Amelia Cheatham Portfolio 2014

P

amelia cheatham

ORTF OLIO

2014

“

[Mylife philosophy?] that what does EVEN MEAN?

”

melinda, 10

A

MELIA CHEA THAM

amelia.cheatham@gmail.com www.ameliacheatham.wordpress.com @ameliaccheatham

Kyle Fox UCAE Associate Director 101 Bryan Center Box 90834 Phone: 919-684-8810 kyle.fox@duke.edu Dear Mr. Fox,

I understand that you are currently seeking interns for The Duke Innovative Design Agency. I feel I am capable of assuming this role because of my organization, dedication and enthusiasm for marketing, public relations and graphic design. Please accept my accompanying resume for consideration for an internship with DiDA this coming academic year.

As I have previous work experience as a lifeguard at Ft. Gatlin Recreation Complex, a staff member and editor of Legend yearbook and an intern for Downtown South, an organization concerned with local economic revitalization, I possess the tools necessary to confront the challenges an internship offers. From lifeguarding, I gained a strong foundation in public relations and customer satisfaction, which I believe would be valuable, as DiDA works with various student groups to create products that fulfill such organizations’ needs. Additionally, from my work on the yearbook staff, I gained experience in writing, photography, copy editing, Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop, which would allow me to fulfill the graphic design requirements of an internship at DiDA. Being a member of the journalism department has also taught me how to work with deadlines and complete tasks to the best of my ability in a finite period of time; both of these skills would prove invaluable in a fast-paced, driven work environment. Additionally, interning Downtown South allowed me to gain experience in a professional work environment, similar to DiDA. I also gained a greater understanding of marketing strategies, which would benefit me in helping DiDA clients to best accomplish their goals of reaching the student body. As a Downtown South intern, I had the opportunity to design an advertisement for publication in the Boone High School football program, which has a significant circulation in my community. Lastly, my experiences working on the lifeguarding team, the yearbook staff and the members of Downtown South have allowed me the opportunity to work cooperatively with others to ensure community safety and create superior products that promote student and local collaboration. I believe the qualities listed above would help me to succeed, should I be chosen as an intern at The Duke Innovative Design Agency.

Thank you for your time in reading this letter; I hope you will also take the time to review my accompanying resume.

However, I believe the best way for you to understand my passion for the fields of marketing, public relations and graphic design would be through a formal interview. Thank you so much for your consideration during this process. I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully yours,

Amelia C. Cheatham Enclosed: resume

A

MELIA CHEA THAM

amelia.cheatham@gmail.com www.ameliacheatham.wordpress.com @ameliaccheatham

OBJECTIVE

To gain experience in the field of graphic design through becoming an intern at Duke Innovative Design Agency.

EDUCATION 4 years at William R. Boone High School Graduation date: May 29, 2014 Unweighted G.P.A.: 4.0, Weighted G.P.A.: 5.0, Top 1% of Class

EXPERIENCE

LEGEND YEARBOOK

Aug. 2012-May 2014. Copy editor. Interviewed students, photographed events, contributed content to hilights.org,

helped write copy and edited peers’ copy. Also gained experience with Photoshop, InDesign and Bridge.

Aug. 2011-May 2012. Staff member. Interviewed students, photographed events, wrote copy and completed spreads.

DOWNTOWN SOUTH

June 2013-Aug. 2013. Unpaid Intern. Attended committee meetings, interviewed local officials and

community members, wrote articles for publication in SODO News and created advertisement for Boone

High School football program.

FORT GATLIN RECREATION COMPLEX

May 2012-Sept. 2012. Lifeguard. Watched visitors, performed pool maintenance and earned certification

in CPR.

RELEVANT HIGH SCHOOL STUDIES Journalism I, Journalism II, Honors Journalism III, Mass Media I

HONORS, AWARDS AND MEMBERSHIPS 2011 English I Student of the Year 2011 Spanish I Student of the Year 2012 Writer of the Year, Legend yearbook 2012 National Scholastic Press Association Honor Roll 2012 Spanish II Student of the Year 2012, March 10. Published in Orlando Sentinel’s “New Voices” column.

2013 Engineer for the Day Essay Contest Winner 2013 Writer of the Year, Legend yearbook 2013 Florida Girls State Delegate 2013, Aug. and Sept. Published in monthly issues of SODO News.

