PORTFOLIO by Katie Lewis Journalism 2018-2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS Personal Essay..........................................2 A Reflection..............................................3 Writing.....................................................4 Newspaper pieces..................................5 Additional pieces...................................10 Photography.............................................16 Design Practice........................................18 About Me.................................................20
MY PERSONAL ESSAY Originally, I did not want to be in of the journalism program at the Prep. I wanted to be an architect. That idea has changed drastically throughout my first year in high school, as I have now discovered my passions for writing, for photography, and for journalism, thanks to being rejected from the school archiecture program. Now, what was at first my worst-case-scenario class has turned into my favorite class and the class that I intend to pursue throughout high school. Journalism class has introduced me to many new skills, such as creating a spread with Adobe InDesign, cutting out part of an image in Adobe Photoshop, or taking a rule-ofthirds picture with a digital camera. Learning these smaller concepts has aquainted me with the bigger and broader concepts of journalism and graphic design. After being introduced to these concepts in my class, I instantly wanted to learn more about them and to get better at them. Even after a year of training, I still have a lot to learn and three more years to learn it. Every day in class I learn something new that helps me become a better writer, photographer, design-
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er, and journalist. And I can’t wait to keep working on this throughout high school. When it comes to beyond high school, I am only fourteen and therefore have no expectation or prediction of how my adult life will turn out. But I do know that I would love to have a career related to writing and design, two skills that I have improved and worked on in this very class. It will be fun to see where the rest of high school, college, and adulthood will bring me, and I know that the skills that I have learned in journalism class will help me to get there one day.
A REFLECTION Every paragraph that I write for a newspaper article improves my writing skills and experience. Every click of my camera when working on a story or assignment gives me more insight into the world of photography. Every design that I create on Adobe programs boosts my creativity and enthusiasm for graphic design. Every day in my journalism class, I learn something new. However, there are several pieces that I have written and photographs that I have taken that stand out from the rest and that I remember the most clearly. The first piece of writing was a teacher profile that I wrote for the Gulliver Atrium magazine about Mrs. Maribel Toledo back in October. I had never written a profile article before, especially one that was meant to be one thousand words long. It was a challenge, but I knew that accepting this opportunity would improve my writing ability and further expose me to different writing styles and assignments. My first step was to interview Mrs. Toledo about her experience as an art teacher. Talking with her was actually really fun and gave me a lot of great quotes to use with the article. But that was the easy part.
Throughout the process of actually writing the article took a lot of time and a lot of rewrites. I wanted the article to accurately depict Mrs. Toledo’s enthusiasm for art in the form of words. Eventually I finished the article, and to be honest I was very proud of myself for completing it by the deadline. The magazine has not yet been published, but I am very excited to see my words come to life on the pages of the Atrium. A later unit we covered in class this year aquainted me with a new area of journalism: photography. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I was eager to learn as much as I could about photography and learn how to take great pictures. My first assignment with my camera took place at the Art Walk event at school at night. It was fun to capture the colors and beauty of the exhibits set up by Gulliver art students. I took a lot of pictures and compiled them into a news video. Another picture that I loved taking was of Mrs. Schmidt for a profile article in the yearbook. It was great talking with her and compiling her quotes into a story. It is not just the writing and photos that help me become a better journalist, but the stories behind them.
