SIPA President Lucas Donnelly

ODYSSEY Media Group, Clarke Central HS (Athens, Georgia)

What is your position on staff?
I am the Visuals Coordinator, as well as a Journalism I facilitator (student teacher/helper for freshman journalists).

What are your passions outside of journalism? 
I have been playing piano for over 10 years now! I also enjoy playing tennis, although I’m quite out of practice.

What have been some of your favorite stories that you have covered and why?
Shooting galleries for football games has been - and probably always will be - my favorite type of event to cover. When I’m on the field, there isn’t a second to waste. There’s constantly something to be taking photos of, and the games seem to finish just as soon as they started. The energetic atmosphere of football games never fails to put me in the zone, and has allowed me to produce some of the best photos I’ve ever taken.

What do you want to pursue after high school?
The big plan right now is to enter the field of either photojournalism or law. Aside from that general plan, I’m looking forward to taking things one day at a time.

What advice do you have for other high school journalists?
Stay humble. If I listened to every single piece of criticism I received about my work, regardless of whether I liked it or not, I’d have won a Pulitzer by now. When receiving feedback, each person’s suggestions should be taken into account; every voice should be heard. In my experience, some of the best feedback I’ve ever gotten has been not from my peers or teachers, but from random students who know little to nothing about journalism. You don’t have to always get your advice from people who are “better” than you, and you don’t have to be “better” than someone to give advice!