2010-2013. Varsity Swimming (captain 2013) 2010-2014. Math Club 2010-2014. Fellowship of Christian Athletes 2014 English IV Student of the Year 2014 National Merit Finalist 2014 Earl K. Wood Speech Competition Second Place Winner 2014 Scott Harris Memorial Scholarship Recipient 2012-present. Spanish Honor Society 2012-present. National Honor Society 2012-present. Quill and Scroll Journalism Honor Society 2013-present. Mu Alpha Theta

REFERENCES Renee Burke, NBCT, MJE, journalism adviser, renee.burke@ocps.net, (407) 893-7200, ext. 6014614 Jennifer Hilley, Gifted English II instructor, jennifer.hilley@ocps.net, (407) 893-7200, ext. 6014605

S

ELFanaly tical

“

KIND, for everyone’s a hard FIGHTING battle. amelia, 18 Be

”

I’ve had an interest in journalism and an appreciation for the art of reporting from an early age. From listening to my grandfather (a retired Voice of America correspondent) recount stories of his experiences to absconding with (to the dismay of my parents) the news magazines to which my family subscribed, I immersed myself in the written word and surrounded myself with journalism.

Evidently, I now have an overflowing box of magazines and newspapers, dating back to 2008 or earlier, which I’ve saved because of their journalistic merit or historical importance.

I first became an active participant in the world of journalism when I joined my home school group’s yearbook staff in sixth grade. However, when I arrived at Boone, my perspective on what it means to be a student journalist changed dramatically. As I close this chapter of my life, I’m struck by how different my high school experience would have been if I hadn’t switched into Journalism I, as I was not originally in the class. I would have never COBed a picture, indexed a name or completed a photo gallery, and I am confident I would not have found a comparable group, and family, elsewhere.

Being a member of the yearbook staff changed my life, and I know I will use what I have gained in Room 224 as I progress to the next stages of my life.

I’ve learned an incredible amount this year, specifically in the areas of deadlines, teamwork, overcoming hardship and dedication. In retrospect, I think this was my most difficult year on staff, yet it was also the most rewarding, as I’ve never been prouder of a book. However, I feel that as a staff, our biggest struggle was meeting deadlines. I received folders for captions on the day majors were due to me, which made it very difficult for both the staffers and I to remain efficient and on deadline. As a result, we were constantly playing “catch up” when proofs came in, which I think put an undue amount of stress on the editorial staff and Mrs. Burke. However, working together to fix proofs helped us overcome this issue, and I learned a lot about the importance of teamwork through both this and through being a member of the “theme team.” At the beginning of the year, I don’t think Blake, Morgan or I understood how I best fit into the picture, as this was the first year

a copy editor was privy to the theme.

However, we eventually integrated into a cohesive unit that worked well together while having a good time. Though we weren’t always on task, hanging out with the EICs in the office was one of my very favorite aspects of this year. I feel that we grew tremendously as a team, and we constantly asked each other for advice on phrasing, pictures and design.

Additionally, we experienced a great deal of hardship this year, which helped me to recognize the importance of dedication and not allowing difficulties to reduce your passion for or commitment to a project. Not having our final theme until January created numerous issues and a lot of stress, and it was difficult knowing how frustrated the other editors were with the situation. However, after the meeting we had with Missy and Mike, all of our individual design elements and ideas began to come together. Our dedication to finding a theme and making up for the time we lost in the process is ultimately evident in the final product, and I’ve heard overwhelmingly positive comments about this year’s book. Helping with the theme pages, as well as performing my usual copy editor duties, definitely required additional dedication. I not only assisted with theme brainstorming, but I also helped edit more spreads. Though they weren’t particularly difficult to grade, the theme pages did add to the overall time I spent reviewing folders. This required me to display more commitment to completing the job well, as it can be difficult to remain invested in each spread once they begin to pile up.

It is my greatest hope upon graduating from the publications department that I have had an impact on those with whom I have worked and that I have maintained the standard for the copy editor set by those before me. I hope the other staff members would consider me an asset based on my editing capabilities and the positive outlook I strive to maintain.

