping to gain or grow at NCSMI 2023, and how will it impact your upcoming year of student journalism? “I’m really hoping that I will be able to learn about more stuff in Photoshop, which is what we’re doing in my class right now. So far, it’s a little confusing, but I think that I just need some practice with it.” How does this year’s theme of being “On Watch,” and its characteristics of observation and relevance, resonate with you and your work as a journalist? “In the past, I’ve written stories about things; the first article I actually wrote at journalism camp was about transgender athletes and sports, so right now it’s really important for kids our age or just people in general to be on watch for what could happen next with their rights. Some states are allowing specific things and some states are just completely banning them, and so wherever you look there is a battle going on. We have to be on watch for those successes and losses and (for) when something bigger is creeping closer to us.” What advice would you give to other journalists? “Once you just get over the first hurdle, it’s usually smooth sailing from there.” East Mecklenburg High, Incoming Managing Editor, Newspaper (2nd year returning) Reach Out: cleopatrastrauss@gmail.com What do you consider your specialty in journalism? “I would say my favorite thing to do, and what I like to do the most, is probably features. That’s what I mostly wrote this year, but I did get to write one investigative journalism (story), and that was really fun, so I think that I’m good at both of these things. … coming into our new year, we are only going to have like 9 people, I think, and we had 15 last year. I think as managing editor, it’s going to be really important for me to keep everybody on deadline. What skill or lesson are you hoping to gain or grow at NCSMI 2023, and how will it impact your upcoming year of student journalism? “Last year, I took News (and) this year I’m doing Design because I feel like there’s a lot of potential. Our student population is more likely to actually read through something if it is designed more interestingly, and one way to do that is through InDesign and Illustrator and adding more graphics and illustrations and making things look more inviting. I feel that’s definitely a way we can improve our paper and get people to actually pick it up.” How does this year’s theme of being “On Watch,” and its characteristics of observation and relevance, resonate with you and your work as a journalist? “I think it was a really good theme or topic because if you’re listening and observing the people around you, you’re going to find something interesting going on. Everyone always has something interesting about them; we do this thing called Humans of East, and we’re just supposed to interview random people and find something interesting about them. I feel like that’s the best thing you can learn, if you’re sitting there trying to come up with story ideas, you just need to look around you.” What advice would you give to other journalists? “Journalism is definitely a collaborative process, at least in my experience, so don’t be afraid to share something before it’s perfect.” North Buncombe High, Incoming Co-Director, Broadcast (3rd year returning) Reach Out: anderson.e.bowman@gmail.com What do you consider your specialty in journalism? “I really enjoy working with everyone. I’m very much an extrovert, so I’m very good at talking to people and I conduct a lot of interviews. I also work a lot with editing and finalizing stories.” What skill or lesson are you hoping to gain or grow at NCSMI 2023, and how will it impact your upcoming year of student journalism? “I’m looking to learn more about the process of how they do it in (professional) newsrooms, and how that’s different from a classroom. I want to develop some more skills that I might be able to implement when working on a story at the high school.” How does this year’s theme of being “On Watch,” and its characteristics of observation and relevance, resonate with you and your work as a journalist? “For me, I would say that it portrays the idea of, you know, kind of being alert and always looking for something to share. I think that it just kind of relays for me, the idea of always being open to whatever stories are going on and whatever’s happening around you.” What advice would you give to other journalists? “Always be looking for a story to tell and always keep an open mind. You may not fully understand a subject before reporting on it, but treat every project as an opportunity to learn.” -Compiled by Katie Madison, West Brunswick High ‘23
President
Courtney Weston ‘24
VP of Yearbook
Allison Lain ‘24
Vice President of Newspaper
Elena Paces-Wiles ‘24
Vice President of Literary Magazine
Kat Gregg ‘25
Vice President of Visual Communications
Cleo Strauss ‘25
Vice President of Broadcasting and Podcasting
Andy Bowman ‘25