Simone Woodly

My mom was a fitness coach and influencer when I was growing up. Watching her create health and fitness content and tell stories on social media sparked my own love for creativity at an early age. By the time I was five years old, I was already recording videos on webcams and cell phones, taking photos, and creating stories with my dolls. At first, I thought I wanted a career in filmmaking, but over time I discovered a passion for journalism and storytelling.

My mom was instrumental helping me pursue that passion. Growing up, I faced challenges with ADHD, academics, and self-esteem. Instead of allowing those struggles to define me, she recognized that my greatest strength was my ability to hyperfocus on something I truly loved. When I was 14, she researched and enrolled me in my first summer video storytelling class. She then went a step further by calling local businesses and asking if they would allow me to interview them as part of my class project.

Every business she contacted said yes.

Those interviews became my first 12-minute documentary highlighting Tucker, Ga’s local business district, a story that was warmly embraced by the community. Soon afterward, the mayor reached out and offered to sit for an interview, giving me another incredible opportunity to grow as a young journalist.

The Tucker, Georgia community has supported me every step of the way. Local business owners, community leaders, and residents believed in me long before I had a résumé. My first 2 internships came directly from the relationships I built within my hometown. Throughout this journey, my dad has also been a constant source of wisdom and encouragement. Looking back, I know I wouldn't be where I am today without my parents and the incredible support of the Tucker community. 

For a long time, I was crazy shy and kept my accomplishments to myself. I rarely talked about the work I was doing outside of school. My high school friends had no idea that I had already built an extensive journalism portfolio and that my social media content had received more than one million likes.

Some great advice I got from my high school college counselor was "Don't be afraid to share what you do in your spare time, your hobbies, interests, and passions. You never know what opportunities can come simply because people know what you're capable of."

I've become a little comfortable but humility still comes more natural to me. My mom is much better at bragging about my accomplishments to everyone than I am.

I've learned that sharing your achievements isn't about showing off, it's about allowing others to see your passion, your hard work, and the value you can bring. Sometimes, the opportunities you're looking for begin with simply letting people know your story.

My advice is to start telling hyperlocal stories as early as possible. If you know in middle school or high school that you want to become a journalist, don't wait until college to get started. Find a journalism workshop or class. My first experience was an online summer video storytelling class at 14, which taught me how to structure and tell a video story like a journalist.

2^nd Take the initiative to tell stories from your own community. Start a blog, a YouTube channel, or a Substack. Stories are everywhere if you're willing to look for them. Interview local business owners, community leaders, artists, educators, or interesting people making a difference in your hometown.

You would be surprised by how many people are willing to say yes when a high school student introduces themselves as an aspiring journalist and asks for an interview.

Don't be afraid to volunteer your time or accept unpaid opportunities in the beginning if they help you build experience and a strong portfolio. My first internship came when I was 17 after a restaurant owner offered me an unpaid social media management internship. I worked there throughout my senior year of high school.

By the time I entered college and applied for highly competitive paid internships, I already had years of real-world journalism, storytelling, and content creation experience on my résumé. That early start gave me a significant advantage over other student applicants my age. 

Broadcast journalism is a highly competitive field, but it's also one of the most exciting times to enter the profession. During this time of digital media, there are more opportunities than ever. Journalists aren't limited to TV stations or newspapers. You can create your own platform through YouTube, social media, podcasts, newsletters, blogs, or Substack, and many journalists are successfully monetizing their work independently.

You can do the corporate career with a news organization, or you can build your own media brand as an entrepreneur. Many journalists are even combining both, working professionally while growing their own audience and personal platform on the side. If you have a camera, a smartphone, a story to tell, and the determination to keep learning, you can begin building your journalism career today. The opportunities are no longer limited to the jobs you can apply for.

Because I grew up an only child, relationships and work life balance is very important to me. I initially thought I wanted the life of a reporter working at a news station. When I spoke to multi media news station journalists about the very long hours, working holidays, weekends and having little work life balance, I knew that life wouldn’t be sustainable long term for me.

The people closest to me are one of the most important parts of my life, and I don't want a career that requires me to consistently sacrifice those relationships. That's one of the reasons I'm so excited about the changing media landscape. For me, success isn't just about professional accomplishments, it's also about having the time to invest in the people I love while continuing to do work that makes a positive impact.