Sophomore Snaps the Big Apple at The New York Times Summer Academy

Erin learned about the program from her dad who heard about it on NPR. Erin recalled, “He was very excited about the program and we started looking at it before specific information about the courses was even available.” Erin was looking for a new adventure in an unfamiliar place as well as the chance to improve her writing skills and New York City and The New York Times Summer Academy met that criteria. To apply, Erin had to answer several short essay questions about her interest in the program. “The process was extensive and there were seemingly endless pages of questions about personal details to answer,” she said.

As part of the program, Erin had the extraordinary opportunity to work first-hand with award-winning journalists from The New York Times. She loved everything about the program. “I loved exploring the city, which was an element of most of the things that we did. I enjoyed interviewing strangers on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum, and, for once, I actually liked working in groups with my peers. I had a blast exploring the diversity of Jackson Heights, and I really liked seeing Miss Saigon on Broadway.”

The program kept Erin busy all day and into the night, but she managed to make a couple of friends along the way and accomplish her goal to improve her writing skills. While she enjoyed the program it also challenged her. “The things that challenged me the most were having to talk to strangers and write articles that are short and to the point but are also eloquently written,” Erin stated. However, her interactions with new people proved successful, ultimately boosting her confidence in her interpersonal skills.

Erin was prepared for her experiences in NYC thanks in part to Sewickley Academy. “The Academy helped to prepare me for this program by teaching me how to write well, especially my eighth and ninth grade English classes. Even though journalistic writing is very different than writing an essay, you still have to be able to present your ideas and write eloquent sentences.”

According to a letter from Jonathan Friedlander, Vice President Marketing, Communications, and Admissions for The School of The New York Times, “Summer Academy students are challenged to tell the stories of their New York experiences through imagery and visual media in our annual Photojournalism Challenge. Participants in the challenge aim to present new and innovative angles on New York City and urban life, demonstrate the ability to use photos as a medium for storytelling and experiment with interesting levels of lighting and exposure. Winners are selected by a committee of The School of The New York Times staff and the social media editor of The New York Times based on criteria of visual aesthetic and journalistic integrity.” Out of hundreds of student submissions, Erin earned an honorable mention at the end-of-term Demo Day presentation.

Erin reflected on the two-week program and the Photojournalism Challenge. “I grew more and more excited about finding out the winners of the contest. I know and I have been told that my photographs are very good, so I was kind of expecting and certainly hoping to place in the contest. However, I prefer to take abstract or dramatic photographs of inanimate objects, and I am uncomfortable submitting photos of strangers to contests. I knew that my pictures were more artistic than photojournalistic, and I was aware that this might work against me. So, in the end, I am very pleased to have gotten honorable mention, and I am proud of my photographs as works of art.”

Having completed the “Writing in the Big City” course, she would definitely recommend The School of the New York Times. “I know that I'm biased, but I would say the “Writing the Big City,” course is the best one that you can take. You get to travel around, and learn how to write and think like a journalist. There are different courses for different interests, but all of them allow you to explore the city and work on cool projects.”

Although Erin has a passion for photography, she isn’t interested in pursuing it as a career. “I think I will always love taking pictures whenever something catches my eye. I will probably continue submitting photographs to various contests as well.”

Congratulations, Erin!

For her final project, Erin, along with two partners, visited and interviewed the immigrant owner/founder of a test prep center in Jackson Heights, Queens, NY and then wrote an article about the owner’s struggles and successes. Read Erin's article, "From Self-Taught to Teacher: An Immigrant’s Success Story."