Writing Samples
These are different stories I wrote during my time at the University of Texas. My stories for Reporting Texas were done in my last long semester - Reporting Texas is a class that publishes stories online (paragraph titles below link out) after they are pitched, green-lit and have gone through an editing process. My story for the Cactus Yearbook was written in my first year at UT and, along with several others, was published in the 2012-13 yearbook.
Latest Projects
This story is about Joseph Kish, a taxidermist who drastically improved the field of taxidermy for years to come. He is famous among the world of taxidermists and is credited with a few major advancements to the field, including the creation of taxidermy competitions.
"Kish never made any money from his innovations, but that was fine by him.
'I fulfilled and satisfied myself,' he said. 'I didn't want to be a businessman; I wanted to be a sculptor,' meaning someone who creates the mannequin, or forms, over which the hide or skin is applied."
This story is about the rising trend of people brewing their own beer at home, otherwise known as 'home brewing,' specifically in and around Austin.
"Last May, in honor of his daughter, who was graduating from Texas A&M University, the software engineer created a special blend and named it for her. 'Her nickname is CC, and she's blonde, so I made a blond-colored beer and named it CC Blond,' Camden, 62, said. He entered the beer in a competition that summer and won third place."
REPORTING TEXAS: Threshold Choir
This story is about the Austin chapter of the national organization Threshold Choir, a choir that aims to sing for people near the end of their lives to help comfort them.
"In a side room at Christopher House on a recent Tuesday night, four women are rehearsing for the evening's musical performance. They determine who will sing the melody and other vocal parts and run through the songs in the binders they are carrying. Then they walk into the hallway in a slow parade and start singing - soft, gentle, a capella melodies for an audience of patients who are nearing the end of their lives."
UT Micro Farm
From the group of students speculating in an environmental science course to having workdays every Saturday, UT's very own Micro Farm has gone from a small idea to an amazing reality. When the group of senior students in Dr. Banner's class wrote up a proposal that was funded by the UT Green Fee, they passed on the project to Daniella Lewis.The idea that a Micro Farm could be implemented so soon excited her. The project has come a long way – currently Saturdays are workdays devoted to small construction projects, getting soil ready, weeding, and all the other things that have to be done to grow food, with much more planting and harvesting on the way. In the first season alone the plan is to grow okra, sweet potatoes, corn, and much more – even herbs to contribute to the medicinal garden, just one of many themed gardens. Of course, all this food will go to wonderful uses; Lewis shared that the food will be used in campus dining halls, a student-run farm stand, and a local food shelter.
Needless to say, there’s plenty of work going into this project; outside workdays, the leadership team takes time to set up events, work fundraisers, and collect the necessary materials to help this whole project run smoothly. With all the effort being put into this, Lewis believes the Micro Farm will provide many opportunities, from internships to becoming a national model. Regardless of what happens, it’s clear UT’s very own Micro Farm will have a great affect on our campus – as she said, “Food is fundamental and connects us all.”