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WRITING
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NEWSPAPER PIECES
Miami fans Ready for It as “Reputation” tour hits Hard Rock Stadium August 23, 2018 Hard Rock Stadium was anything but a blank space as 68,000 fans poured in to see pop star Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” tour on Saturday. The album, released in November 2017, was a landmark in Swift’s career, aiming to hone her reputation and introduce to the world the new and seemingly vengeful Taylor. Although most of her new beats are dark, electronic, and overall angry, there was no bad blood among her loyal fan base, who arrived dressed in glittery T-shirts, colorful tu-tus and lyric-labeled jackets. Read more here “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is all about the feeling September 18, 2018 Fans of the original “Mamma Mia!” will not be disappointed when seeing its lively sequel, “Here We Go Again.” This film blends many genres — movie-musical, sequel-prequel, comedy-romance — to create a perfect summer show. Its joy and energy leave the audience wishing for more. The original movie leaves off when Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), postpones her marriage plans on the Greek island where her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) owns a small hotel. “Here We Go Again” picks up years after and follows Sophie’s discoveries about her mother’s past as she plans to renovate the hotel. The film highlights ABBA hits like “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen,” and, of course, “Mamma Mia” as Sophie strengthens her relationship with her mother’s former bandmates and the three men her mother told her could be her father. The story is told through a series of flashbacks to Donna’s life and travels as the characters prepare for the hotel’s grand opening. Read more here
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Freshmen get a jump start on the year October 5, 2018 An ordinary Wednesday in October became a day of unexpected fun when ninth graders boarded the buses to Planet Air, an indoor park in Doral, FL. Every year, freshmen students spend a day doing team-building activities in the gym and at the pool while upperclassmen take mock ACT exams. This year, Activities Director Danielle Bowen had other ideas. “I was thinking it would be fun to get off-campus,” she said. Planet Air was only a bus ride away as well as an engaging way to reward the students for a strong start to the school year. Mrs. Bowen knew Planet Air’s trampoline park, ninja course, zipline, and other exciting activities would be a great opportunity to shake off stress and let loose on a midweek excursion. Read more here America Needs Journalists: How T-Shirts Are Unifying High School Journalists December 10, 2018 In the day and age of “fake news,” journalists are often not recognized for their importance in distributing news, information, and facts to the community. Student staff of the University of Iowa’s newspaper, The Daily Iowan, first spread this message through t-shirts with the slogan “America Needs Journalists.” Selling these t-shirts in partnership with the company Raygun allowed the students to fundraise for their newspaper as well as encourage other student journalists to write. Now, schools nationwide, including the Prep, are purchasing these shirts as the movement continues to grow. This movement began when Sarah Nichols, California high school journalism teacher and president of the Journalism Education Association (JEA), came across the t-shirt online and bought one for herself. Read more here
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Fairchild Garden brought to life by new Night Garden Event January 17, 2019 Thousands of Miami locals and tourists alike flocked to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden this holiday season to experience the dazzling lights, activities, exotic plants, and festive atmosphere at its new Night Garden event, which ran from Thanksgiving weekend until Friday, Jan 11th. Night Garden visitors had the opportunity to walk throughout the garden, past beautiful light displays and exciting special effects, including a holographic talking tree. The event also offered many photo opportunities to light up Instagram feeds and create beautiful holiday memories with family and friends. As more than three thousand visitors evening the garden each evening, the Night Garden became one of Miami’s top tourist destinations. Read more here The Art Walk: A Whirl of Color September 18, 2018 What were once ordinary math and science classrooms transformed into beautiful displays of art at the biannual Art Walk last Friday, January 18. Students, teachers, and parents alike spent the evening walking through the exhibits decorated with colorful and unique student artwork. “All these things come together as a unified voice, yet everyone had their own unique voice,” said ceramics teacher Joseph Golinski. “It’s beautiful how we can gather a large number of students and be able to share their talents, their gifts, and their voices, but doing it in a unified way.” As short as the production was itself, students in the art program spent weeks preparing for the Art Walk and hours setting up the displays and equipment. Many of them learned that hard work does pay off. “When we were setting up, we were having a lot of complications, but it did turn out really nicely,” said freshman Sofia Soler-Baillo. “I think everyone did a great job setting up and it looks really good.” Read more here
