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2025 Journalist of the Year Portfolio
Editing, Leadership & Team Building
During the past four years of high school, my involvement with The Clypian social media team has shaped me. During my freshman and sophomore years, I focused on learning the ropes, understanding how to run a social media program, manage a team, and develop leadership skills. These 2 years I observed and prepared for what would come next.
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Then my junior and senior year, I stepped into the role of editor and trainer, where I took on the responsibility of teaching younger students how to succeed in managing The Clypian’s Instagram account. This shift from learner to leader has been a pivotal part of my high school experience. Each stage of my journey has taught me invaluable lessons about journalism, teamwork, and leadership. I will carry these skills with me long after graduation.
The 2022-23 Clypian social media taking team photos for the Clypian Instagram Team Promotion.
Growth in Leadership
Silvia Ruiz '23 and Lily Squires '25 (myself) during the journalism CTE showcase for middle schoolers.
The 2022-23 Clypian social media team filming a video during spirit week
Leah Ioane '27 and Lily Squires '25 (myself) filming a video for a spirit week instagram reel that was posted on the Clypian Instagram.
My time with The Clypian has been shaped by change and adaptability. During my sophomore year, our Instagram team was a group of multiple individuals with varying skills, making content creation both easy and fun. However, by my junior year, the team faced a shift as key seniors graduated and people moved on to other aspects of the class. I was left to manage the team, which now consisted of a freshman who didn't even have Instagram, a sophomore who had just joined the class, and myself.
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Although this situation was different from the dynamic of the last year, I leaned on the leadership and organizational skills I had developed as a sophomore to guide my team. In high school journalism, change is constant, whether it’s because of graduation or scheduling conflicts, and being able to adapt is crucial. This experience taught me the importance of flexibility and leadership in keeping the team moving forward, even when faced with unexpected change and challenges.
Organization
Organization is key to keeping The Clypian Instagram on track and covering all the important school events that need to be shared. There are three main strategies we use to stay organized and ensure everything runs smoothly.
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First, our in-class whiteboard serves as the foundation of our organizational system. The front side features a calendar where we put every sporting event, concert, and important date on it, ensuring we know exactly when to post. The back side of the board is used for brainstorming video or post ideas. This side is a bit more chaotic, but it serves as a creative space where we can gather all our thoughts.
Second, I use an app called MiniamaLists, which helps me visually track the tasks and posts that need to be completed. This app is always accessible on my phone’s home screen, so I’m constantly reminded of what’s coming up and what needs to be done.
Lastly, we rely on group text messages for communication. This allows us to stay in constant contact, coordinating who will cover which events and ensuring we don’t miss any key updates.
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These tools are essential in keeping my busy mind focused on the details of each task, whether it’s planning a post, attending an event, scheduling photographers or making sure the content gets shared in a timely manner. Each element works together to maintain the balance and organization that is so crucial to our team’s success.
What my MinimaLists app looks like to help me stay organized.
The board full of ideas for the Instagram page
Editing
Editing for The Clypian Instagram may look different from the editing process of the newspaper, but the attention to detail and collaboration are just as important. As the social media editor, my main responsibility is to oversee the Instagram team, especially when it comes to selecting content, creating graphics, writing captions, and editing photos. Conferencing and collaborating with team members on what needs to be added or changed happens almost every day in person. While I offer my input and opinions, I avoid making direct changes myself. I believe this approach better equips my team members to refine their skills and become more independent in their editing process.
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Since we use Canva to create all of our graphics, I often will use the editing process they provide. When a team member creates a graphic outside of class, and I can’t provide feedback in person, I leave comments directly on the page in Canva. This allows the team member to make adjustments easily and ensures I’m not overwhelmed with small tasks that pile up. This method keeps the process efficient while also empowering the team to improve their skills for future projects. Below are examples of comments I’ve made on different graphics.
Communicating with the social media team on the graphic for school counselor week.
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