Prior to joining The Flash, I was a bit of a political junky. During the pandemic, there was nothing I loved more than watching experts on cable news talk about the latest crisis. I was obsessed with the political landscape of 2020, even as a sophomore in high school. I remember watching the runoff election for Georgia in 2021. I was rooting for a specific candidate, and had my eyes glued to the screen. All that CNN played was results from the run off, because whoever won would control the senate. Until they cut away to show footage of rioters breaking into the capital. January sixth began as every other day, during the long hybrid learning era, but later became known in infamy. I saw it first hand. I watched as the anchors were speechless, never yet experiencing something like this in their lifetime. I watched the amazing event unfold, the chaos spill out in red ink. I felt so privileged to be able to sit in my living room, and watch it in all of its glory. That day, the brave journalists at the capitol inspired me in so many different ways. They risked so much inorder to capture the footage, in uncovering the truth they risked their saftey. I knew this was something that I could see myself doing, exposing the world to the truth. I saw the importance of following the truth, because in the end that is what will be the most defining, the truth. ​

Nreca

After I had gotten the opportunity to go on the Rural Electric Co-op Youth Tour, I knew it had to be displayed on The Flash. The opportunity had exposed me to the world of politics, but early on I knew I wouldn’t be in the narrative. I wanted to focus on who in particular the trip is for, those from rural areas. I interviewed Savannah, a student from southern rural Minnesota, who had a graduating class of 20. Her interview is the longest I have completed to this date.  ​

The thing that makes this project different is that it was created with the intention of calling out certain faults within society, but provides an opportunity for all of its viewers. I did not want this story to be merely an advertisement. I wanted it to provide students with a story of a person whose life had changed from the trip, and then give them the opportunity to explore the trip in the same route. I never go into a story hoping to change people's minds. I want people to look at my stories and come to their own conclusions. I know that if I were to tell people what to feel in my pieces, that wouldn’t be true journalism. With this story it was imperative that I didn’t tell the student body what to do. I only told a story of a student, and left them with the opportunity to do the same.