Journalism Portfolio

The moment news breaks is also the moment responsibility begins.

One of the first times I felt that need for accountability was when my journalism adviser pitched me a story about a journalist wrongly arrested in Cambodia, a human-trafficking operation, and a cyber-scam network all wrapped into one — and the Santa Clara County district attorney determined to stop it all.

Opportunities like this once would have intimidated me. In my childhood, I preferred predictability and avoided stepping outside my comfort zone. I remember feeling anxious if my mom was even a few minutes late to pick me up from elementary school. Moving to London in middle school, I gained confidence navigating unfamiliar places through travel and exploration. Learning to truly embrace uncertainty and place myself in the front row of new experiences has been a gradual process.

Journalism accelerated that transformation. When I joined the program at Palo Alto High School (colloquially known as "Paly") my sophomore year, I quickly realized that being a good journalist meant more than simply writing well. It meant being brave enough to ask difficult questions and to step forward when an important story needed to be told. My commitment to telling stories and drive to improve pushed me to become that kind of journalist, recognizing that thoughtful, courageous reporting plays a vital role in helping communities stay educated.

So when my adviser asked if anyone wanted to cover that complicated, international story whose full scope was just coming to light, I didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, I’ll do it.”

Reporting has given me a front-row seat to some of the most complex and meaningful stories in my community and beyond. I am the co-editor-in-chief of The Paly Voice, my school’s 24/7 online-only news publication, and a reporter for our School's Journalism Incubator, a chaotic but loveable class that hosts a half a dozen or so niche publications. Over the past three years, I’ve covered breaking news, written reviews and features, and reported on local and global issues, developing the skills I needed to guide my peers in telling stories with accuracy and responsibility. Journalism is more than a craft for me — it’s a commitment to truth, to people, and to the communities whose stories I am privileged to share.

What drew me to The Paly Voice out of the dozen publications in my school's 300-student journalism program was its ability to report news in real time. Unlike traditional print cycles, digital journalism demands urgency and precision simultaneously. Being at the edge of unfolding events has shown me that access comes with the obligation of responsibly verifying and communicating clearly. Every story pursued and every edit made needs to prioritize efficiency, accuracy and accountability.

This approach has guided my work and grown stronger throughout my years as a journalist.

Sophomore year, I reported on major local events, including teacher contract protests against the Palo Alto Unified School District. Coverage of then-President Joe Biden’s visit to Palo Alto became my first solo byline. That year, I received an honorable mention in broadcast news writing in JEA's National Student Media Contest in Boston, the first of two national conventions I would attend. It was the first of multiple journalism awards I would receive in the following years.

As a junior, my reporting spanned a wide range of significant stories and solo bylines, including my feature on the Cambodian cyber-scam industry, which required connecting with sources from Santa Clara to Washington, D.C., and which was co-published in The Paly Voice and Anthro, the Incubator's activism-focused magazine. Coverage of Caltrain’s electric train system included interviews with the CEO of Caltrain, the CEO of Stadler Rail AG, and the mayor of Palo Alto. My reporting on an ethnic studies controversy in the community reinforced the importance of honest and accurate journalism. Sensitive coverage following the loss of a student deepened my understanding of the careful language required when reporting on suicide.

This mindset has shaped my work as a leader, too. As a senior, I have focused on making myself accessible to staff members, led classroom discussions of current events, and engaged in ethical and legal decisions on deadline. To strengthen The Paly Voice’s connections, I have invited key community figures — including school board members and our superintendent — to participate in on-the-record conversations with our staff. In a moment I felt was emblematic of my commitment to scholastic journalism, I was the only student from south of the Golden Gate Bridge to attend a December public hearing in San Francisco Superior Court regarding a major press law case.

Leadership also means innovation. This year I began a major project to create a Paly Journalism mobile app. I collaborated with one of our publication’s news editors, who helped program the application, and reached out to editors across our school’s publications to invite them to participate. The app, which brings together multiple student publications, is set to launch later this month.

Journalism has taught me that every story carries weight, and every journalist carries responsibility. Reporting has placed me at the front of unfolding events, and leadership has taught me to help others wield this privileged access with care and integrity. I've learned to guide, support, and uphold standards that ensure stories are told truthfully and ethically. I will continue approaching journalism not just as a witness to important moments, but as a leader accountable for how they are shared.