Middle School students had an intensively inspiring week learning about of journalism alongside Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and freelance journalist Nora Neus.

 

Nora specializes in people-centered stories, and her multidisciplinary work focused on some of our world’s most challenging issues aims to amplify voices and motivate change. In 2018, Nora was covering the war in Syria while working for CNN. It was then that she met Muhammad Najem, a 15-year-old boy who was reporting about the war himself. Together, they created a story that would go viral across the globe and change the life of Muhammad and his family. After some time, Muhammad and Nora would come together again to write a graphic novel. “Muhammad Najem, War Reporter” tells the story of Muhammad, a teenage boy who risks his life to tell and show the truth. Armed with the camera on his phone and the support of his family, he starts reporting on the war in Syria using social media.

 

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter was the centerpiece for Nora’s visit. At the start of the week, Nora shared how her story as a reporter and Muhammad’s story intertwined, and how their collaboration resulted in a graphic novel that would become one of NPR’s Best Books of 2022. She shared insights about writing and developing a graphic novel, too; sharing details about the creative process on how the characters and dialogue boxes were created, and the intersections of telling a story that treats topics of violence accurately while keeping a young audience in mind. For Nora, distilling complex global issues into digestible narratives for youth is important. "They're living in this world, experiencing these things,” says Nora. “They need to understand the reality around them—some of them may even be the ones shaping solutions in the future, so it's crucial they're aware of what they're stepping into."

 

Throughout the week, students delved deeper into the realm of journalism, with some conducting podcast interviews with Nora. They explored the various phases of her career journey, from her transition from the newsroom to freelance writing to her strategies for managing challenging stories and circumstances. As Middle School fosters attitudes of leadership and proactivity, students, becoming increasingly aware of global issues like environmental degradation and social inequality, expressed their eagerness to effect change. But the question then arises: how? Nora shared advice and inspiration, encouraging students to learn their strengths to enact positive change in their own ways/ "I won't be on the front lines or running for office,” she shares. “But I know that this [writing and journalism] is where I believe I can help out the most.”

 

Nora Neus's visit was truly inspiring for Middle School students. Through her remarkable journey and collaboration with Muhammad Najem, Nora showcased the power of journalism to amplify voices and shed light on critical global issues. As these students embark on their own paths, Nora's words resonate as a call to action: to use their strengths, embrace their voices, and contribute to a world in need of compassionate and informed leaders.