The Tate Center at 9:46 in the morning on a cloudy Thursday is quite a vacant place. A chorus of muffled voices quietly echoes from the Bulldog Café nearby. We sit comfortably in two snug red chairs that we manually made face one another. Kat Shambaugh sits across from me with her laptop rested promptly in her lap. She looks comfortable in a red and blue plaid button down and khaki shorts. A pair of teal and green striped socks peak out from her navy Converse style sneakers. A large square shaped bag with the looks of a giant red and book sits at her feet. There's a certain authenticity about the bag that seems to reveal a little about who she is as an individual right off the bat. It sends the message that she is a reader, a writer, and an intellectual yet unique individual. What people carry with them all the time is quite telling of someone's personality because people carry what matters the most to them. However, even without the bag, Kat seems to carry herself with an air of strong independence and drive. She looks organized and put together. After having a long conversation with her, I found that these impressional guesses were fairly correct. Yet, I also discovered that there is even more to her story than what is seen to the eye.
"I haven't decided yet between going into Journalism or going into Neuroscience. My dream job in journalism would totally be to be a newspaper editor, or even like a publishing editor. I love editing things. As a neuroscientist, just I want to work less as like a counselor and be someone that works more with like figuring out why we have certain disorders. You know, I really think occupation wise, I all I really want to do is leave a legacy. It doesn't necessarily matter how I do that but I would love to be remembered." Caught between two career choices, Kat has diverse interests. However, her overall goal is the same for both: she wants to leave a mark on where she's been.
It is this pursuit of leaving legacy that ultimately drives her to success. Yet, what makes her different is that her "success" is all across the board. For example, when asked of what three adjectives that would describe her, one of them she included was "musically inclined". This was an attribute that I had not expected. Kat explained, "I play guitar, ukelele, guitar, drum set, and sing. And I'm in theatre, so we do musical stuff there too."
With so many talents and focuses, Kat sees her life similar to the button down she was wearing that day: plaid. Everything has it's place and she feels she is a "a very organized person." Despite the pressures of school, theatre, and music; she keeps it all firmly together and connected. However, the root of all that she does is not found in just a cup of coffee alone, but in her faith.
A key aspect of Kat is her strong belief system. As a Catholic, she is very committed to her faith. "I'm really deeply rooted in my faith and the ideals that kind of come with my faith, and those are things that even if no one else would stand up for, I would stand up for even if it's hard you know?" It is this driven mindset of standing up for what she believes in and leaving a legacy that ultimately sets Kat Shambaugh apart from the others- not just as a person, but as an authentic individual.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Whitney Weiss profile
by Katie Tims
Whiney Weiss is a 17 year old rising senior at Holy Innocents' High School that was born and raised in Buckhead, Georgia. As she pulled her legs up so all 5 feet and 1 inch of her was on the chair, she laughed and said, "I'm a Buckhead baby. Born and raised."
"I go to Holy Innocents' school," said Weiss "but I am Jewish."
Weiss has an interesting situation as she attends an Episcopalian school, but is the only person in the school that is a practicing Jew. Weiss is proud of her heritage and shared that she took a genetics test and found out she is one hundred percent Jewish, with roots in Eastern Europe, Spain, and Portugal.
Weiss has one older brother named Daniel, 21, and she explained that they are very close. They pick at each other about everything, but Weiss expressed that it is always hard when her brother goes back to Indiana for college.
Weiss is a cheerleader, and has a strong bond with several of her teammates. Weiss loves her school and expresses a lot of pride for it.
When she isn't cheering or working on her schoolwork, Weiss creates jewelry with her best friend Emily. Emily suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and all of their profits go straight to the Cystic Firbrosis.
Weiss has a calm presence about her, which is soothing for the people she spends her time around. She loves organization, and strives to do her best in school work.
by Katie Tims
Whiney Weiss is a 17 year old rising senior at Holy Innocents' High School that was born and raised in Buckhead, Georgia. As she pulled her legs up so all 5 feet and 1 inch of her was on the chair, she laughed and said, "I'm a Buckhead baby. Born and raised."
"I go to Holy Innocents' school," said Weiss "but I am Jewish."
