NC Press Association Award: Congratulations Sidney!
We have a big announcement! First, let me provide some background on how we arrived at this milestone.
For a year, I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring Davidson Local’s first intern, Sidney Briggs. When Sidney approached us about her interest in journalism, ironically at the memorial service for Antionette and I’s mentor in the newspaper industry the late Joe Sink, I had to pause. See, I met Sidney when she was an elementary student at the school where my mama, who has since retired, was principal: Charles England. So, when she shared her desire to join the Davidson Local team, I immediately thought, “Wait, when did Sidney grow up?”
But here she was, a rising senior in high school with plans for her last year and beyond. And an awareness of what would be beneficial to her. When we met to discuss her role with Davidson Local, I asked what encompassed her life. She shared with me the things of utmost importance to her: family, church, education, rowing, extracurricular activities and advocacy. Sidney also believes in the importance of the correct usage of media to get accurate information out to the public, which led her to work with Davidson Local.
When she submitted her first writing to me, I was stunned. In a great way. At 17 years young, Sidney’s writing skills are more than advanced. Her sentence structure was great. She utilized paragraphs well. And her grammar was, as I like to say, on point.
A few weeks into the internship, Sidney asked me if she could write an opinion piece on COVID-19 vaccinations. Up until that point, all opinions shared had been from adults. We saw it as a wonderful opportunity to hear from a member of Generation Z about last summer’s hottest topic.
The same quality writing I received from her articles is the same quality I received when she submitted her column. With an obvious knack for peeling back the layers of subjects through the eyes of a teenager, “From a Teen’s Perspective” was born.
Since her initial column was written, Sidney has used her voice to tackle topics such as tips for high school seniors, school dress codes, the importance of collaboration, holiday inclusivity, body positivity and voting. I’m always impressed with her boldness, awareness and willingness to issue a challenge in her columns.
Additionally, Sidney has penned articles where she’s covered city council meetings, shared information regarding #Elections2022, and community events. In her quest to grow, she refuses to limit herself. Sidney is willing to tackle assignments that may require her to venture outside of her comfort zone. In turn, it’s allowed her to become more rooted in her beliefs, gifts and writing.
Because these statements are true, we’re excited to announce that Sidney has won an award from the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA)!! In the serious columns category, in the editorial division, she was awarded second place for her column – From a Teen’s Perspective: COVID-19 Vaccinations.
In Sidney’s own words: “I am very honored to have been named the 2nd place winner for serious columns by the NCPA. It brings me joy that a youth opinion has been elevated to the state level, and I'm glad that my reflections on COVID-19 from a youth's perspective have made an impact. I hope this serves as a reminder of the importance of listening to youth voices and giving young people a platform for voicing their opinions and experiences. To move forward in society and to help nurture the youngest generation, it is important to help make our voices heard and to listen to what we have to say. I would like to thank the Davidson Local family, especially Ms. Kassaundra Lockhart and Ms. Antionette Kerr for giving me this opportunity to develop my writing, learn about journalism, and build a platform. Working with Davidson Local for the past year has been an amazing experience, and I could not have done this without them. Thank you to all that read my articles, and all who have supported me along the way!”
Sidney – Antionette and I are extremely proud of you! From day one, you’ve been dedicated to the mission of Davidson Local and its evident by your initiative, determination and development. We’re grateful to have you as a member of the DL family and we’re excited to see you continue to do great things – now, in college and in the future. Congratulations on your well-deserved award!!