I know that sometimes my red pen markings can be both intimidating and illegible, but I think the amount of time I committed to grading each spread, as well as my hopefully clear desire to help the staffers grow as student journalists, demonstrate the extent of my dedication to publications. Over the past year, I’ve spent countless hours working on yearbook, both in Room 224 and at home; it wasn’t uncommon for me to be the last person in my house awake at night because I was still grading spreads.

However, the challenges my yearbook experiences provided taught me much more about deadlines, teamwork and dedication than any other high school activity in which I participated.

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efle ction one

I consider the profile story I wrote on Jacob Ballard’s liver transplant to be my most significant piece. When I took over writing this story from a staffer who was unable to complete it, I was extremely humbled to cover such a defining event in the life of one of my best friends. My purpose in writing this copy was to truly capture the transplant’s impact on Jacob and to show the reader how he has overcome the complications of the procedure and grown personally.

My enthusiasm for writing this copy made it fairly easy to complete. I only had a day and a half to finish the story, as I assumed responsibility for it at a Saturday workday and needed to have it written by the following Monday. However, I was able to complete it in two to three hours because of the captivating nature of Jacob’s story and determination.

Though it was fairly easy for me to write, this page underwent many iterations before and after that afternoon!

Prior to completing my version of the piece, I struggled with editing the original staffer’s page, as she consistently did not make the corrections the other editors and I gave her. I was more than willing to help, as I wanted Jacob’s page to be as impactful as possible; however, I was uncertain as to how I could best assist her.

I like to think the story progressed positively from its first draft to the final version. The other staffer and I conducted multiple interviews in order to obtain the information and quotes necessary to “flush out” the initial version of the story.

Every sentence of the copy changed, but more significantly, my personal understanding of the Ballard family’s journey evolved dramatically.

This piece is exemplary of the quality of writing I am able to produce, which is part of why I feel it is my most significant piece. However, I believe the primary responsibility of journalists is to accurately report on noteworthy circumstances, and I most appreciate this copy because of the incredible story it conveys about one of my very best friends.

“

Strap [on] the

CHACOS!

”

catherine, 18

F

irst draft

F

inal draft

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efle ction two

Y6. Personality profile “Mascot braves disease” p. 192

I am extremely proud of this story because it is exemplary of what I can accomplish as a writer. As I do think it is my best work from this year, this is the copy I would most like to represent me in competition. It shows how Jacob has overcome an incredibly difficult circumstance to be a leader on campus, which I consider inspiring.

Y1. Feature writing: Student Life “I can’t seem to find Molly” p. 132 I like this piece because of the indepth nature of its reporting. It details an extremely current social phenomenon from students’ points of view. I believe it is wellwritten and thorough in its approach of the subject. If I had not taken over the profile on Jacob, I would have considered this my most significant work for the year.

Y5. Organization/Greek writing “Break a leg, warm a heart” p. 53

“

WELL, don’t die

Be

”

& ProspeR. julianne,

15

I love the novel angle of this piece, as it recounts how one Drama 2 class, aided by upperclassmen, put on an entire production. It is engaging and well-written, and I believe it demonstrates my writing capabilities well.

R

efle ction three

I cringe when I look at my first portfolio, and I shudder to think of how strange I must have looked taking pictures of the fish at Walmart. However, despite my relegation of that portfolio to a box in my closet, I love it because it shows how much I’ve learned in my time as a member of Boone publications.

At the time I made my fish portfolio, I had never used brushes or applied effects like feathering, and thus, incorporating these techniques did require extra effort and a desire to explore my skill set. I believe my writing was the best-executed portion of this portfolio, as my reflections responded to the prompts adequately.

However, though my portfolio was cute, it wasn’t innovative or extraordinarily impressive. Evidently, it was a good sample of what I could do at the time.

Thankfully, taking the Advanced Photoshop and Illustrator course at camp with Nick Masuda and designing secondary coverage for In An Instant helped me to expand my InDesign and Photoshop skills immensely, and I believe my second portfolio demonstrated that growth. I made almost 10 portfolio “possibilities” before choosing my final design from among them. In my second portfolio, I utilized more complex techniques, including adding and deleting anchor points to create shapes, applying opacities and experimenting with duotone images. Additionally, the overall appearance of the portfolio was cleaner, as I didn’t incorporate unnecessary elements.

