hi! I’M SYDNEY.

Personal Narrative

I have known since I was five years old, filming my first “Sydney Reporter” newscast on my mom’s old iPhone, that storytelling would define my path. I started each silly video with, “This is Sydney Reporter, and today we are going to talk about…” and improvised the rest. I spoke on all the hot topics of course: my mom’s outfit, eating my vegetables, and going to my cousin’s house. Then, I would sign off with, “In a jiffy, baba-doo!” My family tells me it’s no wonder I became a journalist – I was the original vlogger, after all.

Then, at age 14, my dad gave me his old Nikon D50 and showed me the ropes of shooting on a DSLR and editing in Adobe Photoshop. I jumped at every chance to shoot, starting off with wildlife and landscapes. When I started high school soon after, I took Graphic Design 1-2 and my teacher encouraged me to join the yearbook staff as a sophomore. My life would not be the same without that conversation.

My time as a student journalist, first on the yearbook staff and then through independent ventures, has been a journey of self-discovery. Working in scholastic media gave me my first real taste of the power of journalism, shaping the way I see the world and the role I want to play in it. Every photo I captured and every story I wrote brought me closer to understanding not only the craft but also the immense responsibility that comes with it.

My experiences, however, were not without challenges. Over the years, I encountered editors whose leadership styles tested my resilience. Some prioritized authority over collaboration, making it difficult to feel heard or valued. These experiences, though frustrating, became formative. They shaped my own leadership philosophy: be a leader, not a boss. I believe effective leadership is built on humility and support, not hierarchy and condescension. My first year on staff, I felt belittled and creatively limited by the Editor-in-Chief and eventually stopped advocating for myself. But now, not only do I advocate for myself, I look out for everyone on my staff. I hold those negative memories close to my heart so I never make someone feel that way. When working with a team, I hold myself to a high standard of respect and mentorship. I am never above my staff; I work alongside them.

My core values of teamwork and empathy have carried me through my own successes. Being featured in The New York Times, receiving a full-tuition scholarship to Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication, founding my photography business Shot With Sydney, and being selected as Editor-In-Chief of the yearbook staff are achievements I cherish. More than that, they’re reminders of the foundation I built through years of hard work and passion. My scholastic media experience has not only given me the skills to pursue a career in journalism but has also cemented my vision for the future. As I move forward, my goal remains clear: to become a photojournalist dedicated to capturing the cultural and political landscapes that shape our world.

The sacrifices I made, the sleep I lost, and the tears I shed have only strengthened my certainty that I am exactly where I need to be. I’ve felt empowerment through pursuing something I love, excel at, and believe is essential to our world. I am eager to take my passion and skills into college and my career. But first, I’m proud to reflect on everything I’ve accomplished in high school.