Writing

Photo courtesy of Unsplash. When I originally started writing articles, I always wanted to go for the biggest story. I wanted stuff that was timely, widespread, controversial – something that would get my story on the front page. I think there is a misconception that if a story is strong enough, it doesn’t matter how well it is told. If it’s a big enough story, everyone will care. But this is far from the truth. Sometimes, the most important stuff is not what is visible. You

Photo courtesy of Unsplash. On July 17, 2024, at 14 years and 293 days old, Cavan Sullivan became the youngest player to debut for Major Leage Soccer. Appearing for the Philadelphia Union, Sullivan broke the previous record held by D.C. United’s Freddy Adu by 13 days. That is the big headline. In examples like this, the focus of the story often shifts to the game itself. How will Sullivan keep up with players twice his age? Will he be strong enough, fast enough, experienced e

A woman plays a fiddle. Photo courtesy of Unsplash. When contemporary folk duo Rakish performed at Frederick’s New Spire Arts in early April, they brought a blend of traditional Celtic music and modern influences with them. Rakish, pronounced ray-kuhsh, is made up of Maura Shawn Scanlin and Conor Hearn. Maura is originally from Boone, North Carolina and Conor is from Takoma Park, Maryland. The pair met through mutual music friends in Boston while attending the New England Con

Photo courtesy of Unsplash For a long time, journalism operated under a clear and tailored structure. Stories were always gathered, researched, and disseminated by trained reporters who work within established institutions. Information had to move through specific channels and verification processes before reaching the public. In today’s world, social media has complicated that structure. Anyone with a phone can document what is happening around them and share it instantly. A

One of the challenges I consistently ran into while interning at a local newspaper was figuring out what to write about in the first place. Most of the major stories were already taken. Traditional beat reporters covered city government, crime, education, health, agriculture, and business. I found myself struggling to fit into a particular news area. It sometimes felt like there were no stories left to tell. So, I had to change my course of action. I stopped relying on the ci

In community journalism, the most compelling stories are often about people finding new ways to navigate change, including when it comes to evolving technology. After pursuing music for four decades and opening for artists like Joan Jett and Blind Melon, Shepherdstown musician Scooter Scudieri has found an unlikely new collaborator: artificial intelligence. Scudieri, 57, recently spent months training ChatGPT to act as his manager, creating an AI-powered system that helps org

A person is surrounded by newspapers while reading one. Photo courtesy of Unsplash. Not everyone has time to read a 10-page article, whether it’s in print or online. That’s just reality. But what about those who do? Journalism has long relied on the inverted pyramid to structure stories with the most important information first, followed by less essential details. It ensures information is delivered quickly and efficiently. It also makes practical sense for editors. When spac

Chants and chatter filled the air as swarms of black and pink jerseys entered M&T Bank stadium on Saturday evening. One voice rang loudly amongst the cloud, leading D.C. United’s flagship chant. “ Vamos, Vamos United. Esta noche, tenemos que ganar.” Then came the opposing chant from the other side of the crowd. “Messi! Messi! Messi.” Fans were preparing to see D.C. United face off against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in a Major League Soccer (MLS) week three matchup. Although

A man rides a "penny-farthing" bicycle, also known as a high wheel bike. Photo courtesy of Unsplash. Too often, local coverage gives us just the basics — the facts, the numbers, the who/what/where/how — but misses the why , the personal inspirations and emotions of the people involved. That deeper motivation is the kind of thing that usually doesn’t make headlines or is sometimes left out of an article entirely. Community journalism isn’t simply about reporting. It should be

A young girl celebrates a point made while at a game for her local basketball team In a time when national and international headlines dominate our daily lives, some of the most powerful stories may be the ones unfolding in our very own neighborhoods. Yet, these are the stories that often go untold. Community journalism focuses on people, looking beyond major headlines and breaking news. I’m not just interested in which team won the game, I’m interested in the fan that came b

By Sofia Montoya-Deck Published in the Frederick News-Post on June 17, 2025 The cows at Black Rock Farm will soon be on the moo-ve. Black Rock Farm, north of Myersville, is implementing a cow-to-classroom mobile agritourism experience after receiving funding from a Frederick County Agricultural Innovation Grant. “The people that we will be going to are most likely people that don’t have the ability to come here,” Black Rock co-owner Victoria Robinson said. “This is what we k

By Sofia Montoya-Deck Published in the Frederick News-Post on July 26, 2025 Just a few years ago, four Brunswick teens had never heard of “adventure racing.” Now, they are travelling to Canada this weekend to compete in a 30-hour adventure race that includes trekking, mountain biking and canoeing. Jared Monge, 18, Jeremy Bel, 18, Jossalyn Henry, 17, and Lillian Cheesman, 17, make up team “Full Steam Ahead.” The competition will involve roughly 22 miles of trekking, 53 miles o

By Sofia Montoya-Deck and Mara K. Bell Published in the Frederick News-Post on June 14, 2025 A Frederick dentist is expected to return to his practice after serving a jail sentence, according to his office. Dr. Brian Motz, 45, who lives near Myersville, began serving his 90-day jail sentence at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center on April 25 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misusing a phone to repeatedly call and harass his ex-fiancee. The entrance to

By Sofia Montoya-Deck Published in the Frederick News-Post on June 27, 2025 Frederick and Brunswick will get expanded train and bus services as part of a new Maryland Transit Administration plan to upgrade Maryland Area Rail Commuter operations. The Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) Growth and Transformation Plan, released Wednesday, aims to expand weekday service on the Brunswick line during the initial five-year phase. The Brunswick line currently runs from Washington, D.C

By Sofia Montoya-Deck Published in the Frederick News-Post on June 30, 2025 A Texas man is accused of robbing an ATM repairman and stealing nearly $100,000 from a Capital One machine last October. Ulyssius Tedrick Deron McGee, 31, from Houston, was one of three men accused of aiding in the robbery of $99,434 from an ATM at the Capital One bank on West 7th Street in Frederick, according to charging documents. A Frederick County grand jury indicted McGee on charges of robbery,