E114: Rookie of the year nominees

Join Rebecca Snyder as she hosts a powerful conversation with the 2024 MDDC Rookie of the Year nominees — six emerging women journalists who’ve tackled the chaos, challenges, and triumphs of their first jobs in news. From covering local government and education to environmental policy and cultural reporting, these young reporters reflect on what surprised them, what inspired them and what keeps them going.

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet the rookies
• 3:11 From classroom to newsroom
• 12:16 Building beats and earning trust
• 28:45 Why journalism?
• 44:11 Pride and perspective

Transcript

0:01

Welcome everyone. This is one of my favorite episodes of the year, which is our Rookie of the Year podcast episode where we bring the, in the MDDC awards program, we honor one Rookie of the Year across all divisions. And that rookie has had 18 months or less professional journalism experience. So essentially it's their first job in news media. and is nominated by their publication. we've got, actually we've got a clean sweep of all women rookies this year, six of them, five are on our podcast recording right now, one may come on, but let's meet the rookie of the year nominees. So let's start with Kirsten up in my left-hand corner. You wanna introduce yourself? Hello, my name is Kirsten Hacker and I'm a Howard County reporter with the Baltimore Sun. Wonderful. All right, Zoe. Hi, my name is Zoe Bell. I am a staff writer for Washington Jewish Week. We're stationed in Columbia, Maryland, and I do local news and profiles of local Jewish people. All right, Gabrielle. Hi, my name is Gabrielle Lewis. one of the reporters at the Frederick News Post. cover everything in Frederick County, Maryland specifically. My official bead is health, environment, and nonprofits, but since we're small, I kind of jump around. So lately, I've also been reporting on local data center development and also the impact of federal actions on just people in the local community. Wonderful. Okay, Bridget. Hi, I am a reporter for the Capital Gazette. The Capital Gazette kind of falls underneath the Baltimore Sun. I cover education. Yeah, I'm happy to be here. Great, thank you. And Lauren, bring us home. Yes, my name is Lauren. I'm a reporter with the Chesapeake Bay Journal and I cover all things environment pretty much for whatever falls in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Okay, well gosh, that's a broad, broad piece of a beat. And Kaylee Jacobs also from the Frederick News Post may be joining us. So if listeners, if you hear a different voice coming on a little bit later, that is Kaylee. So I wanted to start off just as you all are in the grips of that first professional job. We all come out of, good, and Kaylee's coming in now, Kaylee Jacobi. Before we get to that crucial question, Kaylee, do you want to introduce yourself with who you're with and what you write? Sure, yeah. So it's Chaley actually, but yeah, I am the courts and county government reporter at the Frederick News Post. And I started there in July of 2023. So it's been a little less than two years now. Wonderful, great. And we were just getting started and talking about, know, we all come out of, you know, the undergraduate experience with like bright eyes, bushy tails, lots of excitement. And then we hit the, you know, everyone has their first professional job. And so I'm interested for everyone to share sort of what their expectations, what you thought it would be like going in into that role. And then what surprised you? Maybe what delighted you, what horrified you, how were those expectations borne out? And I'll start with Lauren and then maybe we'll go to Bridget and Gabrielle next. Yeah, so let's see here. Going into this job, I knew it was going to be interesting doing environmental work. You end up in farms and boats and lots of new places. So was very excited about that. And that actually has happened. But in order to cover the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which is 64,000 square miles, we don't have a newsroom. So I have to work. remotely and I cover Richmond to Virginia Beach. so not having an editor I can walk up to sometimes has been difficult, but it's made me really try and build my beat kind of all on my own, meeting with sources and keeping up with what's going on. So yeah, it's, and then think about going into the world of journalism. I was a little nervous. You know, it's usually really fast deadlines, high pressure, really on the ground work. And luckily at the Bay Journal, we're on a month to month basis, although the web is pushing for more. And it's just such a great culture. It's not really a grind output culture, but that still means we work hard. promise. Absolutely. Well, and yeah, mean, the different rhythms of publication and being able to feed the website are all considerations. And we'll get into sort of remote challenges and how you build sources and colleagues and that network even in remote or hybrid situations. But Bridget, you have a different experience because you're with the Capitol, which is housed under the Baltimore Sun umbrella. So what was it like for you? Yeah, so something actually that definitely stands out to me is like as Lauren mentioned, you can't, we're remote and we can't like get up and go talk to our editor. Like that feeling of being in a newsroom is sort of an expectation I think we think from school that we have going into the profession and like not being able to. grab a coworker because you see him on the other side of the room was a bit of an adjustment. The other huge adjustment is that the capital is a daily paper and they have to fill the paper no matter what. So in college, I only really did the student paper, which didn't have a print. Diamondback stopped printing, I think, something like 2017. So if a story wasn't ready, there was a lot more flexibility to be like, well, we can hold this for a day. But here, like, you got to fill the paper. And the expectation is you get a story done pretty much every day and you get some sort of sizable enterprise story done for the weekend. So like, the sheer volume and also the pressure of making sure the papers are filled was quite the adjustment from coming from a student paper. It did surprise me how Quickly, I got into a rhythm, though, after a little while. So I'm starting to feel like I'm meeting my deadlines and catching up with things, but it was a huge adjustment. Yeah. It is, well, and