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Students explore job opportunities at the Business Club’s Career Fair February 8, 2019 One of the most important parts of being in high school is looking towards the future and finding personal interests. To help students learn about internships and interesting job opportunities, the Business Club hosted the Career Fair on Feb. 6. The event took place from 10:30am to 1:30pm and featured booths from over 20 different companies and 10 different industries. “I enjoyed talking to the representatives of the news booth because I hope to pursue an internship in that field,” said freshman Olivia Martin-Johnson. “It was great to learn about different occupations that interest me.” Read more here Boys Varsity soccer concludes season in district semifinals February 12, 2019 The boys varsity soccer season came to a close Jan. 30 after losing a close 1-0 match in the district semifinals against Westminster Christian. Many of the players believed that had they been able to finish off Westminster, they could have reached much farther in the playoffs. “I felt like we were the better team than Westminster,” said senior Dylan Poliakoff, the starting goalkeeper. “There are some ways we could have improved, but I think we could have easily won districts.” Despite having their season end sooner than they wanted, the team left the year with many positives, finishing with a record of 6-9-3. The season’s highlights included a 1-1 draw with Palmer Trinity, a 8-0 win over Pinecrest Prep, a 2-2 draw with Palm Glades, and a 2-0 district quarterfinal win against Coral Shores. Although it was a tough season, most of the players were proud of the hard work they put in to make it to district semifinals. “We had an amazing coach, an amazing team, and overall amazing support,” freshman Matteo Wakeman said. Read more here
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Girls tennis defeats Jacksonville Bolles to become Class 2A state champions May 6, 2019 After an action-packed two days of long crosscourt rallies, intense singles and doubles matches, and a great deal of team spirit, the girls tennis team brought their season to a gratifying conclusion with the class 2A state championship on Tuesday, April 30. The team worked their way through the postseason district and regional tournaments in order to make it to Orlando, where they faced tennis teams from around the state, such as Coral Springs Charter and Tarpon Springs. The final competitor for the state championship was The Bolles School from Jacksonville, FL, who the Raiders vanquished 4-1. “This season we weren’t sure what to expect,” admitted Coach Kelly Mulligan. “But the girls came together, had a goal, and they won and it’s very exciting. I’m ecstatic.” Read more here Student Government election results announced for 2019 - 2020 school year May 6, 2019 Tensions rose throughout the weeks preceding Apr. 17 as students awaited the results of the 2019 Student Government elections. Colorful campaign posters decorated the white paint of hallway walls. Candidates delivered cookies and brownies to lunch tables in exchange for a vote. Speakers at Atrium Announcements urged their peers to pick them for class president. On the morning of Wednesday, Apr. 17, the anticipated results finally came in during the daily RaiderVision episode. See the infographic above for a full list of election winners. Junior Chiara von Gerlach, the new student body president, was especially thrilled with the results. “I worked really hard during the campaign week, and I think I can make next year really fun for everyone,” said Von Gerlach. “I have a lot of ideas, and as president, I have a way to foster those ideas.” Like Von Gerlach, other newly elected officers have big plans for next year. Read more here
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ADDITIONAL PIECES Farm boy strikes it rich after climbing magical beanstalk October 24, 2018 A ten-year old boy returned to his lowly farm yesterday afternoon with a golden egg-laying hen and a singing harp after scaling an enormous beanstalk. Jack Jones, the only son of a poor widow, gave away his beloved cow when promised a bag of magic beans. Little did he know that this offering would bring him unimaginable fortune. “Mother was furious at me at first,” he said. “That was before I decided to plant the beans.” The following morning, Jones was shocked to discover that the beans had sprouted into a towering stalk as high as the clouds. Unable to resist the curiosity, he proceeded to climb up the beanstalk until he reached the home of a giant. The objects within this home were an extraordinary sight for a ten-year-old boy. “He had all these golden eggs and a harp that sang. I couldn’t stop myself from taking them,” he explained. After the giant threatened multiple times to eat him for breakfast, Jones grabbed the most valuable items he could find and snuck out of the house and down the beanstalk. There is no response to the incident from the giant thus far. Jones and his mother sold the golden eggs the hen laid at the town market yesterday afternoon for a hefty price, but all disappeared within a matter of minutes. “Tomorrow we’re going to buy back our old cow and fix up the farm,” said Mrs. Jones. “This is the best thing to happen to us in years.”
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Sculpting Art Students: Faculty Member Maribel Toledo October 28, 2018 Mrs. Maribel Toledo is much more than an art teacher — she is a sculptor at work. She has been doing this sculpting for nearly thirty years, and her medium is the minds of Upper School students she shapes into artists. While Toledo has a background in art, it is happenstance that ultimately led her into the classroom. After studying art at the University of Puerto Rico and receiving her bachelor’s degree in sculpture, Toledo did not expect teaching to be her calling. “A friend asked me to cover for her on a teaching job for one year, and that was enough to get me hooked,” she explains. Toledo has flourished as an art teacher ever since. She went on to further her learning, receiving a master’s degree in art education from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. The serendipitous experience of stepping in for a friend all those years ago helps Toledo express to her students that finding a passion can happen unexpectedly in what she calls an “aha! moment.” This sudden moment makes students realize what they are capable of and changes the way they look at themselves and their artwork.
