In middle school, my English teachers would say that I had a talent for writing, especially when I loved big words and lengthening my sentences with adjectives to make myself sound academic. They would always point out that my writing is compelling but it was not concise. Through Newswriting, I met deadlines, adapted to my working environments, pushed stories from pitch to publish, had articles edited and peer-edited articles, and, most importantly, I took the initiative to contribute more articles to my school newspaper to have more chances to converse and develop interpersonal skills.
REPORTING & WRITING
NEWS
Diligently and independently writing timely news
Officer Kalama recognized for sacrifice
In the media, police officers are often infamous for racism and corruption. Despite the notion, Kalama was a McKinley alumnus who nobly added a cherry on top of his line of duty with his honorable sacrifice. Transcribing and adding context without hindering the speaker's reflective tone as she reminisced her coworker was a challenge as the only reporter who wrote to preserve this historical event. Although this story was published on Best of SNO, the true honor should be given to Kalama because his sacrifice is a gentle reminder that honorable acts by McKinley alumni will always be recognized by fellow Tigers.
Senior year altered by COVID-19
While students were forced to learn from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers struggled but adapted to provide guidance from a screen. This article was disheartening to write because I had to synthesize statements from sources on a screen instead of transcribing from recordings that convey the messages and voices of people I could not interview. On top of piecing my sources cohesively, I had to ensure that the sources "talked" to each other so that the story could flow without making it noticeable that the statements from a Google form at different circumstances.
CORONAVIRUS
Working from home - writing in isolation
Senior year altered by COVID-19
Schools did a somersault when the coronavirus pandemic forced everyone to learn online. On the same token, my seniors looked forward to graduating but were set back when the pandemic meant that they would have to celebrate their years of learning in an abnormal light. Stripping statements from seniors from a Google sheet and piecing them together was mundane because I had not seen any of my sources in person and only had their name to go off of. It was until I became a senior that I acknowledge how graduates of the pandemic had accepted and embraced their abnormal school year instead of letting it deal more damage to McKinley's traditions.
McKinley ohana forced to adapt around COVID-19
Getting quotes from my sources via email due to the coronavirus pandemic was a challenge because not everyone responded to their emails or it took time to get a response. In this article, though, I was able to get quotes from a member of the student council, a teacher, and a counselor who all shared their view of the situation in a positive light despite the abnormalities or unusual way of doing things in order to accommodate for the pandemic and to ensure the safety of others by using creative means and, most importantly, other modes of communication such as social media.
FEATURES
Manifesting the courage to crawl out of my comfort zone
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Arakaki joins MHS ohana
My first time conducting an interview was a sweaty mess. I scrambled around McKinley's campus and ended up designating my source at a portable classroom that I saw everyday but had never stepped on before. My social anxiety restrained me from knocking on the door but my lingering ambition led me to having a conversation with a gentle soul who has a motive for teaching special education: instead of working with the whole school, she dedicated her focus to students who need extra help because she helped a family member become successful when times were rough, fueling her passion to make students feel welcomed and inclusive.
Pila begins new chapter
By this time, I was a little more experienced with conversation-making, which is what interviews are all about, but I stuck to a formulaic interview where I stick to a list of questions instead of improvising questions when I interviewed a new vice-principal at McKinley. I had talked to the principal with my class prior to my second solo interview; however, another staff reporter commented how Pila was "scary," resulting in an illustration of a shady giant popping up in my nimble mind. Despite the image molded by an opinion, I braced myself and interviewed a giant as gregarious as Hagrid from Harry Potter.
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Hall of Honor inductee reflects on years at McKinley
Okuda is an inspiration for many, from being an a PE teacher, an umpire for the Olympics, and even being a part of multiple organizations during her high school career. I have gained a greater appreciation for McKinley's campus and are fortunate to be able to learn in modernized buildings that did not exist in Okuda's time and got to write about a legendary McKinley alumnus.
Kondo likes to work with others
Kondo was my mentor in my freshman year and also played in the McKinley band. Therefore, it was a gesture to write about my role model for all she has done to help me grow. Kondo's feature was the first time I added an infographic that details her favorite things to add fun facts and color to compliment the text that make up my article.
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OPINIONS
Research and stats to support the facts
Band, a good elective
Band was something I've done and loved ever since middle school — playing flute has taught me self-discipline and made me passionate about music. In return for being a blessing in my life, I wanted to write a review to encourage more students to join band. To ensure that my work was high quality, I got feedback from my band directors. Everyone knew they were strict and when they read my draft, they said I needed to twist some ends to make band seem enticing instead of stressful until my adviser reminded me that I have the freedom of speech and it's up to me on how I want my stories to be conveyed.
‘Tuesdays With Morrie’ shares life’s greatest lesson
that he needed Mitch's help to use the bathroom — he cares about his family and friends’ happiness and giving them a chance to say goodbye. Their intimate trust for each other was reminiscent of me and my middle school teacher who saw me as a person and tried to change my negative perceptions of myself. This review reminds readers to embrace their role models while they are still around.
Tuesdays With Morrie is about the relationship between Mitch, a college graduate who does not know what to do with his life, and Morrie, Mitch's old college professor who is approaching death's door. Morrie has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in which he described as "a lit candle: it melts your nerves and leaves your body a pile of wax." Understanding Morrie's true motives to live life without regrets resonated with me. Morrie did not care
PASSION BLOGS
Simultaneously flexing my passion for music and writing
Music rekindles tradition
​After the coronavirus pandemic was settled and school slowly returned to normalcy, I was relieved that I could finally make music with my peers again after a year of learning little to nothing online — it's impossible to play synchronously due to stutter on Zoom. My passion for music and my pride as a McKinley tiger was rekindled when school finally reopened. Many students in the band and orchestra program at McKinley High School feel the same and are proud to making music as an ensemble rather than an individual and, most importantly, embody McKinley's pride and tradition once again.
Vo's Interests: Flute
This is my story of how I got into playing the flute which partially started way before middle school. Writing about the challenge of playing an instrument without a direct mouthpiece, the part where a musician blows air into their instrument, is a part of my identity. I did not contemplate how deeply I, as well as my fellow band classmates, valued music until the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to comply with remote learning. Ultimately, music taught me that although consistent work habits and having a passion for music may not be a straight line to success, it is a journey, a quest, and an adventure.