Reporting & Writing
The building blocks of journalism: beats and features. Over the past three years as a staff writer for Scot Scoop, I’ve reported on a range of topics, from politics and war to the environment and animal welfare. View some of my stories and the lessons I’ve learnt below.
Web of misinformation
“In a time of crisis, social media is a weapon that ordinary citizens can use. A weapon, which, if not used carefully, can direct hatred toward groups of people.”
When I began to see misinformation online not just as digital pollution, but as a form of educational injustice, I couldn’t look away.
My first feature article for journalism investigated social media’s role as a battleground of misinformation, examining its effects on the Gaza War. Through heartfelt conversations with teens my age — some enduring war, others connected to it through family — I was pushed to properly convey both perspectives of the conflict and examine how each side was being affected by the spread of misconstrued truths.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was speaking with multiple people my age who held very different views and were in deeply emotional situations — one had been targeted by a teacher because of her ethnicity, while another was living in a war zone and experiencing panic attacks. Learning how to write about their experiences in an unbiased way was difficult, so I centered the story on misinformation, which became a unifying theme across all of their perspectives. Despite their differences, each source recognized how misinformation had affected them, ultimately placing them on the same side of the issue.
Recognition received
- Honorable Mention Individual Finalist for NSPA Design of the Year: Illustration (2024)
- Published in Watch Us Rise Magazine, Issue 11
- Best of SNO
GAZA WAR
As a news beat writer, I’ve covered the conflict in Gaza twice: once in 2023, when it first emerged and was not yet widely considered a war, and again in early 2025, when the first major ceasefire was announced and agreed upon.
Though covering the same situation twice, I saw how both my approach and process had matured since the first time I reported. I listened more deeply, and I felt confident enough in my reporting to allow the most sensitive aspects of the conflict to come to light and live fully on the page. I was more comfortable building my story on the foundation of people and their suffering that peace could not quiet.
Across both experiences, I learned the same lesson, though under very different circumstances. The first taught me the importance, and difficulty, of reporting on a story with two opposing perspectives. The second showed me what happens when that same situation escalates, and how much greater the responsibility becomes when the stakes are higher.
Now, in every story I write, I strive to honor those lessons. I look beyond surface-level narratives to seek out perspectives that are often overlooked, and to amplify voices that are too frequently left unheard. Journalism, at its core, is the pursuit of truth, but to me, it is also a practice of responsibility. Every article I publish reflects the standards I hold myself to, not just as a writer, but as someone who deeply cares about the impact of their work.
Whether I am reporting on global conflict or local issues, I approach journalism with the understanding that words shape understanding, and understanding shapes empathy.
Ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas brings fragile peace
Finding myself reporting on the same conflict, I knew it would be different. Time had passed, and with it, despite the tentative peace, complex emotions cultivated: distrust, frustration, and a yearning for a more permanent resolution.
After the ceasefire article was published, I felt that I had portrayed both perspectives—Palestinian and Israeli—fairly, amplifying their concerns and hopes. As part of my journalistic process, I sent the article to my sources as a courtesy, even though I anticipated mixed reactions.
For the most part, I received kind feedback, with many sources appreciating that I was giving voice to their perspectives. However, two of my sources expressed frustration with the final product.
One was a student I had interviewed, who claimed that I misrepresented his statements. I stood by my work, asserting that I only made minor grammatical adjustments and that the quotes were directly taken from our recorded interview. To clear up any confusion, I offered to show him the exact section in the transcript, which resolved the issue.
The other source, who lived in one of the affected regions and felt very passionately about the issue at hand, started projecting her biases onto my research and the other perspective portrayed in the article. She argued that I had failed to mention certain points, even though I had addressed them, and insisted that I clarify which parts of the article were opinions. I explained that I had already addressed the discrepancies multiple times, and the quotes I used represented the perspectives of those I interviewed, not my own. I also pointed out that the research I referenced came from central-biased, reputable sources.
This experience taught me the importance of keeping a transcript, sticking to my journalistic ethics, especially when covering politically sensitive topics, and always conducting thorough research. I also learned how to handle dissatisfied sources with professionalism and how to stand by my work in a convincing manner.
Recognition received
- Second Place for News Story, National Federation of Press Women – California Region Awards (2025)
GROWING UP ONLINE
Behind the screen
As a high schooler, I see three struggles nearly every day: drugs, social media addiction, and alcohol. Combining these intertwined topics into one feature, I spoke with over six teens affected in different ways and a licensed mental health therapist to explore how various social media apps might be worsening these already serious issues. I narrowed my focus to three of the most popular social media apps among teens my age — Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat — and examined how each exacerbates a different problem.
Because I wanted to focus on the human side of the story — showing, for example, how normalized these struggles felt to the people I spoke with or how deeply violating it was to have their intimate pictures shared —data, which social media discussions often depend on, needed to be presented through multimedia.