Though I was much happier with my second portfolio than my first, I believe this year’s portfolio is my best. I started by adapting an advertisement for The Color Run, but when it didn’t turn out as I anticipated, I tweaked it substantially, ultimately creating a unique, visuallyappealing design. I used higher-difficulty InDesign skills to create the cubes, and I love the effect created by the manipulated type. My favorite part is the quotes, inspired by Humans of New York, that reflect the subjects’ life philosophies. I enjoyed the varied answers the girls gave, including “I love chocolate milk.” I also like how my reflections are more candid than in years past, as they are more representative of my personality.

Indeed, this portfolio is the most “me.” I’ve always wanted to incorporate portraits and quotes in my design, and I think this portfolio best demonstrates my design and writing capabilities.

“

is rough, so

get a HELMET.

Life

”

katie, 20

“

C

lips

Be

the change

you wish

to

see In The World.

�

Ghandi

The following section contains samples representative of my best work. It is primarily organized into the sections of writing, design, photography and multimedia. Additionally, a key is available at the top of each page for clarification of what I completed.

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Category: Writing Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Student Life What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Writing Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Student Life What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Writing Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Student Life What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Writing Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, People What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Writing Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Sports What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Writing Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Clubs What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Design Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Student Life What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Design Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Academics What’s Mine:

E 5 E 5

5

A 1

D 4

E 5

C 3

C 3

Science

B 2

History

Foreign Language

3

English

2 TUTORING? 150

% 6 3

d

D 4 D 4

B 2

lle po

4

A B C 124 1 2 3 105 A B C 51 1 2 3

A 1

most need

s nt de stu 21 80 n. *6 Ja on

you

D E 4 250 5 D E 4 5

Math

A B C 1 1class2 do 3 In which

of stu po den p w l ts r re o led he ece ferr uld lp ivi ed w n m ith g at h

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Design Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, People What’s Mine:

people 182

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

Lauren Rucker 10 Alessandra Ruiz 11 Jose Ruiz 9 Breanna Rummler 11 Nathan Russ 10 Rashawn Russell 9 Chase Russo 10 Joseph Russo 9 Isaiah Rutledge 10 Johnathon Rutzebeck 9 Amanda Ruvola 9 Austin Ruvola 9 Brandon Ryan 11 Elisabeth Rymer 11 Cynthia Sabangan 10 Owen Saggus 11 Nathan Sahai 10 Ian Saindon 11 Rachel Saintil 9 Andrew Salcedo 10 Felix Saldivar 9 Jocelyn Saldivar 10 Diego Salisbury 9 Scott Saltzman 9 Victoria Samboy 9 Maegan Samuel 11 Brenden Samuels 10 Anthony San Miguel 11

> YOUR CHIPOTLE ORDER

let’s talk about

content by JESSICA DOLAN, ABDUL HARUNA, KYLE SPENCE, MAIA STANTON

“BURRITO BOWL with “Burrito bowl with cheese, “I get a bowl with rice and sour cream, beans, CHICKEN chicken because I think I’M white rice, steak, corn and SAVING THE EARTH.” lettuce.” and rice.”

RYLEE WITHERINGTON, ERIN COLVIN, DESTINI CULBRETH, sophomore junior freshman

“BURRITO with rice, black beans, lettuce, regular salsa, sour cream and guacamole.”

JAY RODRIGUEZ, sophomore

“Bowl of white rice, cheese and chicken. I’m a PICKY EATER.”

>

CHRISTINE KELLER, freshman

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Category: Photography Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Clubs What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Photography Press Information: 2014 Legend Yearbook, Sports What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Photography Press Information: p. 84-84, December divider What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

This is one of my favorite pictures I took this year because of the emotion it shows and how accurately it reflects the subject’s personality. It clearly depicts one moment in time in which Merari Hernandez is shaking a gift at a White Elephant gift exchange to decide id she should choose it. The look of wonder on Hernandez’s face adds action and expression to the photo, and her countenance in this photo accurately reflects her outgoing personality, which I love. Additionally, I like that the photo is not shot straight on; the angle at which she is turned and the fact that I took it from slightly below her add visual interest. Furthermore, when it is cropped, the picture fills the frame well and demonstrates rule of thirds.

