REPORTING AND WRITING
A journalist proficient in reporting and writing has a combination of strong research skills, objectivity and fairness, strong interviewing skills, and ethical decision making. I have interviewed a variety of people and created relationships from the stories I have written, relationships I would not have formed had I not been a journalist. Alongside forming these connections, I also learned how to organize information and integrate quotes into my stories.
COMMENTARY
The articles I had written on the Lahaina fires were my first experiences with objective articles and reporting. I had collaborated with another NW1 journalist at the time. The Lahaina fires were the root of devastation for Maui, destroying the lives of hundreds of people as well as their town. I recognized that an event of this magnitude and impact absolutely had to be covered. To localize, I went on a search to find who in my school had connections in Maui, and how the fires affected both them and their loved ones in order to better represent the different perspectives surrounding this tragedy. During the reporting for this article, I learned how to seek out the best sources for the information and I learned a great deal about how to talk to people in order to truly create a productive, meaningful dialogue with them for the story. Maui Fire Tragedy Affects McKinley Staff – The Pinion
COMMENTARY
COMMENTARY
The McKinley Home of the Tigers art exhibit was one of the first of its kind. Its exhibit consisted of an art that both provided information on artists of the past, illustrating how influential Hawaii was surrounding the Modernism Art Movement while simultaneously bridging these histories with student artists of today. Each of these artists were also connected by the fact that they each came out of McKinley. For weeks, I went around my school talking to multiple students that were featured in the exhibit, people who attended, and even one of the professional artists that was displayed: Imaikalani Kalahele. These different creative works submitted by the students of my school expressed their passions and highlighted their personality as artists and people. I learned a lot about the peers I have spent these four years with and their aspirations through the process of reporting for this article that I otherwise would never have known, such as going to Julliard. Bridging McKinley Student Artists with Art of the Past – The Pinion
Through this feature, my first ever feature article, I decided that it would be powerful to highlight Native Hawaiian issues by taking a more historical approach, with the perspective of a renowned old-school Hawaiian artist and activist. I felt that Imaikalani Kalahele would have substantial insights from his many walks through different areas of life, whether that be in politics, art, or the war. This article allowed me to form a connection with a role model that has a similar agenda and outlook on the state of our world currently, as well as putting decades of effort into fighting injustice. One of the major causes he fought for was for the Hawaiian people. He did so not only through protesting but also through his various forms of expression, including poetry and painting. During this interview, I was showing other journalists and students what it looks like to interview someone. Through my reporting, I discovered that Kalahele was one of the leading organizers of a Hawaiian Contemporary art group, which held a focus on Native Hawaiian displays. This article demonstrates my efficacy in formulating the questions I ask to gather noteworthy and effective details about a topic. I have learned to ask questions that will extract the most information and color for my source, as well as make my interviewee think. My line of questioning provoked Kalahele to speak about these issues in a blunt but meaningful and deeply touching way. Imaikalani Kalahele: A Voice For Hawai’i – The Pinion
