Editorials
It's Okay to Say GayWhen the “Don’t Say Gay” bill was passed last year, I knew our newspaper had to cover it. In the past we’d shied away from covering LGBTQIA+ rights, for fear of how it would be perceived by those with more conservative beliefs, but I was determined to spread awareness about this and how it would affect the queer community. To accurately represent the issue, I interviewed members of GSA club and spent hours researching the states’ anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation to better understand the unfairness of a rule designed to hurt a community that means so much to me.
Link to Article: https://ee3.cld.bz/Iolani/ImuaSummer2022/8/ |
The Socialized Healthcare DilemmaWith the emergence of the pandemic, Hawai’i’s hospitals became overflowed with patients and many lower-income families felt the strain of being forced to pay for extended hospital stays. In 2009, Hawai’i was very close to implementing a plan for universal healthcare, and as students’ elderly grandparents were put at risk, many relying upon a set Social Security pension every month, one that didn't cover unforeseen medical expenses, students started to question whether socialized healthcare was a viable option. I transformed these students’ rhetoric into an article and did my best to increase the intellectual debate around this important issue.
Link to Article: https://ee3.cld.bz/Iolani/ImuaFall2021 |
Afghanistan and American Feminism
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Racism Hidden Within Picture Books |
When the Biden administration announced that they were withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan, the national news emphasized the political and militaristic effects it would have on America, but Perle and I wanted to look at it from a different perspective: a feministic one. The piece itself is a comprehensive discussion on lack of freedom women in Afghanistan would face during this tumultuous time, drawing parallels to the the similar dilemma American women faced expect with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the turn towards limited body autonomy.
Link to Article: Afghanistan and American Feminism |
When I heard that Dr. Seuss, the classic children’s book author, was having his books called out for racism, I couldn’t believe it. This was a time where I had to check my initial bias and put aside my personal feelings for Dr. Seuss and his stories. After conducting in-depth research, I wrote an editorial analyzing all sides of the decision to ban certain Dr. Seuss books from schools. While “cancel culture” and censorship were discussed, ultimately I decided that diversity in the publishing world was enough to support the banning of these books.
Link to Article: https://imuaonline.org/1450/editorials/racism-hidden-with-picture-books/ |
News Stories
COVID- 19 Booster BenefitsWith the emergence of Covid-19 boosters, a lot of misinformation was being spread about the effects of the shot, so I felt that it was my duty to inform my school community about the true benefits and risks of receiving a booster shot. I gathered my statistics from the official CDC and FDA sites, and I informed my classmates about our school’s guidelines regarding the booster. This story was important to me because I provided valuable information to my peers, helping to keep my school safe and healthy.
Link to Article: https://ee3.cld.bz/Iolani/ImuaSpring2022/6/ |
Campus Clubs Come BackAs campus clubs started to come back, I mentored and co-wrote an article with a new Imua member. It was my first time acting in a leadership role, and I was proud to teach a novice journalist the ropes of interviewing, design layout, and news writing. The article itself is a celebration of the diverse range of interests we have on campus, with students willing to learn about health and safety, community service, and different cultures. I enjoyed giving new clubs publicity, furthering their goal to provide causes for students to rally around.
Link to Article: https://ee3.cld.bz/Iolani/ImuaSpring2022/6/ |
The End of 2020: Welcome to 2021!
(3rd Place 2021 HSJA Layout and Design Award Winner)
This piece was one of my more ambitious projects… after seeing a New York Times article collection including a timeline with notable events of the past year, I decided to do the same for the New Year. This article forced me to find-tune my research skills, as I had to use a variety of new articles, raw data, and editorials to get an idea of the year as a whole. This article taught me how to write succinctly, taking serious news and converting it into a simplified version to fit a 7th- 12th grade audience while still conveying the important aspects of the story.
Link to Full Story: https://ee3.cld.bz/Iolani/ImuaWinter-2021
Link to Full Story: https://ee3.cld.bz/Iolani/ImuaWinter-2021
Feature Stories
New Japanese Drop-in Tutoring ProgramThis feature is on the new drop-in tutoring program for Japanese that was introduced to ‘Iolani in 2020. Sometimes we don’t discuss it enough, and at my school there can be a stigma around it, but everyone can use extra help. The purpose of my article was to bring attention to a program beneficial for students, to remove some of the stigma around asking for help. My article accomplished this, because after following up with the Japanese teacher who coordinated the program, I was told that since the release of my article participation in the program was up 50%, proof that student journalism can make a difference.
Link to Full Story: New Japanese Drop-in Tutoring Program |
New Teacher FeatureWhile this is a fairly standard feature story, it‘s important to me because I came up with the New Teacher Feature project idea, my first leadership o welcome our new teachers into the ‘Iolani community, each returning member was partnered with a rookie journalist, and together they had their first official interview and were published on our Imua site. Watching everyone take their first headshot, first interview, first article… it reminded me of why I love being EIC. The growth that these journalists have over gone in only half a year amazes me and I’m so thankful to have been a small part of that.
Link to Full Story: Ms. Talia Nagatoshi Feature |
Sports
Wrestling with Workouts
The first news story I ever wrote was a piece on wrestling. It holds a special place in my heart, because it was the first time I really felt like a journalist. I learnt so much from completing this piece: how to integrate quotes, write in AP style, and scout story angles. Now, after 5 years of journalism experience, I’d have a lot of edits to make (see revised version in “Editing, Leadership, and Team Building” section!) but I’m proud of my first article all the same.
Reviews
Review of Billie Eilish's "Therefore I Am"My review of Billie Eilish’s song ”Therefore I Am” is important to me because it manages to incorporate Western philosophy, American pop music, and positive body imagery. Billie Eilish has always been a role model for me, as I see what she does (incorporating real-world issues into her songs in an artistic way) as very similar to what I strive to do through journalism. You can learn a lot by pulling inspiration from your idols, and this review was a way for me to pay homage to Eilish and all of the creative inspiration she’s given me over the years.
Link to Full Story: Review of Billie Eilish’s “Therefore I Am” |
"3 Musketeers" Fall Play ReviewMy “Three Musketeers” Fall Play Review was one of the first reviews I ever wrote for Imua. I had to adapt my writing style from that of an English student to a Journalism student, and in doing so I learnt the value of brief summary and distinct objective. Rather than summarizing the play, I learnt to write intentionally, taking a specific angle and fully developing it so that the story has a personality distinct of the work it’s reviewing. This is a piece of advice that I often share with my staffers… I tell them to “write the piece, don’t let it write you.” Essentially, tell a story with your own voice, putting a unique spin on the event that only you could.
Link to Full Story: Three Musketeers Fall Play Review |