yeah, when you feel like you have to fill, like that's a big news hole that every day you can't have a blank spot in the publication. Whereas the website that doesn't particularly matter. Now, Gabrielle, you also work in a print publication, the Frederick News Post. Did you have that same sort of horror of, my gosh, I have a deadline every day that I have to fill? I mean, you've got a daily too. Yeah, so a lot of things that Bridget was saying are very relatable. I was also a Diamondback alum. But my college experience, I did a lot of editing. I was like a fact checker and like a managing editor at the Diamondback. And then when I did do reporting, it was more long term. I did like data reporting and investigative reporting. So I wasn't even on like a long deadline. I could take a couple weeks focusing on one story and making my own graphics. So coming to the FNP was definitely a huge jump, just in terms of, again, we have a paper that we have to fill every day. And all of us are expected to, of course, contribute at least one story every day. So I kind of am echoing what Bridget said, but it definitely was a lot to get used to. I think that it really, I don't think anything that I did in college would have prepared me for the nine to five as well. Just that really huge adjustment from having classes and homework to like this 40 hour work week. And that's not. to the system. I mean, I totally get that. It's not like a drag, but it's just like, I don't think anything can really prepare you for that. I think it, working here has really strengthened my ability to think of stories and to pitch. And I used to be a slower writer and now I tend to not only write fast, but also write too much, which Chaylee knows because I write so much. But I think it is really like made me a much better reporter. And it's also been... a pleasure to get really close with my coworkers and also to just know the community and to see familiar faces and, you know, to build those relationships. That's something that I really enjoy about the job. Yeah, well, and Zoe, you know, building those relationships, you're you're writing about people in, you know, the weekly Washington Jewish week is a weekly surprise, a weekly publication. You're doing a lot of profiles. You know, how is it sort of embedding into that community and getting to know like, you know, sort of getting people to open up enough to like spit out a profile on a weekly basis? That's feels like a big task to me. Yeah, actually that's one of my smaller tasks, but I do have two weekly profiles. So one is a person younger than 40 and then one is a person older than 40. And I find that people really want to tell their stories. There are some who are more humble, I would say, and they don't want to talk about their achievements or I find out afterwards or in my research before that they are the author of five books or something really impressive. And some of them are less willing to just volunteer that information. But for the most part, everyone loves to talk about themselves. So I start with pretty easy questions. I have one that I always go with, and I always ask about someone's childhood and upbringing, specifically about their Jewish background. And people love reminiscing about their summer camp days. I just make it fun. Love that. did you have any, what college did you graduate from and were there, did you feel like your education kind of prepared you for what you met when you were starting work? I would say yes and no. I went to American University in Washington, D.C. and I was involved with the eagle there. And I was very, very surprised, like everyone else has said before me. I was surprised at just the sheer volume of stories that I had to write. So I was used to in college writing maybe like 10 to 14 stories a semester. Now I'm doing that in a week and it's It's a lot for me to adjust to, but also I love staying busy. That's just who I am. So it's fun. Well, and Kirsten, actually you have, I think a really interesting window in this because you were one of our MDDC interns last year. So you were, you were embedded at the Baltimore Sun and our big focus in that internship program is that you're treated like a real live working journalist, working 40 hours a week for eight weeks, like plunged into the fray. So like truth in advertising, did that experience kind of like, were you really Were you then set up to when you became a reporter again at the Howard County Times, part of the Sun, did that, was there any big shift or did you know what you were getting into? think the internship prepared me really well. to know what I was getting into with Howard County and expanding that beat there. The internship this summer was very intense. I learned a lot during those weeks, but I am incredibly grateful for that experience. I was covering breaking news with the emerging desk at the Baltimore Sun. So it really taught me how to think quickly on my feet, how to contact various different people. You know, I didn't just have one beat, was learning something new every single day, learning how to pivot like, okay, today I'm covering this crime story. And then I wake up the next day and I have a new assignment covering something to do with the environment, or I have to go to the courthouse and grab some documents. So I really learned how to be resourceful and connect with different government agencies and communications professionals and just working through So many different stories with breaking news really prepared me for covering the Howard County beat where there is a lot of breaking news that comes up, but now I get to learn how to build my sources and grow my beat development. So it's overall my internship experience with MDDC has made me a lot more resourceful, which has helped me a lot covering Howard County. I love that. Thank you. And Jaylee, you had talked about, I saw your head nodding a lot as other people were speaking. So it feels like, you their experience is kind of reflected in your own perspective. But was there anything that you felt was radically different than what you expected when you came into the newsroom? Kind of, yes. So the one thing that I was kind of surprised nobody else mentioned yet is that I, and I think a lot of us, had some or most of our college experience during the pandemic. for me, that was, you know, I felt like I was really prepared in a lot of ways. I felt like I was prepared to, you know, navigate finding court documents in online systems. I