Take a look at a few pieces that I wrote using my knowledge of both AP style and journalistic style writing.
Beat Q&A
Caroline Lumpkin, who has been volunteering with Extra Special People since she was 13 years old, is now the Athens Family Coordinator for the nonprofit organization.
Q: In a few words, could you explain what ESP is for those who might not have heard of it before?
A: ESP is a nonprofit that exists to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families, changing community for the better. Our goal here is to just have fun with people with disabilities, provide them opportunities that they might not get outside of ESP, and then provide that also for their families.
Q: When did you get involved personally and what prompted your desire to join an organization like this?
A: I got involved when I was a teenager, the first time I volunteered I was 13/14. When I was 17, I was in an adaptive PE program at my high school for our special education students, and my friend was volunteering at ESP’s after school program and invited me to come with her. I graduated from college in May of 2022 and did an AmeriCorps program with ESP. This summer I was offered a full time job with ESP.
Q: Have you always known that you wanted to work with people with disabilities?
A: My dad was a special education teacher and my mom was a teacher as well. She taught pre-K so she had a lot of students with disabilities in her classes and so I was just exposed from a really young age.
Q: What would you say a day in your life looks like as the family coordinator?
A: It looks very different every day but typically a lot of emailing back and forth with families, phone calls with families, usually adjusting registrations, answering any questions that they might have about what registration looks like, leading those new family meetings. A lot of conversational pieces with families.
Q: You guys have Big Hearts coming up in February, could you explain a brief overview of what that weekend looks like?
A: The Big Hearts experience weekend includes a talent show and a gala. So next Friday night, the 16, we’re having a talent show at Athens Church. They audition to be in the talent show and we find where they best fit. Our participants get to show their talents on stage for everybody to see. On Saturday, we have a gala to celebrate it, that’s at the Classic Center. People travel really far to get there.
Q: If someone in the Athens community was looking to become involved with ESP, and had no experience, what would you say should be their first step?
A: I would definitely say to volunteer. It’s the best way to get involved. You don’t have to have any experience to become a volunteer, we’ll train you up and teach you. You just have to have the heart for it.
Comments trimmed for length and clarity
Caroline Lumpkin, Athens Family Coordinator for ESP, stands in the doorway of their main offices. Lumpkin has worked with ESP for years and is enjoying her new role.
(Photo/Katie Smith)
"Why I Wrote The Story"
This story was newsworthy to me because ESP is an organization that really benefits a portion of the Athens community, but does not receive a lot of coverage or attention. This was my first time conducting an interview, so I learned a lot about effective note taking, questioning, and follow up.
Event Preview
UGA Miracle will hold the 29th annual Dance Marathon, benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, beginning on Feb. 24, 2024 at the Tate Student Center in Athens. The event will last until Sunday morning, with the fundraising total reveal and closing ceremonies finishing out the activities for the weekend. UGA Miracle is a student-run organization at the University of Georgia whose aim is to help bring positivity to families that have been affected by pediatric cancer.
Since 1995, the group has donated over $14 million to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, commonly referred to as CHOA. Last year, the event hosted nearly 2,000 students, as well as teachers, faculty, staff. They revealed their final fundraising total of $1,032,572.
During the marathon, attendees can participate in a variety of activities such as a silent disco, rave, different team challenges and dances to help keep participants lively. There will also be a variety of snacks and meals provided. On Saturday, the “hair chop challenge” takes place, in which volunteers cut their hair to donate to Children With Hair Loss, an organization that creates wigs for children with medical-related hair loss. There will also be live music from the Sunday Driver Band and Five Gallon Flow, two bands local to Athens, Georgia.
Aside from the entertainment, UGA Miracle emphasizes the importance of hearing from families whose children have spent time at CHOA and therefore have formed a relationship with the hospital. This year, the Gossling and Hopkins families, who both lost young children to different types of cancers, will be sharing their stories with the crowd. “You realize, like, these are real people and their lives were so affected by something beyond their control,” Tess Abraham, UGA Miracle Executive Director, said. “Every year I walk away feeling more inspired than the last.”
Click here to see my social media coverage for this event on Instagram or view photos above
"Why I Wrote The Story"
I found this story newsworthy because of the size and impact of UGA Miracle and Dance Marathon specifically. Through research and coverage of this event, I learned how to effectively use social media to share information to inform the public while also taking notes and speaking to attendees.
News Conference Story
Athens-Clarke County Mayor, Kelly Girtz, held a news conference on Friday, April 19, to discuss the Future Land Use Plan, a proposal that has the potential to increase homelessness and gentrification in Athens. As shared by Girtz, the Affordable Housing Investment Strategy, completed in 2023, concluded that affordability is decreasing, and demand for housing is increasing. Additionally, the population of Athens is expected to increase by over 30,000 residents by the year 2045. The number of homes is not following the same trend. Because of this, the plan intends to create higher density areas around Athens that can accommodate more people, while also keeping in mind both the cost of living and the quality of the current infrastructure. As mentioned by Girtz, the reality of the increasing population would mean that more individuals would be living above supermarkets and stores.
Made obvious by public opinion and polling that was done by the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government, the Future Land Use Plan raised several concerns regarding gentrification and the homeless population in Athens. Mayor Girtz was not apprehensive to admit that both homelessness and poverty exist in Athens. He shared during the conference that 25% of the population of Athens is living in poverty.
“You know, it’s like a game of musical chairs,” Girtz said. “If there aren’t enough chairs and there are too many people, every one of those persons is going to be swirling around, looking to buy a home, potentially in a historically African American neighborhood.”
As a solution, he offered the plan of creating more population density at major intersections such as Georgia Square Mall, Beechwood and Normaltown, so that more Athens residents have a place to live.
Homelessness is certainly not a new phenomenon in Athens. Corley Imes, a second year student at the University of Georgia, explains how she has seen the homeless population change throughout the 20 years that she has lived here. Corley explained that having worked in a retail store downtown, she has seen the increase in people experiencing homelessness around just that area alone. With the implementation of the Future Land Use Plan, many wonder if that population will continue to grow, and if more people will be forced out of their homes because they can no longer afford to pay rent.
Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz speaks to students during a news conference at UGA’s Instructional Plaza South Auditorium on April 19, 2024. During the conference he explained the Future Land Use Plan and answered questions from the audience.
(Photo/Katie Smith)
"Why I Wrote The Story"
I felt that this story was newsworth as Girtz discussed a plan that would impact the life of every Athens resident, whether it be a positive or negative effect. Through this assignment, I was able to practice my ability to actively listen and transcribe important notes.