FEATURES
THE CHEATING EPIDEMIC
"Failure.
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Since the start of their education, every student has avoided hearing that word at all costs. Across the world, teenagers have been trained, conditioned, and scared into believing that a single letter grade determines their worth.
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Students are continuously expected to succeed in their academic life as they face tremendous pressure from parents, schools, and teachers alike. While most students shifted to an online format this past year, even the most hardworking individuals let the pressure get to them and lost sight of their motivation."
BEYOND THE GLAMOUR:Â THE WORLD OF BALLROOM HIDES BEHIND ITS COMPETITIVE NATURE
"Hundreds of dresses sparkle with hand-placed Swarovski crystals as dancers step into the performance area. As competitors warm-up, practice routines, and touch up their makeup, they prepare for their shining moment on the floor.
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Suddenly, silence hits.
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A group of 24 couples confidently enter while claiming their spots on the floor. As live music breaks the silence, the dancers’ rhythm fills the building with life."
BENEATH THE SURFACE: IMPLICIT BIAS REFLECTS DISCRIMINATION INGRAINED IN AMERICA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM
"On their way to school, a student steps into their building’s elevator to find a woman clutching her purse as she sees them. After arriving on the ground floor, the woman rushes to the exit. The student walks out, disoriented with the woman’s tense reaction, yet continues the journey to school."
WATER
"It covers nearly three-fourths of the entire planet and is vital to all life on Earth.
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Although it may seem too vast and uncontrollable to be impacted, it is not in actuality an indestructible force. In the last couple of centuries, industrialization has had a significant effect on the oceans, arctic ice caps, and freshwater reservoirs."
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES IN FOSTER CARE
After hearing about the experiences of a friend in the foster care system, I decided that her story needed to be heard. Determined to shed light on this often overlooked topic, I interviewed anyone I could that would give me a better understanding of not only what my friend went through, but how the system impacts students as a whole. I credit the early stages of my journalistic development largely to this piece and emotionally educational writing process that came with it.
COMPANIES STRIVE TO HELP VICTIMS OF COVID-19
In this feature, I had a goal of shedding a positive light during a time of crisis. As a national pandemic surged across the world, I saw a sense of beautiful teamwork from companies in our nation and beyond. So, I got in contact with those leading industry contributions, and reported on it.