thought I was really prepared for the actual writing and reporting aspect, but the things that you can really only get by being there in person, know, county government meetings, hearings in a courtroom, these were things that I did not get to experience in college, not through any fault of Merrill College, just because of the times. Um, so I think that like for me, the biggest adjustment was actually just being able to like cold approach people. I had not really done that much in college. A lot of our reporting in college consisted of like reaching out to people via email or through the phone and, know, setting up interviews that way, not actually just walking up to a person. Um, so that was something that was a big adjustment for me, I think. Um, Also shooting my own photos, do have to, staff photographers at the Frederick News Post, we're very lucky to have them. But for certain assignments, whether they just are occupied and it's something breaking and you just have to go and bring a camera with you, or there's just not a photographer assigned that day, on one weekend day we don't have a That was something that was kind of. shaken up in my college experience was my photography class. I was taking photography in the spring of 2020, just like right in the thick of it. We got sent home with no camera, expecting to be back in a couple weeks, but it turned out that we were going to do the rest of the semester learning iPhone photography. So that was what I learned in my photography class. And so having to actually learn to use like a proper you know, camera was also something that I felt like was, I guess I wasn't prepared for. That is a really big shift. There's only so many ways you can stage your bedroom furniture to be like, me take this shot. So I definitely get that. So one of the things that a couple of you had brought up is this idea of sourcing and interviewing people. And that is really different when you're in the college experience. You kind of have your fishbowl for the most part. You kind of know, all right, this is my cast of characters. And when you get into your first professional role, You have to develop sources, find different sources. You're pitching, you're sort of doing all of that. What have you found to be most effective for you as you cultivate sources and you build, you know, sort of not only your beat, but also your expertise in how you get people to open up and even understanding who to reach out to? Anyone? Gabrielle, you look like you're about to come off mute. You want to join? You want to jump in there? I was just thinking, so a lot of what I cover, so a big issue here in Frederick County is like data center development. Since it's so close to Loudoun County in Virginia, that's where the data center alley is. It's like 43 million square feet of data center. there's developments here to kind of, I think, expand that in a way. It's very complicated, but I think for me, the best thing was just like, showing up to these meetings and being very consistent in my coverage because there's been a lot of public meetings just to approve the design of a data center or the substation for the data center or the power lines. And so I think just being there physically showing your presence and then continuing to just cover the issues. a lot of residents are really, really passionate about it. And so by them just seeing you there, I think it really shows to them that you care. And then eventually they start coming to you for the stories. And then because you're consistently there, they kind of recognize you. So when you do reach out, I don't think they're like that surprise. And for me, also happens in my other beats with nonprofits, just showing up to things that people care about. And then also when interviewing them, trying to ask thoughtful questions to show that you care. So it makes people more receptive if they think that you do have a stake in it, which you do because you want to publicize the news. Lauren, I see you kind of nodding your head and I'm interested you or you work such a wide territory and you're kind of in a remote newsroom. But that idea of building trust and sort of showing up, how do you do that in such a wide territory? How does that work for you? Um, yeah, it kind of is challenging, especially because the environment can range from fisheries to carbon storage to, um, how does a fish ladder work? You know, so I had to gain, mean, first, do you want to try and gain, um, you know, expertise or some knowledge? So when you do approach a source, you're not wasting their time or they don't, they feel like kind of what Gabrielle was saying that you're invested in this as well. For sources, you know, I started with the people who are most outspoken about an issue and then they usually have kind of a web of connections of other people I can talk to. And for those that are often not, or those that are kind of hesitant to speak with the media, You know, I always try to approach with curiosity. Like I did a story on a gas plant that people were very opposed to. But the laborers and the union had really wanted this project so then they could have work. And so he was very hesitant to talk to me, but I told him, you know, transparent, like, we'll have a conversation. I'll reach out to you for fact checks and then you'll see the story once it's done. And then I did that and he's like, he said that almost never happens. Um, so it's just making someone feel part of the process. Um, and finding them. Yeah, it's definitely difficult when it's remote, but doing large conferences when it comes to the environment that can also be really helpful. And just putting, getting there in person in any way I can is helpful. sure. And Bridget, I saw you nodding along and you have sort of a different beat because you're sort of the capital is that hometown paper in Annapolis is a collegial or it's not necessarily clicky, but it's definitely a it's a group. It has a sense of place and location. How have you found it? Yeah, it's so, Arundel and Annapolis definitely have a very, like, many tight-knit communities, and Annapolis in particular has a tight-knit community. A lot of the people have been in the same place for a long time, and the capital has been a central part of the community for, I mean, it's older than the Baltimore Sun. It's a really wonderful legacy newspaper. And I think it's tricky because there's... When covering education, like Lauren mentioned, sometimes people will have a little bit of a trust