Awards and Experiences
Me pictured with Catie Edmondson, the congressional correspondent for the New York Times. She spoke to the Free Spirits on a panel focused on covering elections and politics. After the panel, I awkwardly ran into her on the way to the bathroom and told her how inspiring she is as another woman in the journalism field. Since the conference, I have heard her multiple times as a guest on the New York Times podcast, “The Daily”.
​Me pictured after receiving my award at the conference with Al Neuharth’s family members, Jane Neuharth, his daughter and AJ Neuharth, his grandchild. (Photo credit: Freedom Forum)
Me pictured with Brain Ferenhold, an investigative journalist for the New York Times. He spoke to the conference about his time as a reporter covering President Donald Trump’s first campaign and breaking the Access Hollywood tapes while working at the Washington Post. After his presentation, I talked to him about how to become a better investigative reporter. I told him that he has my dream job, and he said that his job everyday feels like a dream. That was very inspiring for me to hear.
Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
​All Awards
When I found out that I was chosen to represent the state of Michigan for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, I was exhilarated. The conference was five days of hearing from the top journalists in the country, touring Washington D.C news bureaus from some of the more popular publications and learning from my peers. I made friends with student journalists from across the country that I am still in contact with. This conference confirmed what I thought I knew prior to attending: that journalism is one of the most important aspects of a civil society.
Me pictured with Chuck Todd, former Meet the Press host. While on the panel with Catie Edmondson, he said things that I think back to still when writing everyday, he was just that wise. While on the panel he made a joke about my favorite movie, Almost Famous, and pointed at me because I was the only one who laughed in the audience.
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2025 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association All MIPA News Writing
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2025 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association All Staff
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2024 Student Press Law Center’s Freedom of Information Award
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2024 MIPA 2024 Division 1-2, 1st place, News writing, “Superintendent coverage for Grosse Pointe Schools”
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2024 MIPA Division 2, Honorable Mention, News Analysis, “Rezoning plan comes to attention in Grosse Pointe Park”
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Staffer of the week, January 2024
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2023 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association Division 2, Honorable Mention, News Design and Infographic, “Down the downtrodden path of success”
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2023 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association Division 2, Honorable Mention, News Story, “Breaking News school board tables Grosse Pointe North health clinic”
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2023 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association Division 2, Honorable Mention
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​2023 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association Division 2, Honorable Mention
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Honorable staffer award, The Tower, 2023
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Most improved 2021 & Unsung hero 2023 awards, Varsity Field Hockey
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Academic athlete award (6 seasons)​
Detroit Free Press Apprenticeship
The experience I had at the Detroit Free Press was one that taught me more than any other teenage job could have. I learned skills that will bring me further in my journalism career and into college. I was lucky enough to have been selected for the apprenticeship in the summer of 2024 and 2025. During the four week program, each year I worked with Free Press reporters to craft my stories and I worked on building connections to learn as much as possible about the craft. I would be lucky to have another journalistic experience as fulfilling as this in the future.
2024
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The other five apprentices and I pictured during our staff head shot day. Walking into my first day at the Free Press, I was worried that it would be hard to become friends with the other journalists. But as the days went on, I quickly made a friend in all of them.
Photo Credit: Detroit Free Press
This was me pretending to be a Piston during a press conference when we toured the Detroit Priston’s practice facility. Since, I have bragged many times to Pistons fans about this experience!
Me outside the Detroit Free Press office downtown Detroit.
2025
Photo Credit: Detroit Free Press
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These photos are from the apprentice's media day. We went out on the streets of Detroit and took photos.
Michigan Interscholastic Press Association Conferences
Before being on staff, I attended the 2023 MIPA Summer conference. At the time, I did not know if journalism would be something that I would be passionate about, but after attending Bobby Hawthorne’s class “The Hawthorne Method," I knew that journalism did not have to be what I learned in the classroom; you can make it your own. I also played the guitar and sang at the talent show, which took guts for me to do considering it was in front of many people that intimidated me- but I ended up getting a trophy.
Later in both 2022 and 2023 I attended the MIPA fall conference with my publication. These conferences acted as check-ins for me. After each of the conferences I attend, I would ask myself “how can I improve?” I was devastated this past fall when I was sick on the day of the conference.
This is a photo I took of the students from my publication walking into the 2023 MIPA conference.
Positions I have held on staff and within media workplaces
2022-23 school year: Page Editor and writer for The Tower
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2023-24 school year: Supervising Website Editor and Writer for The Tower, Grosse Pointe Rotary Club Intern (runs social media)
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2024-25 school year: Co Print Editor-in-Chief of The Tower, Summer Detroit Free Press Apprentice, Grosse Pointe Rotary Club Intern and Photographer
This is me walking downtown Detroit during my lunch break while working for the Detroit Free Press.