Weiss has an interesting situation as she attends an Episcopalian school, but is the only person in the school that is a practicing Jew. Weiss is proud of her heritage and shared that she took a genetics test and found out she is one hundred percent Jewish, with roots in Eastern Europe, Spain, and Portugal.
Weiss has one older brother named Daniel, 21, and she explained that they are very close. They pick at each other about everything, but Weiss expressed that it is always hard when her brother goes back to Indiana for college.
Weiss is a cheerleader, and has a strong bond with several of her teammates. Weiss loves her school and expresses a lot of pride for it.
When she isn't cheering or working on her schoolwork, Weiss creates jewelry with her best friend Emily. Emily suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and all of their profits go straight to the Cystic Firbrosis.
Weiss has a calm presence about her, which is soothing for the people she spends her time around. She loves organization, and strives to do her best in school work.
Thursday Post: Kat Shambaugh
Walking into the first day of Feature Writing class at the University of Georgia’s 2015 Grady Games, at first partnering up for a story seemed a dangerous prospect. Conversation would have to be made, compromises struck, and, God forbid, a Google Docs file created.
What I didn't expect was to be sitting across from Lauren Pearson in the Tate Center four days later, with a finished story under our belt and chatting away about religion and life goals with ease.
The hallways are quiet except for the light chatter from the food staff in the Bulldog Cafe. A couple of college-aged students lounge in chairs with their phones and laptops, and parents file in and out after exploring the orientation activities out front. For the most part, it is empty. Students are on vacation, taking a break from the school life.
Lauren and I ask each other the most interesting questions we have, and find more in common than we thought. She writes down my answers rapidly in bright pink ink, explaining that it's her favorite color.
As the conversation twists from colors to our professions, Pearson explains how she started her writing career: "Believe it or not, my third grade teacher is what got me into writing. That's when I first decided I wanted to be a writer. That was the year we started really writing more, and I think what I realized is that I was reading a lot of books at the time, and the books that I was reading didn't match up with what we were writing in class. What we wrote in class was so simple, and I was like, 'Wait a minute? they're not real stories!' I want to write like the books, as those are so much more fun to read."
More and more we bond through related aspirations and personality traits.
"I'm really like a doer," Pearson explains. "I always need to be doing something, and I need to be productive. Even on like summer break, I feel like I'm wasting my life and not doing anything important. Like my contribution to society while watching this Netflix show right now is 0! That's really why I love this camp, because we're always doing stuff. That's definitely led me to my blog, which is a Christian blog, so that way if I have nothing to do I can just go to town on my blog."
Pearson's Christian lifestyle is clear through her responses, and her desire to connect her job to her faith shines bright.
"I really want to be a missionary writer, or at least in that field, because I think culture is something that is so unique and telling. Every culture has a story, and every story has it's culture that I can report on." Pearson says.
The hallways are quiet except for the light chatter from the food staff in the Bulldog Cafe. A couple of college-aged students lounge in chairs with their phones and laptops, and parents file in and out after exploring the orientation activities out front. For the most part, it is empty. Students are on vacation, taking a break from the school life.
Lauren and I ask each other the most interesting questions we have, and find more in common than we thought. She writes down my answers rapidly in bright pink ink, explaining that it's her favorite color.
As the conversation twists from colors to our professions, Pearson explains how she started her writing career: "Believe it or not, my third grade teacher is what got me into writing. That's when I first decided I wanted to be a writer. That was the year we started really writing more, and I think what I realized is that I was reading a lot of books at the time, and the books that I was reading didn't match up with what we were writing in class. What we wrote in class was so simple, and I was like, 'Wait a minute? they're not real stories!' I want to write like the books, as those are so much more fun to read."
More and more we bond through related aspirations and personality traits.
"I'm really like a doer," Pearson explains. "I always need to be doing something, and I need to be productive. Even on like summer break, I feel like I'm wasting my life and not doing anything important. Like my contribution to society while watching this Netflix show right now is 0! That's really why I love this camp, because we're always doing stuff. That's definitely led me to my blog, which is a Christian blog, so that way if I have nothing to do I can just go to town on my blog."
Pearson's Christian lifestyle is clear through her responses, and her desire to connect her job to her faith shines bright.
"I really want to be a missionary writer, or at least in that field, because I think culture is something that is so unique and telling. Every culture has a story, and every story has it's culture that I can report on." Pearson says.
