Keep in mind that my entire social media presence has only been in a professional or journalistic context responsibly representing Ladue Media since I started high school. Whether on Instagram, X, my website or MaxPreps, I believe I've been able to use platforms' strengths to my advantage as a reporter. I draw students to Instagram using solid, curated photos with well-explained captions. X allows me to send rapidly-developing updates and crosspost them to Instagram stories where I have a larger audience. My business website provides comprehensive coverage of events (larger volume of photos) and MaxPreps pairs my images with their rosters, schedule and profiles. When I post, my coverage is sharp — carefully cropped photos, copy that has been proofread several times over and including additional multimedia aspects as I see fit. I have also dipped my toes into making posts for another community institution — the district communications department — and understanding its differing goals from student media.
Fall Sports Carousel (September 2024)
This post uses a multi-image carousel designed in Canva to deliver aesthetic and factual coverage of Ladue fall sports, including football, field hockey and boys soccer. Rather than leaving the photos be and doing nothing in the post’s caption space, I wrote detailed, slide-by-slide captions that verifies scores, locations, dates and tournament outcomes while also previewing upcoming games to serve readers with actionable information. The caption adds context beyond what’s visible in the photos and functions as a mini sports roundup for students, families and fans. I also included future contests to build goodwill and engagement around school sports, and directed readers toward the full galleries for high-resolution versions.
See Design
Additional Carousel Examples - Basketball, Girls Swim (2023)
These posts show how I used social media for visual reporting and audience engagement. For the boys basketball district championship, I designed an interactive Canva layout that reveals a full recap of the energetic post-game celebration, complementing the live updates I posted on X. For the girls swim & dive tri-meet, I used a collage format to include a variety of action and emotion, then included a detailed, numbered caption listing athlete names, events, scores, and next-meet information, verified through the team’s management system and MeetMobile. Both posts invite corrections and link to full galleries.
See Design
Instagram Event Coverage - Metro Boomin Album Signing (December 2022)
This post shows how I used Instagram for on-the-ground community reporting that is relevant and trendy among my young audience, beyond school events. After seeing public social posts about a surprise appearance, I went to Vintage Vinyl in University City and was able to just walk in the store without security objecting. I documented the crowd, atmosphere and key details of the album signing. I wrote long for the caption, including context on who Metro Boomin is, his ties to St. Louis, what the event was promoting and what fans experienced. I also noted hyperlocal relevance (Ladue students attending) and included info on how to access the photos, along with clear copyright guidance (News Literacy).
X Sports Coverage - Vashon Basketball, COMO Swim Invite (early 2024)
These posts show I used X for fast, accurate sports reporting paired with my photography and video. I have done many results and score updates, publishing immediately after games. I’ve added context such as team records and rankings, then I provide forward-looking info (playoff matchups, dates, locations) that’s useful to students, families and fans. I’ve also included playoff brackets and links to official sources to reduce confusion and prevent misinformation. I extended coverage beyond my expertise of photos by posting short video clips that contextualize beyond still frames.
See Photojournalism
See Photojournalism
X Breaking News Coverage - Bomb Threat Updates (September 2024)
This artifact shows my ability to respond quickly and responsibly to breaking news affecting my school's safety. After a hoax call caused administrators to cancel school early that morning, I went on scene and used X (and IG stories) to report on updates for classmates, including video clips and photos paired with clear, fact-based details (law enforcement presence, safety measures, official statements). I recorded and posted the superintendent’s on-camera remarks to a local outlet, providing primary-source info rather than speculation. The experience also connected to my later district communications internship by showing how crisis updates are shaped through coordination between school leadership and communications staff.
Ladue School District Communications Social Graphics (October 2025)
I created three awareness posts (National Boss’s Day, Diwali and National School Bus Safety Week) for the district’s social media channels using Canva, as part of my communications internship. The goal was to practice the same kind of mission-aligned communications the district produces year-round: recognizing staff leadership, acknowledging community celebrations and reinforcing student safety. After one-on-ones with the communications director and coordinator, I designed these with mobile readability and brand consistency in mind: clean type hierarchy, simple layouts and district logos so the message lands quickly for families scrolling.
See Design
https://www.instagram.com/p/DP3vxCNEdH5/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQCC4TlDuE4/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQCQrQPickq/
See Marketing and Audience Engagement for additional Web-related artifacts with my photography website and MaxPreps.
See Reporting and Writing to view a timely artifact on how I used multiple platforms to report on a school walkout.