After combing through an extensive amount of data, I put together a multitude of graphs, ranging from standard line and stacked bar graphs to interactive ones with built-in controls, capable of effectively illustrating the differences between apps over time, which you can read more about in my “Web and Social Media” portion of my portfolio.
Furthermore, I wanted to cover some narratives more deeply, like Jason Lee’s who uses a pseudonym for legal anonymity, without sacrificing the other perspectives I gathered such as those related to alcohol use. To balance this, I decided to use the infobox feature to include two separate, additional narratives.
Recognition received
- Featured in First Place Multimedia Journalist of the Year Portfolio NSPA (2025)
- Honorable Mention for Feature Story, National Federation of Press Women – California Region Awards (2025)
- Best of SNO
Measuring up to fantasy
Similar to the multimedia feature I wrote in my junior year (an ambitious undertaking that required building trust with many anonymous sources), I seem to gravitate toward difficult and uncomfortable topics. This time, I chose to explore an even more taboo subject: teen pornography use and its impact on relationships.
I was inspired in part by a mutual friend who felt her relationship was being affected by her partner’s pornography use, leading to miscommunication and tension. I was also motivated by how normalized pornography consumption has become for many teenage boys, which made me curious about how its often unrealistic or aggressive portrayals could shape expectations within relationships.
For this article in particular, being female made it especially important for me to recognize my own biases and actively set aside any preconceived notions I held about pornography. When speaking with vulnerable sources on both sides, I focused on listening without judgment and digging deep into how they felt, as well as whether they fully understood what was happening within their relationships.
Recognition received
- Best of SNO
POLITICS
Delaying progress: federal research funding on the chopping block
My brain practically turns to mush the moment my older brother starts talking about his research and science: my personal kryptonite. However, when he mentioned that upperclassmen at his college, UC Berkeley, were struggling to find jobs not only because of a tough market but also because the government had tightened research funding for the UC system, my ears perked up.
As I learned more about the deep funding cuts affecting institutions across the country, including universities and organizations like the NIH, I began to empathize deeply with the people who had poured their passion and life’s work into research, only to see it jeopardized. In many ways, the issue began to feel personal, as journalism itself faces daily threats from AI and growing apathy.
So I did what I knew best and began reporting on the issue. I reached out to concerned undergraduate and graduate students, chronicling their stories and the uncertainty surrounding their life’s work. Most notably, I spoke with Colette Delawalla, a doctoral candidate who experienced the disruption firsthand when her dissertation grant was delayed just one day before the submission deadline due to instability at the NIH. Her response of founding the nonprofit Stand Up for Science was incredibly inspiring and reignited my belief in journalism’s power to document not just loss, but resilience and action.
Recognition received
- Featured in First Place Multimedia Journalist of the Year Portfolio NSPA (2025)
- Best of SNO
Measles outbreak intensifies vaccine debate as trust in health care wavers
When my aunt and uncle, both pharmacists, described the widespread distrust surrounding vaccinations, I was surprised, since we lived in the Bay Area and I had assumed people would generally trust vaccines due to higher scientific literacy. I realized this was a story worth investigating.
As a measles outbreak spread across the nation, I discovered that the problem was bigger than the disease itself: the misinformation and systemic distrust in the healthcare system.
Covering this beat required me to report on issues at both a national and local scale. I spoke with numerous expert sources to educate myself on a topic I had little prior knowledge of and learned how to translate more complex medical information into reporting that could still inform readers.
Recognition received
- Best of SNO
ANIMAL WELFARE
Long before I pursued my dream of becoming a journalist, I wanted to be an elephant conservationist, so issues surrounding animals have always captured my interest. Writing about animals is unique because they can’t communicate directly, which means I have to find someone to speak for them — whether that’s a senior research manager at an animal welfare nonprofit, the chairman of San Francisco’s Commission of Animal Control and Welfare, a veterinarian, or a former zoo employee.
My interest has slightly shifted the way that I report; I’ve learnt the importance of finding credible sources who can give voice to perspectives that aren’t immediately accessible, whether that’s animals, underserved communities, or groups whose stories might otherwise go untold.
Panda-monium: concerns surface over San Francisco Zoo conditions
With plans to bring in pandas, I was curious why the San Francisco Zoo, my beloved childhood zoo, which unfortunately never had elephants, was facing some backlash.
After scheduling several interviews with no response from the zoo’s communications director, I decided to go myself. I spent a day at the zoo, talking to visitors about their thoughts on the conditions. Many acknowledged the challenges of captivity but also appreciated the learning opportunities, especially for the children visiting. It was clear the situation was more complicated than a simple yes-or-no debate.
After covering the local perspective, I expanded the article to explore the national conversation surrounding zoos and their role in society. In doing so, I practiced connecting my local reporting to a broader national perspective, highlighting the relevance of the issue for readers beyond the immediate area.