issue when it comes to interacting with the media because they're worried that their words are going to get misconstrued or that something is going to end up that they didn't want in the paper, in the paper. And with kids, you have to be even more careful because I'm speaking with parents and I'm at schools interacting with kids and stuff and they're minors and you have to be incredibly respectful about what the parents want and what the schools know of what the parents want. So I find just going above and beyond a show like that I care very deeply that I don't take photos of anybody who doesn't want to be in a photo. I care very deeply that I'm not going to put anybody's information anywhere that they don't want it and show how much I understand how impactful it can be to show up in a newspaper the next day, particularly in such a tight community where like a lot of people read it. So demonstrating that. goes a long way, particularly with parents and teachers, think. And then it's also just another thing that I think is super important is reading your old newspapers stories. So like I've read clips from the Capital Exec going back decades, because I'm not from Anne Arundel, but I'm representing the newspaper that many people care about very deeply and know. the past coverage. So you have to like know what you what you're talking about in terms of the past coverage so that people don't think that you're just sort of swinging in here for the start of your career and you're going to be here for a couple years to leave. You just have to like really demonstrate that you care and that you want to get things right. And I find that it goes a really long way just demonstrating that you care. Yeah. Yeah, well, I do feel like that that commitment to getting it right to fact checking, to building trust and sort of making sure people understand that, you know, you're going to be around. mean, nobody the future is not guaranteed for anyone. But, you know, like while you're here, you're Kayleigh or Kirsten or Zoe, have you were you in the locations that you're? currently serving. know Zoe, you were at American, so Washington Jewish Week, maybe you're in the same sort of world, but Kirsten or Jaylee, are you all from Howard County or Frederick? So how was that? Was that a difficult transition? So I am not from Howard County. I'm actually not from Maryland at all. I grew up on Long Island up in New York and I came down to Maryland to go to school at the University of Maryland. So I started to get familiar with the state. I probably know way more about the state of Maryland than I do about New York now at this point. But I didn't really know too much about Howard County other than the few friends I had from college who lived there. So coming into it has been really great. Just as Bridget mentioned, looking at past coverage to get informed about issues, but at the same time being transparent when you're talking to new people saying like, hey, listen, I'm new to the county. I'm not from here. Can you help me out? Can you go over some of these things with me? Or what do you think is important? What do you think we should be covering more of? Help me learn about this in a new way. So that's been really great. Just connecting people. connecting with people, excuse me, to learn more from my own background, but then that helps me gain more story ideas and more trust and connection with those sources as well. Sure, because that's part of developing your beat. You're not going in and knowing whenever you have a new beat, you're starting hopefully at a baseline level of knowledge, but there's lots you don't know. Now Zoe, you geographically were in the same area as Washington Jewish Week, but culturally, were you familiar with the Jewish community before you started? I actually was not at all. I don't come from a Jewish background and so I've had a lot to learn. But on the bright side, I have learned so much about these communities because there's more than one within the Jewish community. And I cover synagogues and faith centers that I've driven past all my life and never thought about what's inside because I'm just not part of that community. And it is so rich with learning and there's programming every single night and you know, like shoulders to cry on. Like it is such a tight-knit community that I never would have known. I would have probably just kept driving past and it's such a rich community and I've gotten to learn about that. That's really exciting because, and that's one of the, I think one of the real benefits of being a journalist is you get to kind of like dive in and embed in a topic, a story, a beat you really might not have any clue about and learn it enough to teach someone else. And I think that's such a gift. And Chale, I didn't want to leave you out. know you also are not from Frederick. So what are your pro tips on sort of coming up to speed in a... There's a lot of hometown pride in Frederick and it's growing so fast. So what have you experienced? So yeah, I'm not from Frederick. I am from Howard County. Yeah. From not too far away. I think, like you said, there is such a strong, you know, really, like, in such a huge county, you wouldn't think that it is like such a tight knit community. But like, really, there are, you know, connections between everyone. So I think one of the things that has helped me is just kind of like, I know this sounds like maybe silly, but just kind of like hang out around town. I think like that has been helpful. Just kind of like talking to people, even if you're not, you know, looking to use them for a source and that moment, but just kind of chatting with people when you run into them at meetings. or in line at the coffee shop or wherever. And then just kind of, if you need to come back to them, then you have had that first interaction with them and they know a little bit about you. But if you don't need to, then at least you have met somebody in the community and you're a step closer to being part of it yourself, I think. Yeah. Well, and it strikes me hearing you say, you know, just a virtue of meeting people in the community, whether there is a potential source or not, you're kind of building those ties. And it makes me think of the Pew Research study that came out, I guess, in the fall, citing that some like abysmally low percentage of the American population have never met a journalist. And so maybe you're your unicorns in your world. But, you know, I think that there's sort of