Personal Narrative

     It wasn't until I was live on WBRC Fox 6 News discussing the importance of suicide and mental health awareness that I truly understood the impact I could have on others. That experience reshaped the way I approach storytelling--not just creating something for me, but doing it to leave a lasting impression on my community and the world. Now, as I leave high school and begin to pursue journalism and filmmaking, I aim to tell meaningful and impactful stories that not only uplift others but also uncover the truths of the world that others may be too afraid to say.

     I was pulled onto my school's broadcasting staff, THSTV, before my sophomore year. The staff needed new strong editors, and after spending my freshman year creating short films in the foundational TV & Film class, my adviser Mrs. Chambers decided I would be a great fit. Although I spent my time behind the scenes growing up in theater, joining THSTV required me to step outside of my comfort zone and be on camera. The senior members assigned me my first real story: the homecoming parade. I had to go out on my own, a bag full of equipment I'd never seen before swung on my shoulder, to report the event, and edit my first package in one night. Yet that story made me fall in love with on-the-scene reporting. I loved being able to have a voice for the community and to report on something that people were genuinely interested in. Every Monday when we planned our stories for the week, I was quick to pick up a package and run out of the classroom with a camera in hand to start finding interviews and information. 

     However, my love for film never wavered. While reporting stories, I was also filming PSAs and commercials, producing them on my own. My true love of storytelling was in film and documentaries, utilizing music and camera angles to tell a story that people could connect with. My first PSA, Don't Stay Silent, was submitted for the Greatest Save Teen PSA Award, and it ended up winning nationally...twice. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go on WBRC Fox 6 and have my PSA broadcasted live on the news, and I was able to discuss how important I believe suicide awareness is. After experiencing a loss to suicide myself, being able to talk about this in front of a large audience was incredibly important, and proved to me that this is what I wanted to do for a career. I wanted to continue to tell stories and shine light on ideas that others might be too afraid to say, to show the community that they are not alone and can have a voice. Winning awards for my work and being told of the impact I left gave me the confidence to continue creating and reporting on what I felt was misrepresented in the media and solidified my choice to pursue it as a career.

     Along with my PSA, I was able to represent Thompson High School with many other projects. Between my SRO vehicle design, being the southeast media representative for a live NAHS broadcast, winning the Alex House Journalism Sustainability Award on behalf of the school and making sure THSTV was present at every event at Thompson event, reporting live for the school, I am positive I have made a long-lasting impact on the school and community and left a legacy.

     I have spent three years on THSTV. During those years, I have pushed myself in my ability to tell stories and engage with others. I was always shy, and quite honestly felt like a fool being on camera, but the last year on THSTV has shown me that I love showing myself and my personality to the world. Not only that, but I have truly enjoyed being able to advocate and be a representative for those without a voice and always aim to push for more inclusivity in the media industry. As a woman with a hearing disability, I understand and advocate for captions and other accessibility measures in media. I even got permission to do a non-traditional news package in sign language to bring deaf awareness to Thompson High School. Along with this, I tend to gravitate towards stories many people are not aware of, such as my "Revealing a Hero" story about a student who saved a life after a football game, or my Empty Bowls package bringing attention to a local community project. I believe it is tremendously important for all parts of the community to have a voice, and I hope to be a kind, real representative for everyone.

     My years in the media didn't come without pushback. I was thrown into THSTV as a fifteen-year-old, surrounded by seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds who saw journalism as a competition--not as a collaborative effort. I was talked down to, patronized, and my work never seemed to be celebrated by the people who were meant to be my mentors and supporters. Along with that, I was required to have double jaw surgery, and being out for months on end with no ability to talk left me feeling helpless. For almost a year, I felt like I had no voice to stand up for myself, my ideas, or the people in my community who needed it. Despite this, I continued to create. I made graphic designs, edited creative videos, and illustrated many works that I am still proud of. I came out of surgery strong enough to attend ASPA 2024 and got to see all of the work I had submitted just days after surgery win awards. I knew my place was in journalism and media, and nothing would stop me from creating more. Art ran through my blood, and there are so many stories I am ready to share with the world that I can't stop now.

     Four years of experience in scholastic student media has shown me that this is the career path I truly desire. While I used to remain adamant that I would be just a cinematographer behind the scenes, I now know that I want to use my voice and my skills for more. I want to tell stories people can connect with and report important and ethical news for the world. 

     I am incredibly thankful that all the decisions I have made in my life led me to this point. Journalism changed my life, presented me with a voice when I felt like I didn't have one, and showed me that I can leave a long-lasting impact on others. I am so excited to start my professional career in journalism and continue to tell stories for the world.

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Oswin Colley

Alabama Journalist of the Year