Through the craziness accompanying this camp, deciding to partner up with someone I had never met completely paid off. The experience of working on a story with a new person forces quick bonding and has provided me with an awesome article and someone I really feel like I can relate to.
Profile on Katie Tims by Whitney Weiss
Even though rising Junior Katie Tims has lived in more states than she can count by the age of 6, she is a Georgia peach at heart. Growing up outside of Atlanta, Tims has always had a firecracker personality. While her activity grocery list is small, the dedication she puts towards the things she loves is evident. From journalism to soccer, Tims ceases to give anything but her best.
Growing up, Tims was basically an only child. Although she has an older brother and sister, Tims admits she was always the spoiled baby girl in the eyes of her parents. However, at age 12, Tims' life changed forever when her parents decided to adopt a baby boy from Thailand, Max. Despite not being biologically related, Tims' relationship with her younger brother is your typical brother-sister banter. Three years following, Tims' parents adopted another baby boy from China, Issac, which only expanded the family for the better. Despite being closer in age to her older siblings, Tims loves her two little brothers with all her heart.
Because her father is a pastor, Tims holds her Christian faith close to her heart, one that she takes extremely seriously. This faith keeps Tims grounded, and reminds her about the greater picture of the world and her purpose on Earth.
When not at school, playing soccer, or at work, Tims loves to be an average teen and spend time with her friends, especially her best friend Katie.
While Tims is not set on a specific college, she thinks of the University of Georgia as one of her top choices. Because she aspires to work for National Geographic, she is considering majoring in journalism, but still is not 100%.
Growing up, Tims was basically an only child. Although she has an older brother and sister, Tims admits she was always the spoiled baby girl in the eyes of her parents. However, at age 12, Tims' life changed forever when her parents decided to adopt a baby boy from Thailand, Max. Despite not being biologically related, Tims' relationship with her younger brother is your typical brother-sister banter. Three years following, Tims' parents adopted another baby boy from China, Issac, which only expanded the family for the better. Despite being closer in age to her older siblings, Tims loves her two little brothers with all her heart.
Because her father is a pastor, Tims holds her Christian faith close to her heart, one that she takes extremely seriously. This faith keeps Tims grounded, and reminds her about the greater picture of the world and her purpose on Earth.
When not at school, playing soccer, or at work, Tims loves to be an average teen and spend time with her friends, especially her best friend Katie.
While Tims is not set on a specific college, she thinks of the University of Georgia as one of her top choices. Because she aspires to work for National Geographic, she is considering majoring in journalism, but still is not 100%.
Olivia Dawson profile
"That guy just got in my panorama shot," said Olivia Dawson, a 15-year-old Louisville, KY native. A subtle eye roll later, she crossed her legs and continued tapping away on her phone, despite the ruined photo.
A rising sophomore at duPoint High School, Dawson attends the journalism magnet. A potential political science major in the not-so-far-off future, she has combined her love of writing with her love of history and government in her current class schedule. She's just finished an entire year of journalism-based classes, and next year she'll be the multimedia editor at her school's paper, The Redeye, a fantastic fit for the photography fanatic.
"I'd like to stay in state to save money, but I'm considering out-of-state," says Dawson. Although she's just starting out her second year in high school, she's started thinking about college. Contradicting her Louisville roots, she's an avid University of Kentucky fan and loves to keep up with all things blue and white.
Dawson would love to minor in journalism, attributing her love of writing to her appreciation for the course. In particular, she prefers writing hard news, but attending the featured writing class at the UGA Grady Games has developed a newfound interest in profiling artists.
When Dawson is not busy typing away on her latest article, she plays the clarinet. She can't just pick one favorite song, but claims that jazz is her preferred genre to play.
So, who is Olivia Dawson? An alternative music fan, artist, history buff, writer, clarinet player, but most importantly, uniquely herself.
A rising sophomore at duPoint High School, Dawson attends the journalism magnet. A potential political science major in the not-so-far-off future, she has combined her love of writing with her love of history and government in her current class schedule. She's just finished an entire year of journalism-based classes, and next year she'll be the multimedia editor at her school's paper, The Redeye, a fantastic fit for the photography fanatic.
