SEAN MCGOWAN
Copywriter/Proofreader
Lead With Humanity
Great reporting begins with people. People aren't just your audience — they're at the core of every major event. They're the voices that activate widespread change without a megaphone or a platform. All they need is someone who cares enough to write their story.
The Republic-Times
The Republic-Times is a small town newspaper in Waterloo, Illinois, where I served as the sole reporter for the entire Monroe County community. I covered everything from education to human interest stories, politics, local business and more.
My flu outbreak story helped set the tone for what was to come in the area in terms of widespread illness. Talking about the effects this particular strand of flu was having on individuals and the steps that people could take to mitigate it helped keep the community safe and informed.
Giving teen offenders a chance to stay out of the court system resonates with me, making this one of the more exciting stories for me to have covered. The teens involved in Teen Court showed a lot of passion for helping their peers, and the story helped solidify that there's something special about the people of Monroe County.
The Mystic Oaks story shows a local business owner's willingness to persevere in times of hardship.
I enjoyed meeting and talking to Kolton and his mom, but beyond that, this story serves as one of many examples of the Monroe County community coming together to help one of their own.
School and community leaders in Waterloo stepped up to rally around those struggling emotionally with suicides happening among teens in the school district.