Story 1:
While this story is short, I found it rather eye-opening. Stetson Bennett, a fifth-year football player at the University of Georgia, changed one key aspect of his life in order to better his football career. He switched his smartphone, which took up endless hours of his day, for a flip phone. Stetson wanted to rid f all distractions in order to have all focus on football and school, and it’s paying off. This really opened my eyes as a college student who is consistently on my phone. It showed me that if I really wanted to cut all distractions and switch out my phone, it is possible and does show results. I feel this story can be relatable for all students, especially student-athletes. This short story is relatable, including quotes from Stetson and fellow teammates, which makes it seem more personal. Its length is also a valuable quality because while this story isn’t one that can be told in a novel, it is easily readable and keeps the reader engaged.
Story 2:
This news story covers an incident at a local elementary school involving a teacher being discriminative towards the LGBT+ and Jewish communities. A student created an art piece stating that “Gay is OK”. The school’s vice principal demanded the painting be removed and continued to compare it to swastikas. The student, teacher, and family released a list of demands including the resignation of the vice-principal. While this story is still unraveling, it is was to be sure to follow. I appreciate how this paper explores local news stories and not just campus-related topics. It shows appreciation for the community and opens the paper’s audience beyond the campus. Including quotes and very specific details of the event really add to the quality of this story. It also includes other resources you could follow the story on like the school districts Youtube and an organization called AthensPRIDE.