journalists all around us in many respects that people don't necessarily know in the news media world has shrunk a bit. But what made you want to become one of those unicorns? Like what made you want to become a journalist? I do feel like there's such an opportunity to do good in the world. You also get to know a lot of things. It's perfect. I always tell people like, When you go to the party, sit next to the journalist because they always know the good dirt. So it's perfect for people who like to know things. But what drew each of you to the profession? Can I go first? Absolutely Lauren, go for it! yeah, so I've actually wanted to be a journalist since the third grade. Um, I used to make like a little newspaper for my class back in the day. Um, yeah, back then it was because it was arts and crafts project, but, um, over time I realized, um, I got to kind of learn about whatever I want and then write about it. And going into college, I joined the student newspaper and they put me on a bunch of like grant stories to follow the money. But then I realized all the grants were for science and research. And I've always loved science, but I'm terrible at the experiments. instead I thought what a great way I can use journalism to learn and write about. science. And as I followed this path, I realized, you know, media literacy and science literacy are not something I think that's very well taught. And it can be very detrimental to the general public, as we've seen with the messaging around COVID. And so that's part of the fulfillment I find in my love journalism. And now I get to write about the environment. So it's a public service, but also I just get to feel my own curiosity without ever having to do an experiment. Gabrielle, I saw you nodding along. So was it the public service aspect that attracted you or what makes you want to be and stay a journalist? So I've always wanted to be a writer and I used to do a lot of creative writing when I was a child. And I still do, just not as much because I'm constantly writing. But so my dream when I was a child was to be an author. But as I grew older, I was like, I don't want to freelance. I'm really scared of doing that. Also in high school, I started taking journalism classes, which kind of piqued my interest, because I essentially was looking for, okay, I don't want to submit freelance creative writing pieces, but I do want to write for a living. So what's like something that I can do that for? So that's initially how I like started looking at journalism, because I was like, I can get paid to write. And so then I went to school for journalism at the University of Maryland. And so I mean, the big thing was just, I just wanted to write. It's like the one thing that I've loved to do like my whole life. And then on top of that, I am someone who just, feel very passionate about just justice and causes of justice. And I think journalism, it's to me the perfect way to mesh my one true love of writing with also shining a light on underrepresented communities and underrepresented issues. Um, so it really combines both of that for me. Um, and then also like, I love like graphic design. Um, and I really love doing data visualizations and data analysis. So it kind of also satisfies that, um, need as well. You know, I love creating like a visual to go with my story. Um, and I'm also just like a very curious person. I'm a very nosy person. Um, so it's perfect too. There's just, there's so many aspects of it that really just. with my personality really aligned, but also as Lauren was saying, like it is a public service. And particularly at the Frederick News Post, people cite our articles and meetings. They like cite them in reports. So you can also tell that like our reporting is really, know, people are reading it and caring about it. And it's like helping to make an impact. So I think that's just what continues to motivate me. Yeah, there's just, there's, there's so many reasons. But those are just like a few. It's pretty amazing how everything kind of knit together and sort of say, gosh, all these divergent interests, somehow they're working together to have an actual career path, which is always sometimes a wonderful surprise. Zoe, I saw you nodding along when Gabrielle was talking about the impact that her writing is having on a community that people cite or talk about what she's written in the publication. Have you had that happen at the Washington Jewish Week? Is that something that's attracted you? I cannot recall a time when someone cited one of my stories personally, but I can relate so hard to both Lauren and Gabrielle. I have loved writing since I was really young. I always wanted to be like some kind of writer or author as well, but I was just scared because, you know, I wanted to be financially stable and I was afraid that writers, you know, don't... earn that much. So I tried to push myself towards like math and the more like math and science, but that just wasn't for me. And then I fell into journalism kind of by accident. I in high school, I was taking a health class, but our health course was only half a year. So the other half a year, you get to pick whatever you want. And to fill that space, I was just like, why not newspaper journalism? and I wasn't going to stick with it past that semester, but it was just so fun and the teacher was so impactful that I signed up for another semester. That's great. Well, and I think so many people, their first sort of experience or nugget of journalism that kind of awakens this love is in high school journalism courses. I think if we look ahead to there are fewer and fewer high school journalism courses, fewer high school newspapers. And so it really, it is something that's concerning for the whole, but. You Bridget, you were were nodding when I said high school newspapers. So makes me think maybe your love was awakened in high school for journalism. Was I misreading? no, well, so actually, I never thought journalism would be a good option for me until I got to college. I always loved news and news though. I like the PBS News Hour was on in my house every day my entire life growing up. And I came from a family that the expectation was like, you come to the dinner table prepared to talk about whatever was on the front page that day. So I've always loved the news. I've always been very curious and to borrow a term from astrology, like a fundamental urge to get to the bottom of things is how they come. And I got to college and I guess the reason