Local students honored with journalism scholarships

Before writing the next chapters of their academic and journalistic careers, some young journalists have picked up another honor to add to their résumés.

Three student journalists are being honored with scholarships by Times Review Media Group. The students represent the three high schools in Southold Town.

Joseph Kneuer of Southold High School, Jada Marine of Mattituck High School and Liam Rue of Greenport High School were selected. All three are seniors.

Joseph has written for the Southold school newspaper, The Sentinel, since he was a sophomore and this year served as its editor. He said he is most proud of a piece he wrote about registering to vote. “Not that many students were registered to vote and I felt it was important to take some civic responsibility,” he wrote.

Joseph said he hopes to write for a school publication when he attends Boston College.

Jada said her involvement with Mattituck’s school paper, The Mattitalk, “has not only reinforced essential skills, such as time management, leadership and collaboration, but it has also broadened my own perspective as a writer, and a person. Reading articles from so many different students with their own unique writing styles undoubtedly exposed me to so many new ideas and forced me to take a new look at many different stances I previously had.”

Jada said the piece of journalism she is most proud of was her article, “Living with Autism,” about growing up with her autistic brother. She plans to be involved with the Collegiate Times at Virginia Tech, where she will be a biological science major.

Liam served as editor of Greenport’s paper, The Quill, which launched its website Nov. 6, 2020, at a time when many students were working remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. During his time writing for The Quill, Liam said he has delved into various areas ranging from political issues such as immigration, policing, affordable housing and gun control to music and satire. What stands out in his mind was a 2019 article he wrote about a bond proposal for upgrades to the Greenport school. Calling it the first “comprehensive work of journalism” he had done with interviews of teachers, students and the superintendent at the time, Liam said he came across a “revelation.” An anonymous teacher told him many of the physical upgrades and new AP classes were superficial.

Liam will study political science and linguistics at the University of Massachusetts.