"I'd like to stay in state to save money, but I'm considering out-of-state," says Dawson. Although she's just starting out her second year in high school, she's started thinking about college. Contradicting her Louisville roots, she's an avid University of Kentucky fan and loves to keep up with all things blue and white.
Dawson would love to minor in journalism, attributing her love of writing to her appreciation for the course. In particular, she prefers writing hard news, but attending the featured writing class at the UGA Grady Games has developed a newfound interest in profiling artists.
When Dawson is not busy typing away on her latest article, she plays the clarinet. She can't just pick one favorite song, but claims that jazz is her preferred genre to play.
So, who is Olivia Dawson? An alternative music fan, artist, history buff, writer, clarinet player, but most importantly, uniquely herself.
Active and Ambitious: The Life of Mary Peyton Brown
She's a rising senior in high school with a busy schedule. She wins a race at a cross country meet or earns a A on her final exam, but can't treat herself to ice cream. Mary Peyton Brown is a vegan.
Brown attends the Academic Magnet High School, the seventh best high school in the nation. The sixteen-year-old Charleston resident was assigned a senior thesis project and chose to do it about veganism. "I'm passionate about veganism and animal welfare," Brown says, explaining why she chose this topic.
Brown had been researching veganism for some time before deciding to become one. She says, "I heard about all the health benefits of veganism and all the animal cruelty in the food industry."
She says that being vegan is never really difficult for her at home because she has her family's support. It's more difficult for her when traveling because there aren't as many options.
Brown also is passionate about writing. She attended the Georgia Journalism Academy summer camp. She will be the editor of her school newspaper next year. "Most of our newspaper is features and I wanted a stronger background in it," Brown says.
She has been considering potential colleges prior to her senior year. "My top choice is probably NYU," Brown says. She would like to major in journalism and possibly become a fashion journalist. This shouldn't be hard to do, since she is president and founder of her school's fashion club.
When she's not busy, Brown says she's "just like every typical teen." She does swim team, scrolls through social media, and hangs out with friends.
Brown attends the Academic Magnet High School, the seventh best high school in the nation. The sixteen-year-old Charleston resident was assigned a senior thesis project and chose to do it about veganism. "I'm passionate about veganism and animal welfare," Brown says, explaining why she chose this topic.
Brown had been researching veganism for some time before deciding to become one. She says, "I heard about all the health benefits of veganism and all the animal cruelty in the food industry."
She says that being vegan is never really difficult for her at home because she has her family's support. It's more difficult for her when traveling because there aren't as many options.
Brown also is passionate about writing. She attended the Georgia Journalism Academy summer camp. She will be the editor of her school newspaper next year. "Most of our newspaper is features and I wanted a stronger background in it," Brown says.
She has been considering potential colleges prior to her senior year. "My top choice is probably NYU," Brown says. She would like to major in journalism and possibly become a fashion journalist. This shouldn't be hard to do, since she is president and founder of her school's fashion club.
When she's not busy, Brown says she's "just like every typical teen." She does swim team, scrolls through social media, and hangs out with friends.
Thursday posts!
We...are...almost...done.
Whew.
And hooray!
AFTER you have turned in ALL your stories, you have your choice of morning assignment:
A. Get a partner. Take turns interviewing each other. Look at your quotes and figure out an angle. Write a profile! And post it to the blog before we leave at noon.
B. Get a partner. Go somewhere (downtown, Tate center...it's very busy there today with orientation...someplace with people). Sit down quietly. Observe. Listen. Write down what's happening. Listen to how people talk, look at each other. Capture the environment. Come back to the classroom by 11 am to write your feature and post to the blog before we leave at noon.
After you've finished doing that, post to the blog again, and tell us: What were your favorite parts of camp? Did you learn anything you can take back to your schools? What did you learn about yourself as a journalist?
When you are done with ALL THAT, please take a few minutes to complete the academy survey! Go to www.gspa.uga.edu. Go to "Events" and click on "Georgia Journalism Academy," and then "TAKE THIS SURVEY!" Thank you!!
When you are done with ALL THAT, please take a few minutes to complete the academy survey! Go to www.gspa.uga.edu. Go to "Events" and click on "Georgia Journalism Academy," and then "TAKE THIS SURVEY!" Thank you!!
Good work, everyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)