Investigation

Without the tools I gained from a 2021 partnership with the Ida B. Wells Society, I would not know how to begin tackling complicated issues. The year-long partnership included monthly workshops led by veteran journalists to build research, interview and writing skills as well as visits from local reporters to coach us as we researched and wrote investigative stories on topics of our choosing. My sophomore year, I covered the lack of diversity in advanced classes. The skills I learned and mentorship of Laura Brache, a local reporter for the Raleigh News and Observer, inspired all of my future investigative work, from gentrification to abortion access. She taught me how to turn an expansive topic into a question, a series of interviews, a draft and finally, a 2000+ word story.

NEWS

Murder or Healthcare?

It depends who you ask. Regardless, prospective mothers have less time to decide.

Although I had two semesters of experience writing investigative stories, this one challenged my own bias the most. Prior to writing this article, I had my own beliefs about abortion. My parents have championed reproductive rights for as long as I can remember and I was eager to take on this story because of my disdain for the new law, which banned abortions past 12 weeks with few exceptions. I live in a liberal area and the vast majority of my school community is pro-choice as well.

Going into this experience, I dreaded my interviews with conservative activists. While I knew how important getting diverse perspectives is for a well-balanced story, I was afraid my emotions would interfere with the interview. But it turns out the most valuable part was learning from those on the other side. Local reporters with the Raleigh News and Observer shared their conservative sources and I was forced to venture outside of my comfort zone by reaching out to dozens of faith leaders and pro-life lobbyists. I spoke to activists who believed restricting abortion was a show of love and religious leaders adamant they were protecting their God’s children.

After speaking with both sides, I learned they actually have a lot in common. Just like me, the pro-life activists felt their beliefs came from a place of love and compassion. By investigating a complex and taboo issue, I was able to gain empathy for people who disagree with many things I stand for.

Since I felt like this was an important topic for the whole school community, I asked my bilingual classmates to translate my article and I included the entire Spanish version in print.

CULTURE

When Northgate’s fate went south

As a historic mall sits empty, developers and residents debate its future.

Inspired by my investigative piece a year prior, I decided to use my 2022 project to continue exploring racial inequity. I researched an old rundown mall right outside of downtown and learned how it exemplified Durham’s gentrification.

I live right outside of downtown. When my parents bought our house 25 years ago, Durham was one of the few places they could afford. Now, the house has nearly quadrupled in value. I have watched as houses in my neighborhood are knocked down in favor of expensive condos. Right down the street, four homes are crammed into a lot that once held one. In the past 18 years, I have watched Durham explode in popularity.

Needless to say, I knew gentrification was an issue. So, when I learned Northgate Mall was being torn down, I immediately worried condos would appear in its place. I hoped that Northgate could serve as a desperately needed community space to help address issues of violence and poverty.

With the tools I acquired from the Ida B. Wells Society, I reached out to developers, councilors and community members to uncover the mall’s future. And after months of research, the conclusion I reached was: no one knows. I realized that I could spend countless hours researching and still not find an answer, but that is a story in itself. I found that there is value in simply asking questions, wondering “why,” and pushing leaders to create change.

After completing this article, I asked my bilingual classmates to translate it into Spanish so it could reach a wider audience. Many Latinx families live in the Walltown area and are directly impacted by the future of the mall.

OPINION

Northgate’s future must be about affordable housing not profit

Located in the heart of Durham, Northgate mall has always served as a social hub. But as developers plan to tear down the mall and build offices in its place, everyone has their own idea of how the property should be used.

After publishing my Northgate article, I decided to publish an opinion piece. I used the knowledge I gained to inform my own idea for the space. This article was picked up by the Triangle Tribune, a local paper which serves Durham’s Black community.

NEWS

Early Opportunities Create Unlevel Playing Field

Sophomore Izaiah Jackson will have already completed eight AP classes by the end of the school year. He is one of a handful of sophomores taking AP English III —a class traditionally taken by juniors. His GPA is a 4.6.

I published this article under the mentorship of a local journalist through a partnership with the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting. This project sparked my commitment to diversity and love of investigative journalism. It required me to ask difficult questions and ask not just “what?” but “why?”

When working on a simple news story about the different options for advanced classes, a biology teacher suggested I look into racial demographics. This led me to reflect on my own classes and how the student make-up compared to the wider school community. While students of color make up over two-thirds of the school, they rarely take AP courses. I decided to find out why. I featured a Black classmate, learning from his experiences as one of the few students of color in his advanced courses. After speaking with him, I realized that the educational inequality began way before high school. My mentor through the Ida B. Wells Society, a local reporter with The Raleigh News & Observer, advised me to follow this new direction. I spoke with district employees and elementary school teachers to learn more about the root of the issue.

The story ended up over 1000 words long. It left me with more questions than answers, but also encouraged me that my district is working to address the issue. This project taught me the value of collaboration. Since the issue was too big for one story, a classmate wrote a complementary article exploring demographics behind racial inequity in Advanced Placement classes at Riverside and beyond..

CULTURE

The River Becomes the Swamp

Ogres are like onions: they have a lot of layers. And Riverside’s production of Shrek: the Musical does, too.

I knew very little about the theater department prior to this assignment. But, by speaking to a diverse group of people involved in the show, I learned the complexities of producing a play. I started by talking to the theater arts teacher who advises the musicals. She explained her role and introduced me to all the different aspects of play production. I spoke to actors, dancers, directors, tech crew members and the musical ensemble.

It was difficult to find time to interview the tech crew since they were busy working on set design. The only time I was able to track them down was during their tech theater class, when they worked hands-on on designing the set. Although I originally thought this would be a distracting interview environment, I was able to learn a lot about the process through observation. It also taught me the value of flexibility when covering a story with a strict deadline.

CULTURE

Annual orchestra concert honors students who have passed

Music filled the Riverside auditorium on Friday night for the seventh-annual Ailyn Maldonado Scholarship Benefit Concert.

When my advisor proposed covering the orchestra concert, I looked forward to the program. But, after talking to orchestra teacher Sara Moore, I learned the concert was much more than just beautiful music. It was a memorial to students who had passed away. This was one of the first articles I wrote about a sensitive topic and I wanted to make sure every detail was correct. I hope that by writing this article, I raised awareness for the department’s fundraising efforts and shared the stories of students we have lost.

I had a very short turn-around time for this piece since I wanted it published soon after the concert. Many of the Hook’s readers do not generally attend cultural arts performances, so my article was an important way to raise awareness for the program. I returned to cover a future performance as a photographer.

CULTURE

Meet CLAUDE, the “multitalented” service dog

For Spanish teacher Elizabeth Wagner, a service dog is a gateway to independence, but its positive impacts extend throughout the whole school community.

This was one of the first stories I wrote for the Hook. I began the project with limited journalism experience. Covering this story was the first time I realized that journalism could help me connect with my school community. I did not know Ms. Wagner before the article and enjoyed learning about her and her service dog’s positive impact on her students. It was also important to inform students about a new and unique member of the faculty.

It became one of our most-read profiles of the year on our website. After the story was published, Ms. Wagner reached out to us and let us know that we had misspelled “CLAUDE,” by using lowercase letters. The service dog organization, paws4people, capitalizes all letters to emphasize the dog’s importance.

While this was the first time I received corrections to my work, it definitely was not the last. I realized that no feedback was negative because noticing a mistake and taking the time to reach out indicates that my work has consequences. People pause their lives to read it, share it and often reply directly with feedback. This article won second place for feature stories in a 2022 NCSMA contest.