Middle School
Journalist of the
Year
Charlotte Jones
Drake Middle School
Arvada, CO
A Little Bit About Me
My name is Charlotte Jones. I am in 8th grade at Drake Middle School. I am in all honors classes and have had a 4.0 GPA every trimester throughout middle school.
I am passionate about journalism! I was selected to join the yearbook staff in the 2021-2022 year. I was honored to earn the position of Co-Editor-in-Chief this school year. I am creative, responsible, and hardworking. My mom is an artist, so I have had a lifelong passion for writing and design. My parents always encouraged me to be creative and strive for excellence. Yearbook and journalism have provided me with a challenging but fun way to express my creativity and school pride.
Writing Example: Math Story
This year, our school adopted a new math program, which many students do not like. I was challenged to write a story about the struggles of adjusting to the new program.
To see proofs, click on links below:
Writing Example: Summer Movies
This story pairs with my summer mod (next slide) about the return of movies to the theatres after the pandemic.
To see proofs, click on links below:
Design Example: Summer Spreads
Our staff was brainstorming a fun and original way to cover the summer box office hits, since the theaters were newly reopened. I thought it would be really interesting to find people to dress up as the movie characters! I also included a small story about the theater reopenings.
To see proofs, click on links below:
Design Example: Profile Page
Every year, we do profiles in our book. It is a great way to cover individuals more in depth. This year we were brainstorming profiles that would match our techy theme. That is where the choose your character originated from. One of my fellow editors came up with the idea for this spread, and we worked together to make it happen. This spread was a good lesson in teamwork, because we were able to combine her ideas with my design skills and make a new variation of a page that we had never put in our yearbook before.
That spread was later adapted to go on the mugshots page as a large mod.
To see proofs, click on links below:
Design Example: Opening and Closing Spreads
Our theme this year was ‘Next Level.’ We wanted a central idea that was bold and fun. The openers and closers provided the perfect combination of brightness and maturity that really sets the style for the rest of the book.
To see proofs, click on links below:
Photography Example: WEB Photo
Every year, the WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Leaders at Drake welcome the new sixth graders in a themed day of fun. This year’s theme was Hawaii! I took this photo of Sadie Weborg during the welcoming speech when energy was very high and everyone was happy. I love the color composition and the lighting in this photo, and I am proud of the great leader she has become!
To see proofs, click on links below:
Teacher Recommendations:
Me with yearbook adviser Laurel Wicke
The Importance of Middle School Yearbook and Journalism
My Essay is linked below:
Me with my co-editor in chief Sadie Weborg at JDay 2022.
The Amazing Drake Yearbook Staff!
This year, there were two applicants from our school. My fellow Co-Editor-in-Chief Sadie Weborg and I both applied. I am grateful to have been chosen as the final applicant from Drake, but I wanted to honor her efforts as well. Furthermore, I would like to thank our entire staff for being incredible partners and friends throughout the years. Finally, I would like to thank my adviser, Mrs. Wicke, for always encouraging and supporting me. I am proud to be on the staff of one of the top award-winning middle school yearbooks in the country. It is an experience I will cherish forever, regardless of whether I win the award or not. Thank you!
The 2022-23 Lair Staff at JDay 2022.
Thank You For Your Consideration!
I recognize that I am one application out of many, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to review my application.