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2024 NC Scholastic Media Association Student Journalist of the Year, Advocates for Illuminating Journalism
Called “ a relentless seeker of the truth” by her English and journalism teacher Bryan Christopher, Elena Paces-Wiles has been named the 2024 NC High School Journalist of the Year by the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association. The Riverside High School Senior’s work as a student journalist has earned her the $3,000 Rachel Rivers-Coffey Scholarship and an opportunity to represent the state in the National High School Journalist of the Year scholarship competition.
Each year the Student Journalist of the Year is selected from among the graduating seniors in scholastic journalism programs across the state. Entrants are evaluated by journalism professionals and faculty.
High school seniors who have been involved with journalism for at least two years and have at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA are eligible to apply. Applicants must submit a portfolio as well as an entry form, transcript, self evaluation of one’s “journalistic life” and letters of recommendation.
Elena’s portfolio contained investigative stories she has written about gentrification, diversity in advanced classes, and abortion laws in North Carolina. She’s now preparing her portfolio for the next step toward making her mark as a writer and hopes to write for the newspaper when she matriculates to college.
Elena joined The Pirate’s Hook school newspaper staff three years ago as a sophomore because she liked writing and thought she was good at it. She soon learned that her skill could make a difference.
Christopher agrees and says that she “is one of the most passionate and skilled writers I’ve ever worked with. She loves every step of the writing process…Her portfolio featured investigative work focused on exposing inequities. She was a sophomore in my class when we partnered with the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting.”
Christopher says that Elena serves as the co-editor-in-chief of the Riverside High School newspaper, The Pirates’ Hook, and oversees all the written content published in the print editions and online.
He says she “can’t wait to hop onto her classmates’ drafts to add comments and suggestions each day when class begins, and often stays after school to make sure everyone has the feedback they need to make revisions the next day.”
Perhaps this is because Elena’s experience with journalism thus far has increased her appreciation for the work. “It takes 30 seconds to read a headline but much more time to gather information and draw from a source,” she has concluded.
She says she’s learned valuable lessons as an investigative journalism student who also participated in the class’ partnership with the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting.
“I just think it’s helped me learn how to write well, research, meet deadlines, and talk to people I don’t know. It can extend to college in general,” she says.
Elena humbly gives credit to her teacher and peers for earning the title of High School Journalist of the Year.
“I think it represents a lot of hard work both for me and the program. It's [the title is] for my advisor and the program and everything we’ve accomplished,” she says.
Elena admits that she doesn’t cover the news as closely as she’d like as a journalist, but she understands her assignment as one. She wants her work to be impactful and educational.
“All of my investigative stories have been really fascinating to me. I’ve personally chosen to cover heavy topics to expose injustices and educate people. I can’t decide for people [how to think] but being knowledgeable and being aware of what’s going on around you is important,” she says.
Christopher says his student’s innate writing talent and her intuition as a journalist was evident when she joined the class, and it’s only gotten sharper. She says her favorite part of the class was the investigative work because it was a “very important part.” She also says that Christopher has influenced her work greatly.
“Elena's talent was there from the start, but during her three years in my program I’ve watched her become a leader. She understands the research and writing process, but also how to support her classmates and create opportunities for others in our school, community and state. Add to that a world-class work ethic and relentless drive to spotlight inequalities, and you’ve got a student who deserves to be North Carolina’s Journalist of the Year,” he says.
Elena hasn’t determined her major next year but is leaning toward psychology and English.