why I never thought I could be a writer for a lot of my life was I actually grew up in special education. I have pretty severe dyslexia. And I am a really great example of how when you get the right interventions in elementary school, you can catch up to grade level and beyond and pretty much perform the same as your peers. So when I got to high school, I was like pretty much performing on grade level, doing a really great job, regardless of the dyslexia. I loved the news so much. I went to college. I was really interested in the journalism program at UMD because it's a fabulous program. and I loved media and I thought, I'll try to do the program, I'll see how it goes, if I feel like I fit into the classes and if I feel like I can keep up with the classes, then I'll cross that bridge when graduation comes. I joined the Diamondback and the Diamondback changed my life. being able to look around me when I'm walking around campus and having questions about my community and then answering them and putting it on the internet for my classmates to read, like, change something in my brain chemistry was like, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. And so it was bit of an arc. It was a bit of a journey. I wouldn't be a person, I wouldn't, I never thought I would be a journalist, but it feels like the perfect fit for me in this way. I also, regardless of dyslexia, I love language, I love words, I love being intentional with words, and I'm really passionate about making sure that people don't. think that you can't do something just because you might have a learning difference or a learning disability. I think I'm an example of that. So yeah. I love that you've chosen a profession where you're overcoming that challenge literally every day and crushing it really. So that's wonderful. Kirsten or Kaylee, do you have any origin stories that you'd like to share with us? So mine is like a little bit funky. It was also in high school that I kind of realized that this was what I wanted to do, but it was not through a student newspaper. My story actually goes back to National History Day, which is a competition that's, I think, run through the University of Maryland, but it obviously is a national competition. It was something that we were required to do as part of our history class in Howard County. And so I chose to do my project one year on Nellie Bly, famous pioneering woman stunt journalist. And as part of that project, I actually set up an interview with a Baltimore news reporter and she like took the time graciously to talk to this little high schooler about journalism and what it's like and took me on a tour of the newsroom. that was a moment where I was like, oh, I could see myself doing this. But yeah, on top of that, I just think the sense of being part of something bigger than yourself, it was really important for me to not have a job where I just clock in, do what I need to do, and leave. nobody really notices me. I think like, I have always wanted to be like part of a whole, part of something that, you know, like I said, is bigger than myself. Like I was, sang in the choir in school, I played in a band in school. And so I just, you know, I feel like I get a lot of that like kind of feeling from being in a newsroom and kind of working in concert with, you know. other journalists and sources and people to kind of create something that I can be proud of. that and there is, know, in a newsroom, it takes everybody to put a publication together, especially a print publication. need one person cannot do it on their own and a website as well, you know, that's everyone has their part to play. And so it really is just that groundswell. Now, before we get to your origin story, Kirsten, I wanted to foreshadow because we're coming up on our time. So I wanted you all to think of. maybe the thing that you're most proud of in your 18 months or less of professional experience or a piece of advice that you would give to someone who's considering journalism. So while you're mulling that, we're gonna hear from Kirsten on why she's a journalist. Yeah, so I wish I could say that I've known I wanted to be a journalist since the third grade or that I knew this is always my path, Unfortunately, I wasn't as sure about it. You know, I grew up with a copy of Newsday, the Long Island newspaper always on our kitchen table. And I should have known that there were signs because I would come home from school every day and just blab for hours about stories that happened at school and my mom would be forced to listen to me. And I've always been super curious and nosy as Gabrielle was saying before. But I originally wanted to go to art school. I was super into fine arts, photography, anything related to art. That's where I wanted to be and I thought that was my purpose. And that led me to explore photojournalism as possibly a more viable career path. And then from there I thought, well, why not just journalism as a whole? I've always loved to write. I've always been very passionate about the written word. looking back on my old school assignments when they would ask my favorite subject, writing was always right up there. So I figured much like everyone else has touched on, know, journalism would be a great way to marry so many of my interests. And what really drew me in was the ability to be a public service, this public servant and as cliche as it always sounds, you know, give a voice to the voiceless. So It really was coming together with my creative side, my interest in photography, my interest in writing, and the passion I had to be able to evoke change in the community and share the importance of information as we see that's ever so important these days, being able to share the power of information and bring access to everyone and have their stories heard. So that's what drew me in and that's what really lights a fire in me to keep going in this field. Well, and I love how you and both Gabrielle sort of are drawing on these really kind of divergent interests and making sure that it ties in with, you know, your sense of justice and your sense of, you know, lifting up stories that might have gone, that might have been overlooked. I think in general, that's something that's really compelling for many journalists. And so now we'll come to, I hope everyone's been thinking and as Kirsten's been explaining to us, What has been your biggest success or your favorite piece of advice that you would give to someone who's considering becoming a