At The Storm King School, independent studies offer students the opportunity to pursue their passions in meaningful and personalized ways. This year, senior Keiyona J. ’26 partnered with English Department Chair Dr. Alex Finn-Atkins to create an Independent Study in Journalism, a student-designed course that explored the creativity, ethics, and profession of reporting.

According to Dr. Finn-Atkins, the project reflected Keiyona’s initiative from the very beginning. During the first week of the fall semester, she approached Dr. Finn-Atkins with an idea: she wanted to study journalism in depth. While the English department already offers courses such as Creative Writing and Language and Composition, there is not a dedicated journalism class. With Keiyona hoping to pursue writing in college, an independent study became the perfect solution.

Keiyona took the lead in shaping the course. At the start of the semester, she wrote the class description and outlined the goals for her work. “The objective of the independent study is to develop journalistic skills in research, interviewing, writing, and media literacy,” explained Keiyona. By the end of the study, the goal for the course was for Keiyona to assemble a portfolio containing at least three polished pieces of journalism as well as a published final project. “I wanted to learn how to analyze credibility, learn how to conduct background research, and understand how to incorporate multimedia aspects like photos and infographics into my work,” continued Keiyona.

With this framework in place, the semester unfolded as a structured exploration of three core genres of journalism. Keiyona designed the curriculum herself, organizing the course into three units: a news article, a profile piece, and an investigative feature. Each unit required extensive research, interviews, drafting, and revision—mirroring the process professional journalists follow.

Throughout the semester, Dr. Finn-Atkins served as mentor and editor, helping refine ideas and guide the reporting process. One moment, however, stood out as particularly memorable.

For her final assignment—the investigative piece—Keiyona proposed taking a creative approach. Instead of writing a traditional feature, she framed the article as a crime report, with ADHD as the “crime” under investigation and teenagers as the “victims.” The piece examined possible causes of rising ADHD diagnoses among American teenagers, including technology overuse and social media, while incorporating perspectives from parents, psychologists, and students.

“This case involves serious accusations that ADHD and other correlating mental health disorders are on the rise amongst teenagers. This is allegedly due to technology overconsumption and increasing use of social media. This report aims to analyze these claims through a thorough investigation into the matter and provide a plan of action to further advance to a resolution,” said Keiyona.

The article concluded with a solutions-oriented perspective, focusing on ways students can better manage attention and distraction in a digital world. “This is why it is important to let students take ownership of their habits,” shared Keiyona. “Using features like app timers, focus mode, and do not disturb can prove more helpful than a simple ‘just pay attention.’ Students would benefit from being taught how to manage distractions and advocate for what they need and what helps them control their ADHD.”

By the end of the independent study, Keiyona had achieved the goals she set at the beginning of the semester. She produced three polished pieces across different journalistic forms and developed a portfolio showcasing her skills in research, interviewing, and storytelling. One of her works—a profile piece—was selected for publication in On the Mountain, The Storm King School’s bi-annual journal.

The experience highlights what independent studies can offer at The Storm King School: the chance for students to design their own learning journeys and pursue subjects that matter to them. For Keiyona, the course was both a creative outlet and a step toward her future ambitions in writing and journalism.

Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Finn-Atkins emphasized the value of giving students ownership over their learning: “Working with Keiyona was a reminder of how effective student-driven learning can be. She designed the course, challenged herself with different forms of journalism, and wasn’t afraid to experiment creatively with difficult topics. That kind of curiosity and initiative is exactly what independent studies are meant to cultivate.”