Toledo enjoys watching each student experience his or her own “aha! moment” every year. Many students enter her classroom without confidence in their artistic abilities, but leave having developed and honed their individual talents. Toledo’s charisma and teaching philosophy are the cornerstone of this transformation. “I truly believe that every student has the ability to become a good artist, as long as they’re passionate and are willing to work hard,” she says. “A lot of it is about learning the skill and practicing it every single day.” This belief has proven true in the journey of art education that countless students experience as they progress through Toledo’s array of art classes, which include painting, drawing, sculpture and AP Studio Art courses. Through Toledo’s enthusiasm and faith in her students and their abilities, art students in her classroom and studio learn not just about the arts, but about themselves and what makes them unique. Students who initially may have simply been fulfilling their art electives find themselves inspired by and interested in art. Toledo’s classroom and other Prep art studios are filled with tools that
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generate student creativity. The supplies utilized by art students include high-quality paint and drawing materials, along with sculpture and ceramics supplies like clay, stone, chisels, wooden tools and more. On the walls there are buckets of paint brushes; the shelves are filled with paintings and sculptures from past students. The energy emanating from busy teenagers and the background music Toledo plays (which, in her view, is crucial to the artistic process) make her bright art studio the perfect place for students to create and stretch the boundaries of their imaginations. In addition to cultivating the results produced by passion and hard work, Toledo feels that giving students the freedom to express their ideas is an important part of their physical and mental development into artists, and she directs her classes according to this premise. tudents in entry level classes focus on developing skills and practicing them in imaginative ways, while students in higher level classes work more conceptually and are given increasingly difficult assignments. In addition, most art classes are based on experience rather than grade level, which makes for an interesting mix of students. However, no matter the skill level, Toledo ensures that she gives all of her students the opportunity to take full ownership
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of their work and put their creativity into practice. “We try to be very accepting of everybody’s styles, not only the style of their work, but their working styles as well,” Toledo says. The Upper School art program is designed for this very purpose — to celebrate each student’s specific ideas and art style. In some classes, students are allowed to choose a weekly sketch from a list of prompts, rather than being required to draw something very specific. Students in higher level classes, moreover, are given greater freedom in choosing their assignments, which permits them to draw from individual experiences and cultivate their passions. Allowing for some independence in the curriculum encourages originality. “I like to see creativity, I like to see that they are hard-working, and I like to see, most importantly, that they’re passionate and excited about what they are doing,” explains Toledo. While independence and personal expression are encouraged, part of the reason Toledo’s students have been so successful is that she has high expectations. Students from Toledo’s classes have been recognized in many local and national art contests and have received distinguished art awards, such as the Scholastic Art Awards and the Beaux Arts Student Awards.
Toledo emphasizes that “...we are getting the students prepared for the best schools in the nation. Most of our students that go to art school go to the top schools and report that they feel very well prepared.” As the art program continues to grow each year, more students continue to find their passion in the arts offered at the Prep. Nearly thirty years as an art teacher have given Toledo enough experience to sculpt the minds of students into the minds of artists. A key asset to Toledo’s teaching style is that she loves her students not only as aspiring artists, but as people. “I love my students, I love interacting with them, and I love how passionate they are about the work they create,” she says. Toledo is very devoted to her students and her goal every year is to make sure each of them reaches his or her “aha! moment.” Maribel Toledo’s inspiring personality, effective teaching methods and enthusiasm for the arts make her an invaluable member of Gulliver’s Art Department. Like everything at Gulliver, it comes down to the people and the lasting relationships formed between students and teachers. Toledo acknowledges, “my favorite part about teaching at Gulliver hands-down is my students.”
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Digital Dependence Schools are becoming more and more technology-oriented. Is it impacting the way we learn? October 28, 2018 The traditional pen and paper are becoming obsolete as the educational world becomes more and more surrounded by technology. Bright smartboard screens dominate the walls of English classrooms. Shelves of books are replaced with desks of computers in school libraries. High school students’ fingers fly across their keyboards as they rush to finish graded assignments. Middle school teachers watch over their students’ Internet activity from their own screens. Technology has transformed the education system across the country. But is there such a thing as too much? “In terms of effectiveness, I think technology allows the student have a wider breath of what’s going on,” said high school guidance counselor Gabriela McLeod. “But there are so many problems that my students run into, so I think it adds another layer of error that really has nothing to do with the assignment.” Most of today’s high school students are used to having to complete and turn in assignments on online platforms like Google Classroom, DropBox, and TurnItIn.com. Some students feel that these tools
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can overcomplicate the learning process, but in modern times, they are nearly impossible to avoid. Many educators consider these platforms an essential component to their teaching methods. In some ways, improved technology in education has brought new opportunities for students to learn and given them a world of unlimited resources. For example, technology has been incorporated into a large number elective classes, such as computer science and graphic design courses. “I think that the software we use not only makes our work productivity a lot faster, and the skills that our students are learning truly prepare them for the modern age,” said high school journalism teacher Monica Rodriguez. “If you can balance technology in the classroom with traditional teaching methods, it’s actually very successful.” In a time when nearly all high school students own a laptop and are required to bring it to class every day, students have become more responsible by having to keep track of it throughout the day. Using technology like this also connects with students of all learning styles,
especially visual learners, who retain information better when it is presented in the form of an image or a chart. Students additionally have many online resources to help them understand the material without having to ask someone for help. However, students often lose many of the benefits of traditional learning when they depend on technology to learn and do schoolwork. For instance, typing notes on the computer is proven to significantly decrease a student’s ability to retain the information. In a study conducted by a Princeton professor, college students who took notes by hand rather than on a laptop were found to perform better on a test immediately after taking the notes. This evidence also reflects on high school students at schools like Gulliver. igh school students at schools like Gulliver. “I think I learn better when I do pen-and-paper work because I really get to write it down and I remember it better,” said freshman Paulina Guajardo. “Usually online work is harder to remember and not very convenient.” The majority of other students tend to agree. In a survey conducted with over one hundred high school students, only fourteen felt that they learned better with digital books. Sixty-four admitted to preferring real books, while thirty-eight
did not have a preference. Although there are plenty of valid arguments for both sides, the debate over digital dependence in schools can be boiled down to one simple answer: it’s personal. Many students prefer to learn using traditional pen-and-paper methods, while some others embrace the introduction of new technology to learn and explore. However, too much dependence on technology can undermine a student’s ability to retain information and meet basic academic standards, like doing math and taking notes by hand. The introduction of digital technology to schools has changed education forever. How far will it go?