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Category: Photography Press Information: Not published What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

I consider this one of my best three pictures from this year because of the depth of field it demonstrates and its clear center of visual interest. The lens I used at the mock DUI allowed me to shoot pictures in which the subjects clearly stood apart from the blurred background, as evidenced by this photo. Both the foreground and background are very out of focus, yet the firefighter is incredibly crisp. As a result, the viewer’s eye is immediately drawn to the subject, which is clearly the center of visual interest, and her solemn expression reflects the mood of the scene and adds to the emotion of the picture. In general, I really enjoyed shooting this event, as the action, emotion and lighting were all incredibly conducive to producing quality photos.

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Category: Photography Press Information: Not published What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

I like this photo because it exemplifies leading lines, center of visual interest and emotion. The subject’s outstretched arm provides a leading line that directs the viewer’s toward her face, which comprises the photo’s center of visual interest. I find the girl’s joyful expression, despite the fact that she has a needle in her arm and is giving blood, to be striking. I also like the fact that this photo shows all the of the equipment involved in blood donation, as it provides the picture with context and offers the viewer a glimpse of the process.

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Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: http://teacherpress.ocps.net/hilights/2014/01/23/ girls-dominate-court-pulverize-competition/ What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: http://teacherpress.ocps.net/hilights/2013/11/20/despiteinitally-close-score-girls-fall-behind-in-final-quarter/ What’s Mine: q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: http://teacherpress.ocps.net/hilights/2014/01/11/the-highlanders-come-out-with-a-victory-after-a-close-game/ What’s Mine: q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: http://teacherpress.ocps.net/hilights/2014/01/22/38585/ What’s Mine: q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

A Vibrant Urban Community to Live, Shop, Work and Play

Then join Downtown South, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit corporation dedicated to enhancing the Downtown South area, and become a partner in the economic and cultural revitalization of your neighborhood!

Do you enjoy cheering on the Boone football team, perusing the area’s numerous shopping plazas, tantalizing your tastebuds with exciting new cuisine and participating in engaging community events?

Please visit www.downtownsouthorlando.org.

Want to pay online instead?

Downtown South P.O. Box 568952 Orlando, FL 32856-8952

Please mail this form with a check for $25 to:

Neighborhood: Phone: Email:

Mailing Address:

Individual Name: Street Address:

Local business coupons valued at $200 Spring and Fall Membership Socials The ability to serve on Downtown South committees Having a voice in improving Downtown South Influencing which businesses come to Downtown South

Benefits of membership include:

Become a Downtown South Residential Member!

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Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: Downtown South Advertisment for Boone football program What’s Mine: q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: SODO News What’s Mine:

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q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: SODO News What’s Mine:

q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

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Lilly Gallery, 7-9 p.m. on Jan. 26 $5 per ticket, payable at the table in the Union atrium Swing dancing, dessert, and fun times with fellow students and friends!

* * *

Come out to support the fight against human trafficking and get into the swing of the semester! Here’s the hoedown lowdown:

All proceeds benefit:

RUF Swing Dance for Freedom

C lips

Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: Davidson College RUF Event Flyer What’s Mine: q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

Blessings and Peace, Dot and Alan

Once again, it’s the season—and we look forward, as always, to catching up on your news from around the globe.

As you can see, our year has included treasured times with the Heil clan, near and far. We enjoyed, as well, hosting a pair of Cypriot teens (our honorary grandkids) for the second year in a row. Xenia and Munise were our guests in July, Nicolas and Umur in 2012.

In November, we toured Morocco for a couple of weeks with our Mt. Vernon Presbyterian friends, Janice and Frank Doe. How we enjoyed meeting dozens of new Moroccans and Americans on this journey and savoring the sights of an exotic and picturesque kingdom.

Now, it’s time for the photo gallery of the “third generation” Heil clan. Enjoy!

And may you and yours have a wonderful year ahead.

Greetings, family and family of friends,

fulfilling year in sight!

happy andholidays a most

starsOurof wonder, stars so bright, join us to wish you

C lips

Category: Multimedia/Open Press Information: Heil Family Christmas Card 2013 What’s Mine: q Story q Captions q Design q Photos q Art q Alternative Copy

D

esi gns

“

I LOVE chocolate MILK!CLAIRE, 9

�

The following samples exemplify my design capabilities. Design One is demonstrative of my ability to design yearbook spreads, Design Two is a sample brochure I created for the swimming and diving team at Boone High School and Design Three offers a glimpse into who I am as a designer, student and person.

D

esign one

D

esign two

D

esign three