Personal Statement

Hudson Fox

Carlmont High School

NSPA Writer of the Year Submission

Under the cover of darkness, I pulled out a small notebook – one filled with daily observations, the sort of small memories and tidbits that when read aloud, inevitably spark a flash flood of memories.

However, that wasn’t the notebook’s purpose. I was writing all these notes to myself and planned on smuggling them out of a country where criticizing the government could mean a lengthy prison sentence or death.

From my coverage of the Nicaraguan presidential elections this past November, I learned what the true meaning of journalism is: to provide unfettered, objective access to the truth. Worldwide, journalists face death threats for their work; yet, if no one were to hold the powerful accountable, then progress would stall. Journalism plays an integral role in society, and I hope to do that mission justice through my writing.

It also is a powerful tool to uplift the stories of underrepresented groups and offer unique perspectives on current events. When I walked down the streets of San Francisco and heard my friend comment on the horrific conditions that the local unhoused population has to contend with, I was inspired to elevate their voices and bring forth a proposal for change.

Above all, it is a tool for communication – and editorials do just that. As part of the Scot Scoop Editorial Board, I’ve pitched ideas, debated points of view, and compromised on a few topics when I write as a representative of the board itself. But no matter how much disagreement there may be, the goal of this writing remains constant: to connect the students to a pressing issue. For the first semester, it was the reckless abandon with which students were posting and commenting on each other’s Instagrams, Tiktoks, you name it. In the second semester, it was a somber reminder of the dangers of illicit substances. Seeing a need in my community, I addressed it, bringing common sense and practicality to the forefront of my message.

Soon, I’ll implement that same ethic as Editor-in-Chief. Providing concise, relevant, and ground-breaking coverage to the community around me has been a goal of mine since entering the journalism program in sophomore year, and I believe those goals will translate to my work next year.

Portfolio

Below, I have included five articles published over the span of the 2021-2022 school year that I believe represent some of my most impactful writing.

News
Nicaraguan presidential election undermines the prospect of democracy

Sometimes, a news story falls into your lap. Other times, you have to pursue a lead doggedly. This past summer, I traveled to Nicaragua as part of a cultural immersion and service trip, and while in the country, I noticed something interesting on Twitter’s trending local topics. At the top of the list, news of a journalist's arrest was trending. After doing more research, I found that this story was one of many, a trend of raiding publications and taking journalists captive that the Nicaraguan government co-opted as a weapon of choice in the information wars leading up to the country's November general election. I had a vague idea of the state of democracy in Nicaragua before flying out, but once on the ground, the true extent of the ruling government’s propaganda was evident.

In the FSLN (Sandinista National Liberation Front) strongholds, one could see a telephone pole painted with party colors at every turn. I covertly snapped photos, unsure as to whether a story would materialize. But when November rolled around, it was clear that the story needed to be told.

Preserving journalistic freedom and integrity is a personal goal of mine, and telling this story of repression and control served to document the struggle for democracy and press freedom in Nicaragua while acting as a catalyst for greater visibility and awareness of international events in my school and immediate community.

Feature
America's next epidemic:
the fentanyl crisis in San Mateo County

The hardest stories to write are the ones that hit closest to home.

Tragically, Carlmont High School experienced an unimaginable loss of a student this past August. The fact that fentanyl caused his death reflected an unnerving trend emerging in cities across the United States. Every week, more adolescents succumb to a killer so potent, that it takes less than a pinch to end a life. A killer so invisible, that many don’t realize they’ve ingested it until it is too late. A killer so deadly, that in 2020 alone, tens of thousands of Americans fell victim to its effects.

To tackle an issue of this magnitude, a localized approach was needed. That is why, ultimately, I focused on what local officials were doing to combat this crisis. Interviewing both sides of San Mateo County’s two-pronged attack on fentanyl, a compelling narrative emerged: even as undercover cops were doing their best to bust illegal operations and arrest the perpetrators, some still slipped through the cracks and caused harm. As a result, education and accessibility were focal points of the county’s approach to the fentanyl crisis. Moreover, when I heard a county health official resolutely declare that they had a thousand fentanyl testing strips ready for anonymous pickup, I realized that this article had a greater purpose than just informing the community: it could save lives.

Feature
Humanizing homelessness:
The stories of Miguel, Karina, and Manuel

A rare opportunity presented itself: the chance to follow a Good Samaritan around homeless encampments on a weekend. With housing costs skyrocketing and the debilitating economic effects of a pandemic continuing to impact marginalized communities, I identified a need to write a story about the unsheltered population in San Mateo County.

As local debates over the solution to the homelessness crisis intensify, the media can lose sight of the people whose daily lives are affected by this crisis. To address that gap, I pursued a first-hand perspective of the challenges of homelessness and delivered that to readers in an approachable and people-oriented way.

One major complication I was confronted with was the issue of sourcing. A source expressed concern with their full name being published, and to quell this fear and allow the source to feel more comfortable with sharing their story, I decided to use the first names of the sources as a way to preserve some semblance of anonymity.

Opinion
The time is now: The failure to deal with the world's climate crisis

Writing in the shadow of the upcoming United Nations Climate Conference (COP26), I wrote this opinion piece as a wake-up call for the leaders of the world and communicated a clear message: they need to do better. Not only for the sake of future generations but for the well-being of Earth itself.

And yet, that message is probably one that’s been repeated hundreds of times, with far too few solutions proposed as a remedy. So, I set out to fix that. Replete with facts, data, and quotes, I proposed a sensible first step in solving our climate crisis and called upon the leaders of first-world countries to stop ignoring the problem and instead actively try to fix it. Echoing an age-old adage, the piece communicates a simple, yet effective theme: actions will speak magnitudes of volume louder than words.

Editorial
Being conscious of your digital footprint is more important than ever

Startled by the impulsiveness and reckless abandon that countless teens exhibit when interacting on social media and using the reprehensible emails uncovered by the NFL’s investigation into former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden as an anecdote, the purpose of this editorial was to call attention to an issue largely ignored by teenagers: how their digital profile can impact future professional and educational prospects.

Ever since the advent of the World Wide Web, technology and media creep further and further into our lives. Nowadays, one would be hard-pressed to find a teenager who doesn’t interact with friends or classmates over some sort of social media. And that’s precisely where the problem arises: how does one stay safe and avoid making poor choices on social media? By using common sense. By being safe and smart.

In the age of “disappearing” videos from Snapchat and “vanishing” messages on Instagram, the truth is less comforting: everything you do on the internet has the potential to be permanent and can come back to haunt you in the future.