REPORTING & WRITING
Coming from a childhood brimming with binders of hand-written stories and shelves full of books, I have found writing to always be an integral part of my life. In journalism, I wish to convey the same amount of immersion and wonder I feel when reading. Every time I sit down with a new article topic, I approach it with open-mindedness and artistry. I want my articles, when read, to encapsulate the core emotion or message of the story. After all, writing without passion makes your words dead. I am constantly on the search for new ways to incorporate individuality and flare to every story I cover. Journalistic writing allows me to reach out beyond my small city and state and connect with people from all over the country and world.
I am most proud of the articles attached below. All of my works can be found here.
Best of SNO is a website created by the School Newspapers Online (SNO) Distinguished Sites recognition process. Only the top works of SNO network student journalists are selected to be honored on Best of SNO. Only 10 percent of the thousands of received submissions are recognized. The following 9 articles of mine were published on Best of SNO for the 2021-2022, 2020-2021, 2019-2020 school years.
Features
Feature articles are incredibly important to me because they allow me to navigate new depths of journalism and amplify the voices and experiences of others.
 A ‘Euphoric Rush’: Olympic Figure Skater Reflects on Sports’ Biggest StageJust by first glance, everything about the 17-year-old who stood center stage at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games radiated burning vitality. The red sequins on his shirt faintly shimmered against the ice as his hands hung modestly at his side, the blades on his shoes poised in anticipation. He took a steadying breath as the music shattered across the silence, lethal and gentle. |  ‘People Need to Listen to Us’: The Anguish of Asian StereotypesUpon the whirlwind of COVID-19’s outbreak, deeply-stemmed Asian racism surged as people attempted to push the root of the virus’s problem onto the Asian community. |  A Rhee RevolutionA group of bright-eyed fans huddled together in a wide circle, all flaunting their most fashionable attire. Under the crisp and drizzly air, music from a speaker sputtered to life with the first few beats of the song. Fans adjusted their flashing chain belts, embellished denim jackets, and towering heels and shifted into position. |
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Arts & Entertainment
Arts & Entertainment has always been my forte. I have a strong admiration for film and books, so diving into the many layers of cinematography or plot allows me such freedom as a writer. I enjoy incorporating anecdotal ledes into articles like these.
 Twenty-Five Twenty-One Paints Bittersweet Portrait of YouthSipping citrus-flavored popsicle drinks on humid nights. Finally obtaining that one collectible sticker in the pastry package you have always wanted. Racing to the local book rental store after school for the next volume of your favorite romance comic. |  Angelica Company Captures the Heart of Hamilton at Gilded Orpheum Theatre“Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see,” Alexander Hamilton lamented beneath a stark white spotlight, a cessation in time as Aaron Burr stood behind him, pistol aimed at his rival’s head. The audience held their breaths as a dancer poised motionless, clutching Burr’s bullet that would forever paint him as a villain in our history. |  ‘Vincenzo’ Review: Villains Tantalize Villains in This Cathartic, Striking South Korean SeriesThe opening to Netflix’s 4th most-viewed Korean drama is as explosive and epic as its fan ratings. An uptight man on his pristine mansion’s balcony freezes mid-bite, abandoning his pasta as a cryptic plane flies over and rains fuel over his estate. |
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 Avant-Garde Space Opera Dune Transcends Traditional Sci-FiThe skies of Arrakis blaze with corruption, greed, and the smoldering sunset on the desert’s horizon. The planet simmers with heat as streaks of spice shift along the sand’s surface and dragon-fly-winged spacecrafts hum in the atmosphere. |  Squid Game Confronts Capitalism with Unsettlingly Relevant DystopiaRed light, green light: a lucid children’s song hummed to a game to test just how still a kid could hold his body so as not to be caught by his friends. But what happens when this child’s play becomes a field of carnage, and winning or losing becomes a matter of life or death? |  Shang-Chi Pulverizes Competition with Revolutionary Visuals and InclusivityIn mythical Ta Lo, the earth itself swelled with bloom. In this oasis among the raging bamboo forest, flowering pink trees reached skyward and sun rays stretched to every corner, painting the area with multi-colored shades of red, gold and green. A rumbling creek spilled into a crystal pool below by which stood a woman clad with vibrant green robes. |
