As a journalist, my job is to tell the truth, even when it is uncomfortable to read. My goal as a writer is to reach the heart of an issue and present it to readers in the simplest and most honest way possible, even when it would be easier for the world to merely look away. In October 2018 I tackled the topic of physical and emotional abuse and PTSD among high schoolers, which culminated in the in-depth stories “Burned”and “The Musical Mad Scientist.” I prepared for the interviews as I normally do, but once I spoke with the students and counselor, I knew the stories would be more intimate than anything I had done before. I spent hours conducting interviews to make sure I had each detail correct. I transcribed every word to be certain I had clear context for the entire story and plenty of information for transitions and anecdotes. Ultimately, I reached out to the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) prior to publication for legal advice regarding anonymity in order to protect the sources, who are minors, since they spoke about abuse, illegal drug and alcohol use, and generally unsafe living environments. Even though both sources agreed to have their names published, SPLC recommended I omit the name of the student source in “Burned” to protect The Rock and BearingNews from unfounded litigation. During Women’s History Month (WHM), I got the specific idea for “Whistle in the Dark”from a quote I saw defining the phrase as putting on a brave face in a frightening situation. I focused the story on the experiences of a math teacher who had shared a part of her past with me as well as a college police lieutenant and a female student and wove them together with the common topic of the dangers young adults face, such as drugged drinks and sexual assaults, as well as the need for proper self defense. Among others, I’ve also explored delicate and daring topics concerning climate change, artificial intelligence and the impact of social media on one’s health and happiness.
Features exploring different cultures
“In the Rough” was part of a four-story package about the struggles students overcome to achieve success. Although the story itself was not as challenging to write as several of my later pieces, it required a higher degree of empathy and emotional vulnerability as an interviewer and writer. Both student sources are non-native English speakers and were afraid of being recorded and having their words published because of their verbal mistakes. I spent numerous free periods in the English Language Learner (ELL) room talking with the students about their homes and reasons for coming to America. I also spoke with the ELL teacher at length about how best to represent the stories of her students. I decided not to correct the grammar of the students’ quotes, and I only added brackets when absolutely necessary for clarity. This allowed the story to authentically reflect the speech of these ELL students. Writing “In the Rough” gave me an unexpected introduction into how to handle sensitive topics and hesitant sources, as well as provided a voice to an all too often underrepresented group. It inspired me to find additional ways to tell the stories of those whose voices aren’t always heard.
Roots-n-Blues-n-BBQ is a festival that brings in musicians and food vendors from around the country. I’ve used audio and photography to tell the stories of some of those in attendance.
Oddly enough, one of the most challenging pieces I wrote was also relatively short, at least by my standards. “Prose, poetry, storytelling help develop inner voice” required me to talk about myself and my past. In my research I even went so far as to locate my old iPod Touch so I could accurately cite the origin of my passion for collecting quotations. I would rather use my writing to amplify the voices of others than to speak out myself. There was no interview I could transcribe, no three sources and a nut graph format to follow, just me and the daunting blankness of the paper. Even though I felt perpetually out of my comfort zone while working on the piece, I developed a stronger sense of my own voice as a writer because I had to relinquish my security blanket of first filtering it through the words of sources and statistics, and because of that experience I have sought to share my experiences and passions in order to bring my ideas to a wider audience.
As one of two editors in charge of designing and editing “Bearing News,” which publishes daily, my passion has been to find creative ways to tell stories.
Video storytelling allowed me to use my interviewees’ unedited voice along with relevant B-roll footage to present comprehensive, engaging segments. I recorded several news and feature stories, specifically about the Appletree Quilting Center and Student Council ‘s Hotchocolooza event. During Global Village, the school’s annual week of multicultural celebration, I released a package of videos featuring students from different cultures. During Women’s History Month, I also utilized video to compile female students’ answers to the questions “How do you define beauty?” and “What makes you feel beautiful?” Unlike writing and even audio-based storytelling, video is a platform upon which empathy and connection easy grow. By seeing a person’s face and hearing his or her voice, a videographer can humanize a particular topic to have the most long-lasting impact on a viewer, ultimately creating a powerful story.
To see the complete archive of Bailey Stover’s work, click here.