journalist? Anyone want to jump in there? I can start. Sure. I would say that I am most proud of just the people that I've gotten to talk to. I wouldn't have otherwise without this job. You know, I've gotten to interview Holocaust survivors, two of them actually, and they're just so positive despite what has happened to their families. you know, one person I spoke to about a couple of weeks ago was actually born in a concentration camp. has a whole book written about her. just yeah, being able to hear these experiences. I've gone to Congress when Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was testifying. And so just being in the same room as so many world leaders was really cool. Yeah. I love that and sort of giving that those stories may not have been told certainly in that same way. And so making sure that people are heard and that their stories are recorded I think is so compelling. What about, and Bridget you look like you were about to speak. Yeah, well, I'll do the advice option. So I think the best piece of advice that I could give anyone that's going into journalism, particularly if it's like a newsroom with other reporters, think particularly women tend to go into fields and professions that they're starting in and feel a need to be like, I got this, I know what I'm doing. And I don't want to show any weakness because I don't want people to doubt my ability to do this job. I found that the thing that made a huge difference in my ability to do my job was befriending the other reporters who had been there even just for maybe a year at the Capital Gazette. I mean, the person who's been at the Capital Gazette the longest that's a reporter has only been there for three years. But even that short amount of time of experience, like having being able to have a relationship in a way that you can call them up and be like, I can't believe that this thing just happened and I really need you to tell me what you think I should do, has made a world of difference in my experience. And even for them, when When they started, the reporters that were a little bit more senior than them who made a difference in their experience starting out, I also have them as a resource. They're like grand mentors. So I think being vulnerable with your coworkers and just asking for help when you need it, people are so willing and eager to help new reporters, especially student reporters. I think that's my best piece of advice is don't be afraid to ask for help, particularly from not just editors, but the other reporters in the newsroom. Yeah. I do feel like people discount how much others really do want to help. know, like if you show initiative, if you have questions, if you're interested, people want to see you succeed. And that's always one of the big pieces of advice I give to the interns going into our newsrooms. make your, like ask and people usually respond really well. So I'm glad that's been your experience. What other advice or successes do you have that you all want to share? Lauren, you want to jump in? Yes, yeah. So I will say I did do this one story earlier this year that I was really pretty proud of just because of the amount of grunt work I had to do. Pretty much Caroline County is facing severe water supply issues. They're going to run out of water in about 30 years. So it's not a problem now, but it kind of is because some of the wells have been contaminated with radioactive elements. so, but this has been a problem for the last 20 years. So I had to like, really do my research, document based, have like a whole file system. And it was very complicated because the farmer who was gonna, who was along or on the project site where the water, the new water supply plant was gonna be, they took part of his farmland. And so he was upset, but on the other side of things, people need water. And then some of that water was originally dedicated to data centers, which is also in my purview. And so it was probably the most complicated story I had to do. But what's great about the Bay Journal is that we have enough time to really dissect and break down these issues. So then the reader doesn't have to do any of that grunt work or get sparses and updates here and there, but we can give a comprehensive overview that's document-based. And then another story I was really happy with, there was a fusion plant being proposed here in Richmond or Chesterfield, and that's a very new science. And I got to actually finally use my minor in physics to talk about it, which is what I truly love and want to do. And so just trying dissecting that science aspect and its implications came very easy to me. And I think will also help with just science literacy in general. So those are two stories I was really proud of. Those are great stories. it is, I mean, the complexity of science to put that into layman's terms in a way that is readable and interesting can be a tough road. thank you. Thank you on behalf of a non-science person for doing that. Kaylee or Kirsten, do you have anything that you'd like to share, advice or proud moments? I'd say some of my proudest stories mainly just come from having great conversations. That's another thing that really has made me stick with journalism is the wonderful conversations that I've been able to have with new people. going from that, I wanted to offer some advice that I would give to new people coming into journalism. It can be scary to have conversations with new people and walk up to people that you've never met before and put yourself out there. But a lot of times I just have to remind myself, you know, the worst they could say is no, if they don't want to speak today, maybe they'll come around or maybe you'll just have to go talk to some other folks. But it can be a really tough industry. You have a lot of deadlines. There's a lot of changes happening, but Finding that confidence in yourself to just put yourself out there, make yourself seen, go to as many events as you can, shake as many people's hands as you can will really pay off in the long run. And there's so many people you can lean on for help, as Bridget was saying, whether that's in your newsroom or folks you just might have met along the way. especially as a woman in the newsroom, it can be hard to find that sense of confidence and it can be easy to get down on yourself, but just... Sticking it out, putting yourself out there and not being afraid to ask for help or just talk to people about things, whatever is going on in your mind, having quick chats