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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DESIGN PRACTICE
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NEW BAKERY OPENS DOWNTOWN See page C6
A LEPRECHAUN’S See Page GUIDE TO ST. PATRICK’S DAY C5
WOLF WRECKS PRIVATE PROPERTIES See page A4
The Storytown Sun 50 cents
Goldilocks trial ends, found guilty of theft
FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018
thestorytownsun.com
Farm boy strikes it rich after climbing magical beanstalk
By Katie Lewis, Sun staff A ten-year old boy returned to By Katie Lewis, his lowly farm yesterday afternoon with Sun staff a golden egg-laying hen and a singing A young harp after scaling an enormous beangirl, Goldilocks, was stalk. charged with theft Jack Jones, the only son of a and sentenced to two poor widow, gave away his beloved cow years in prison after when promised a bag of magic beans. invading the home Little did he know that this offering of three bears last would bring him unimaginable fortune. week. “Mother was furious at me at The bears first,” he said. “That was before I decidblamed Goldilocks ed to plant the beans.” for breaking several The following morning, Jones items in their house, was shocked to discover that the beans as well as eating all had sprouted into a towering stalk as their porridge and high as the clouds. Unable to resist the sleeping in their curiosity, he proceeded to climb up the beds. beanstalk until he reached the home of a After less giant. than one week of tri- Photo by Villains.Wikia.com The objects within this home al, Goldilocks plead Jack Jones, 10, chops down a magical beanstalk as he is chased by an angry giant. He escaped narrowly and returned were an extraordinary sight for a tenSee GOLDILOCKS, A3 with golden eggs and a harp. Jones sold each of these items. year-old boy. “He had all these golden eggs and a harp that sang. I couldn’t stop WHAT’S INSIDE myself from taking them,” he explained. Arts....................C9 After the giant threatened multiple times Business.............B1 By Katie Lewis, Sun staff to eat him for breakfast, Jones grabbed Book Reviews....B6 the most valuable items he could find Hansel, 8, and Gretel, 6, reEditorial.............A6 and snuck out of the house and down the turned home late last night after being Entertainment..B10 beanstalk. There is no response to the kidnapped by an cannibalistic witch. Food.................C6 Weather incident from the giant thus far. “It was the scariest moment Games...............B5 Sunny and Jones and his mother sold the Lifestyle.............C5 of my life,” said Hansel. “I thought clear skies. golden eggs the hen laid at the town Obituaries.........D7 she was going to eat my sister.” afternoon market yesterday afternoon for a hefty Sports................C1 The children’s parents felt showers price, but all disappeared within a matter equally terrified as the children did not Weather.............B4 of minutes. World News......D1 72° 64° come home at the same time as usual. “Tomorrow we’re going to buy High Low The parents proceeded to call the back our old cow and fix up the farm,” police at 8:30 PM when the children See Weather said Mrs. Jones. “This is the best thing were nowhere to be seen. on page B4 to happen to us in years.” Police entered the home of
Two children kidnapped by witch
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ABOUT ME My name is Katie Lewis and I am a high school journalist from Miami, Florida. I enjoy writing, photography, and graphic design and am an active writer for my school’s newspaper, The Raider Voice. In my free time I enjoy playing tennis and spending time with my family, friends, and my dog Henry.
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THE END
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