Recognition received
- Second Place for News Story, National Federation of Press Women – California Region Awards (2025)
- Featured in First Place Multimedia Journalist of the Year Portfolio NSPA (2025)
- Best of SNO
Hatchery to hell: turkey suffering in commercial farming
As Thanksgiving approached, I found myself wondering: how are millions of turkeys raised to become a family’s meal on a single day?
Once I began digging, I couldn’t stop. I was shocked to learn about the conditions in which many poultry are kept, despite labels promising safety and humane treatment. Even more alarming were the wide range of issues, from inhumane methods of slaughter to the physical and mental stress birds experience during transportation, all the way back to the very beginning of their lives, when welfare problems often begin.
My initial article, which, by now, has become somewhat of a habit, turned into a multimedia feature because of its length. I broke down each stage of a turkey’s life and the welfare challenges associated with it, ultimately concluding with a reflection on rethinking traditions and farming practices.
When I finished the article, my mother jokingly suggested we just avoid turkey that year for dinner.
Recognition received
- Third Place for Feature Story, National Federation of Press Women – California Region Awards (2025)
ENVIRONMENT
Southern California Line Fire sparks burning concerns over climate change
When reporting on a large event that isn’t happening immediately around you, like wildfires in the southern part of your state, the main challenge is localization: how do you make the people in your own community care about something that feels geographically distant?
For this article, after covering the core facts of the Line Fire in San Bernardino County and its impact on residents, including interviews with people I knew in Southern California, I moved the focus to the larger trend of wildfire seasons lengthening and intensifying in the West due to climate change. I then localized the story by speaking with a fire safety official in my neighborhood, connecting the issue back to our own community and outlining practical ways residents can protect themselves, support their neighbors, and prepare for climate-related challenges that are likely to become more prevalent over time.
Recognition received
- Third Place for Environment, National Federation of Press Women – National Awards (2025)
- First Place for Environment, National Federation of Press Women – California Region Awards (2025)
- Best of SNO
REPLANT Act Combats Climate Change Through Nationwide Forest Restoration
This article, unlike the others included in this portfolio, was written for My Modern Met, the international art and culture site where I worked as an editorial intern. My experience there differed from my reporting at school. At school, I typically choose my own topics and often get really immersed in writing them as a result. At My Modern Met, however, I was assigned stories, which required me to cover unfamiliar subjects with the same level of curiosity.
What surprised me most was the depth of research each piece demanded. Breaking down complexity into accessible, purposeful information became an important part of my role. I often had to cover niche topics I had never encountered before, such as the mythological symbolism behind the columns of Egypt’s Temple of Khnum or the meaning of rock engravings in Serranía de la Lindosa. I spent hours reading academic studies, tracing historical context, and mapping cultural connections. Only after I fully understood the material myself could I translate it into something engaging and comprehensible for a general audience.
For this particular article, I immersed myself in the legislative history of the REPLANT Act, which was designed to address a growing backlog of reforestation needs by establishing a Restoration Fund to support tree replanting after natural disasters like wildfires. Researching the bill allowed me to write and connect policy to real environmental impact, only solidifying my belief that thoughtful reporting can clarify complex systems and inform public understanding.
CULTURAL COVERAGE
Questioning progress: Native American skepticism surrounding California’s new educational mandate
As I wrote in my personal statement, this project transformed my approach as a journalist. When I first learned about the Native American education bill, I was hopeful based on media reports and pitched the article as a sign of progress amid ongoing discussions of reparations for Indigenous peoples’ historic lack of recognition. I soon realized after interviews with Indigenous people that I was wrong and shifted the focus to their skepticism of the government and the likelihood that the mandate would make a real difference.
Ultimately, after my piece was published, though it was vastly different from my original pitch, I felt a profound sense of accomplishment. My article reflected the perspectives that mattered most, as accurately as possible, and the experience taught me the importance of digging deeper for the truth and avoiding preconceived notions when reporting a story.
Recognition received
- Second Place for News Story, National Federation of Press Women – California Region Awards (2025)
- Featured in First Place Multimedia Journalist of the Year Portfolio NSPA (2025)
- Best of SNO
Roots and rhythm: Heritage Fair 2025
With a rich, diverse student body, my high school’s most anticipated assembly of the year is Heritage Fair, where clubs like Chinese Culture Club put on elaborate activities — from singing popular Chinese pop songs and performing fan dances to staging martial arts demonstrations — and the Islander Club hosts a traditional luau.
For this package, for which I was the writer, working alongside a photographer, videographer, multimedia designer, and editor, time and planning were essential. Wanting to maximize student readership, we knew the package had to be published quickly to maintain relevance. I began interviews more than a week in advance, focusing my reporting on the backgrounds of select club members and the personal connections that drove their participation, whether as organizers or performers.
This approach allowed me to make only minor adjustments to descriptions of performances after the event ended, so that the article could be published as quickly as possible.