is really helpful. And actually, like that fear of rejection and that fear of no is something I think everyone struggles with. And but if you tell yourself no first, you're like, no, I'm not going to put myself out there. not that I think is the most. Powerful, hardest, no to overcome, but also to to to even recognize, you know, like if you think where is my fear holding me back, where where is my no holding me back? And if you can get through that no matter where you are, I think that allows you to be maybe a little bit more vulnerable, a little bit more open, and it gets you over that hump of just going out and saying, hey, I need your help, or I want to learn more about this area. So that's powerful advice. Thank you. Kayleigh, do you want to go? And then Gabrielle, you'd have our last word. Sure, yeah. I think I have sort of both advice and a thing I'm proud of. overachiever I love that So I think probably this was work that I did when I was still a student journalist, it was the final product didn't come out until I was almost a year into my professional career. So I'm going to count it. I also, Gabrielle did, but I worked on a project at the Howard Center at the University of Maryland with the Associated Press on deaths in police custody. specifically that deaths that involved what police agencies commonly call less lethal force. So force that is not supposed to kill basically. And I really am proud of the work that I did on that project. know, Gabrielle can also probably agree with this, but it was a lot of difficult. information to process. was a lot of talking to people, at least for me, was a lot of talking to people who had lost loved ones, who had been through really difficult things. And that continues into what I do today with covering courts. So I think my advice would be, especially if you are on a beat where you're dealing with difficult subject matter, is to just kind of take care of yourself and give yourself space to feel what you need to feel and process it. There have been times I think that that idea of that hard-nosed journalists that can kind of take anything and so forth, that does not serve anyone. mean, you're real, everyone, you're a real person. the oftentimes reporters are talking to someone on truly their worst day, or you're asking them to revisit a very difficult time in their lives and being able to do that with empathy, but also have that little bit of separation and recognize when you know, the work is bleeding into your life a little bit too much. Those are really, you know, those are hard things sometimes to realize because the news cycle can be and is 24-7. And you don't really get a choice when the next big story breaks. You know, you can't be like, I'm going to tap out on this one because you're needed in the community. And so I think that's really wise of you to recognize early on. that empathy is not an inexhaustible supply and you have to fill your own cup sometimes. So Gabrielle, how about the last word on advice or proud moments? I am gonna take this time to flex on my own achievements a bit. Thinking about it made me excited. I have two. One is a project that hasn't come out yet, but it's literally coming out tomorrow. So I won't spoil it right now, but it is related to people with disabilities living in Frederick County and just how they get their services. And I have been... collecting interviews since like November. And it's a very, it's a very, very long story. Shailene knows this, is so long. Just because the thing that I'm trying to explain, it's really complicated and super jargony. And so it's, I was seeing a lot of people report on this topic and it is something like affecting like people with disabilities, but no one, I didn't see stories that was explaining. what the difficulties were or like the more like, you know, how it was really personally affecting people. And so I was like, I just, I'm getting tips about this, but like, I don't actually like know how it's affecting people. I've been talking to several residents and like advocacy organizations and also reaching out to politicians. So for me, it will be the thing that I am the most proud of because it's like my first project that I've done alone. just all the reporting by myself. I've never done anything like that. And then the other thing, I'll try and be quick because we're coming up on time, but last year, so there was a data center developer here called Quantum Blue Pole. They're trying to create a campus of data centers to build an area where all of these other companies can like, they lease out land to tenants and then the tenants can build data centers. So that was the idea of it. Quantum Blue Pole had... They were very controversial while they were here and all of this culminated in their main investor sued them, basically saying, we want to take over the project and like kick quantum loophole off in a sense. So that went back and forth for a bit. And then eventually quantum loophole and the company settled. So quantum loophole is not in Frederick County anymore. The main investor is now the manager. But so I wrote about this like giant lawsuit when it first came out and At that point, it was my longest story. Now this project is, but at that point it was my longest story. And it was just what I didn't know what a data center was when I first came here. And I only started reporting on them because it was like related to the environment in terms of water use and things like that. But that lawsuit story really felt like the culmination of all of this knowledge that I have acquired. All of it was explaining a lot of complex environmental terms, some construction methods. you know, a lot of legal things. was just a lot. So I think just that it really marks to me my own growth as a journalist and getting to really become an expert in something that I never would have learned about otherwise. I love that and it is how you can jump into a topic and really a mesh yourself in it and understand sort of how it connects to other things. You started that journey looking at like what's the environmental impact and now you have all these other threads to unravel and to look at. And so I wanna thank all of you for doing the work that you're doing. I think it's always nice to be recognized by one's own publication to say, this person is worthy of rookie of the year. And I look forward to reading and hearing about the stories that you uncover in the future. So thanks for spending time with me today. Thank you.