Writing and Reporting

The Golden ’60s

Largely forgotten today, the UAHS countercultural scene of the late ’60s and early ’70s included protests and an underground newspaper.

This piece involved more research than anything else I’d ever written. Before I had even written one word of it, I spent tens of hours variously scanning microfilm archives of local newspapers, interviewing a dozen-some sources, and conducting a great deal of historical research.

Blackface, Redlining and Silent Classrooms

An exploration of systemic racism in UA.

In January, 2021, in the wake of the George Floyd protests, I co-wrote a piece about Upper Arlington's legacy of systemic racism. To write the piece, we interviewed a wide range of sources, including students, alumni, local activists, district officials, historical society officials, and community members. We also found historical documents and archives that shed light on the topic. It was incredibly rewarding to hear responses to the story; in the days after going to print, we were receiving comments from students and teachers alike who had been touched by our work.

Beyond the Classics

Nearly two dozen new English classes are running this year. Here's why that is and what it means for students.

My sophomore year of high school, students found the familiar English course options in the program of studies radically changed. Suddenly, they had a whole host of semesterlong English courses that focused on unique subject areas. This included a course based on the musical Hamilton and another about comedy as a language art. One semester into the new courses, my co-writers and I took a deep dive into the change.

Marching for Masks

 A group of UAHS students protested Wednesday against the school board's decision to repeal the mask mandate. 

When I saw a group of students gathered at the north end of the school, I approached them and learned that they were holding a protest against the lifting of the mask mandate. But I soon discovered that there was more to the story than a simple protest. The student who organized the protest, I learned, had faced harrasment on social media for their activism and for their gender identity.

On the scene, I conducted impromptu interviews with the student organizer, the principal, and the school resource officer. When I got home, I worked through the night transcribing the interviews and writing the story. I sent a draft to my editor; we worked out some wordings and ethical considerations. Finally, the piece went live at 12:54 a.m. the next day, less than 12 hours after the event happened.

When I came to school the next day, I was thrilled to hear people discuss the story. Two teachers, neither of whom I had ever had in class, stopped me in the halls to praise my work. Students posted it on social media. It was gratifying to see my work make a difference.

Impeachment Cobbler

Four far-right Ohio lawmakers have announced their plans for impeaching Governor Mike DeWine over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August of 2020, four Ohio lawmakers announced an effort to impeach Governor Mike DeWine over his handling of the COVID pandemic. I reached out to the man who drafted the articles of impeachment and interviewed him over the phone. I was able to also interview UA's own state representative for her perspective. This piece was rewarding to write, and it was fascinating to uncover the story.

Misquoted

The inspirational Harriet Tubman quote printed in Golden Bear Boulevard is historically inaccurate.

Last year, our new building opened, complete with inspirational quotes interspersed throughout the main hallway. One of these quotes was attributed to Harriet Tubman — but it turned out it was totally made up. For this piece, I interviewed the district's chief operating officer, the principal, and a Harriet Tubman scholar.

The Center of It All

UA voters will decide on May 4 whether or not to build a community center.

This piece is about the vote for a new community center in my town. It was interesting to hear different community members' perspectives on the vote, and to represent them in the piece.

The People's Gatsby

How today's copyright law stifles artistic and literary innovation.

In this op-ed, I argued that copyright law is too restrictive. It was one of my first opinion pieces, so it was as educational to write as it was fun.

The Road Ahead

The duty we all have to engagine in communities around us.

I wrote this piece in April, 2021, a tense time in my community politically, socially and elsewise. I wrote this editorial for the staff to propose a conciliatory approach, and to promote civic engagement.