 Multilayered Gacha Game Dominates Global IndustryIt’s late afternoon in the city of Liyue and everything seems to be overflowing with culture and gold. Towering ribbons draped from the pavilions and pastel blue glaze lilies adorned the sidewalks in celebration of the great Adeptus Rex Lapis’s return. Despite the gilded aura of the city, things were not so mirthful. |  Diverse, Feel-Good Novel Publicizes the Prejudices of IdoldomThe world of the Korean pop industry undoubtedly appears to be all shine and shimmer: large concert speakers that seem to reach the rafters accommodate the bold expanse of fans flooding the arena. The center idol on stage, haloed by blinding spotlights, pushes her brightly colored hair over her shoulder and offers one last grin to the camera as the televised performance comes to an end. |  WandaVision Rises as Marvel’s Newest Delightful Oddity“We are an unusual couple, you know,” Wanda says, positioning herself on the couch, relieved to have a moment of rest following the catastrophe that was her first dinner party. Vision looks over at her, a slight smirk spreading across his face. “Oh, I don’t think that was ever in question.” |
 BTS Opens Up to the World with Completely Raw Comfort of an AlbumOpening to the desaturated interior of a car, a masked figure shifts into focus, his deep brown eyes scanning the road in front of him as he drives on mainly empty streets. The camera later pans out the window to show a wasteland that is Seoul’s Olympic Stadium, even its gleaming dome seeming to wither in the emptiness of its surroundings. |  The Mandalorian Satisfies Sci-Fi Devotees with a Stellar Second SeasonSeated at a table, a towering figure clad in armor and weaponry of all kinds fiddles with his cup, a mysterious glowing liquid wafting from its inside. At his side floats a small metal carriage in which peaks out a bizarre wrinkly pea green face, its large gleaming eyes observing everyone in the cantina from droid bartenders to supersized insects. This gunfighter-child duo is perhaps one of the oddest, but their adventure together is one of the most iconic. |  BTS’s New Single ‘Dynamite’ Leaves a Spark on the ChartsWith a global pandemic bringing everyone’s lives to a sudden gloomy gray, sometimes the world just needs to “shine through the city with a little funk and soul.” |
 BTS Inspires and Dominates the World with Mature and Artistic New AlbumThe chart-topping, charismatic, and all-time biggest boy band in the world right now just released their new album, and it has thrown the whole continent in a frenzy of euphoria and Spotify-streaming. |  Newest ‘Avengers’ SuperM Burn the Stage at Atlanta ConcertThe freshest, most stylish Avengers have taken the world by storm, from topping the Billboard charts to dominating the stage on their US tour. But instead of wielding godly hammers and indestructible patriotic shields, these guys show off their strengths through powerful music, dance, and dreamy visuals, of course. |  Bring the Soul Movie Offers Impactful Insight to Stardom Strugglesot 2022-01-23 at 1.08.16Wembley Stadium. 90,000 seats sold out. The stage practically pulses with energy as the seven-piece boy band sings one of their biggest hits, their bodies drenched with sweat as they dance the choreography with burning vitality. The fans scream and sing along even though they don’t know the words. |
 Novel Spellbinds Readers with a World of Exquisite Nightmares and Stolen Dreams“Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game.” |  Novel Captivates Teens with Nail-Biting, Action-Filled Heist“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.” Kaz Brekker and his crew are not your typical pocket-picking criminals in the dark cobblestone alleyways of Ketterdam. They seek revenge and sweet dollar bills, and they will stop at nothing to get them. |
Opinion
I have begun to hone in on editorial writing alongside my other articles, which has already greatly expanded my journalistic skillset. Opinion articles are structured much differently than Arts & Entertainment, so writing this piece was a highly beneficial growing curve for me and has inspired me to write more types of these articles in the future.
 ‘Everyone’s Story Deserves to Be Told’: Seeking Solidarity for LGBTQ+ Southern StudentsThinking of the South, people may picture honey-warm sunshine stretching and spilling over the expanses of trees, flowers, and close-knit communities. But here’s an eye-opening fact: the pleasant flora and the drawling accents of the South are home to approximately 32% of our nation’s LGBTQ+ population, according to a 2020 report. |
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