MAYA CLEMENT
Editing, leadership, and team building are all very important to me. I think that they are vital to having an efficient and well maintained staff. As Managing Editor, I edit all of the magazine stories and assist with editing website stories. I really value teaching through edits instead of just providing critiques. I also like to prioritize team bonding and mentorship, something I am passionate about.
STAFFERS SAY!
"Maya is disciplined and has an insane work ethic. She sees through everything she puts her mind to and can keep a team of people on task with ease. Despite how stern she'll come across she's actually extremely caring and will be there to support anyone that needs it."
​
-- Cadence Schapker, Sports Editor
"Maya is extremely hardworking; I really admire her determination and persistence. I've watched her edit pieces that weren't supposed to be hers in the first place with no complaints. She's also an excellent leader. Maya is a great balance of commanding and encouraging, and helps even the most reluctant staffer get things done. I love getting to work with her!"
​
-- Anna Shaikun, Digital Editor-in-Chief
"Maya is fantastic person to work with and she works really hard to make everyone in the class comfortable. As an editor Maya provides really great feedback and is a is somebody who really puts in the work. You can really see that she cares about what she’s doing and she cares about the staff that she works with. Maya is reliable and will hold you accountable. All in all Maya is a great leader and teammate who works to create a good class environment."
​
-- Audrey St.Onge, Business Manager
"Maya Clement is one of the most— if not the most— hard-working people I’ve ever met. She is smart and funny, and I have yet to encounter someone who gives a better death stare. I admire her commitment to the program, and I know she’s got a bright future ahead of her."
​
-- Adah Hamman, News Staffer
"I’ve probably worked with Maya more than I have anyone else on staff, and I always enjoy it. Maya was an exemplary editor even as a sophomore, always checking in and giving quality feedback. Later, as she moved into a cabinet position, Maya became a great leader and role model for the class as a whole. Her diligence and work ethic means that she can do absolutely anything she puts her mind to, and seeing her has inspired to work harder and take on more challenges."
​
-- Isabella Westrich, News Editor
EDITING
Editing is one of my passions in the program as I really enjoy getting to see a story develop and the staffer's writing improve. Coming into this year, I was confident in my editing abilities because I got a lot of experience last year. I knew that this year would be the perfect opportunity for me to develop this skill even further by editing longer pieces and really challenging myself to think like a reader.
Editing process
I wrote this in my editor's synthesis at the end of my year as the Beat Editor. I was writing this to the next Beat Editor in order to give them some advice. While I wrote it with news briefs in mind, my editing process for any story is very similar to this. I have found that going through the story this way helps me catch the most amount of mistakes and enables me to leave the best comments. I also like to personalize my editing for each person. For example, if I know a staffer might not like being overwhelmed with comments, I will either sit down with them and work them through the mistakes or I will pick something specific to edit and repeat that process until the story is perfect.
Beat Editor
My first year in Production I was the Beat Editor. Beats are news briefs that are turned in on a three week cycle. Every weekend, I would edit that week of beats and on the following Monday I would conference with the writers. I edited on paper as the Beat Editor because it was a good way to enforce reading carefully. I enjoyed doing this because it also allowed me to have more accountability with staffers as they had to turn in the paper at the end of class on Friday. While I enjoyed editing on paper, I don't rely on it anymore because it isn't very sustainable and it can be difficult with stories that need to be edited quickly.
Feature story editing examples
After Section Editors finish editing their staffers feature stories for the Newsmagazine, I edit the stories. I did this as Lead Copy Editor and I will continue doing this as Print Managing Editor. Both of these stories were for experienced editors so the comments were more broad to allow them to maintain their own voice. I absolutely love editing stories so being able to edit all of the Newsmagazine stories is amazing. I also love watching the development of the story from the rough to the final draft stage because I am able to assist in and see everybody's progress.
​
Click on the pictures to read the edits!
Website story editing examples
As the Lead Copy Editor, I finalized all of the stories posted on the website and assisted in half of the initial editing. For the most part, I edited the stories after the Section Editors and Digital Junior Copy Editor finished editing the story. I enjoyed getting to edit the website stories because they were shorter than the feature stories, but I was able to identify what people were struggling with. I also was able to work with the Digital Junior Copy Editor on her editing skills and making sure that she had the resources she needed. Being able to finalize stories was really exciting because it meant that my editing capabilities were trusted.
​
Click on the pictures to read the edits!
Ultimate content spreadsheet
In order to organize who was editing each story, what stage of the editing process stories were in and quality of the story, I used this spreadsheet that everyone on the Digital Staff and Cabinet had access to. The helps keep everyone on the same page and allows the information to be easily accessible.
Copy editing the magazine
Once the Editor-in-Chief finishes compiling the magazine into a pdf, we print it out and our adviser and I copy edit the magazine. I have done this for the past three issues and I really enjoy it. I like being able to see the whole product together. I try to take my time with each story and look at all of the elements. I look at how everything looks on the pages, any inconsistencies, and writing mistakes. This type of copy editing is one of my favorite things to do though because it requires a meticulous eye which I have.
Corrections and omissions
For the past four years of the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, I have compiled the corrections and omissions. I read through the entire magazine multiple times and write down all of the errors that I find. I take a lot of pride in doing this because I want to make sure that we acknowledge any mistakes that we make. I like to base what needs extra attention off of these mistakes for the next issue as well. For example, if there are a lot of corrections in the captions, I will make sure that they are edited completely and by multiple people during the next issue.
Copy editing session
During the Summer of 2021, I participated in an online copy editing session for Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association that spanned three days. I didn't know much about editing before this session so it was super helpful. I loved getting to hear the speaker's advice and techniques for editing. I found the session super interesting and I have maintained some of the techniques the speaker taught me. I have attended editing sessions at conferences since then, but this one was the most memorable before it was my first.
Editing conferences​
After I edit a piece, I like to sit down with the writer to explain all of the edits. The conferences vary in length depending on the story and staffer. For example, if I am talking to a new staffer on a 600 word News story I will sit down for longer and work through the edits with them. This was I am able to help them understand why the edits have been left and what exactly needs to be changed. I find that having conferences (of any length and depth) result in a better story and growth in the staffer. For an experienced staffer's 300 word story, I might have a shorter conference if I am positive they will be able to understand my comments.
LEADERSHIP
Leadership has been something that I have enjoyed doing and thrived at in the past, but I didn't have many opportunities for it before joining ODYSSEY. In ODYSSEY, I have had multiple occurrences where I was able to lead a group of people or take initiative on things. As Managing Editor, I have loved getting these experiences and in the future, I hope I can train others to help them develop their leadership abilities.
NSPA Leadership Award
During my junior year in April 2023, I was one of 13 ODYSSEY staff members to receive the NSPA Leadership Award in Student Journalism. It felt amazing to get recognition on something that I worked so hard at over the year. It gave me extra motivation and showed me that my hard work and passion was paying off.
​
Fall TOP
Last year, I participated in a Team Onsite Production assignment. I was in a group with three other staffers and I was assigned to be the leader. I was excited for the opportunity to show my leadership skills and I think that it resulted in good stories that were submitted on time. We only had a week to work on each story, but I was able to make sure that I delegated tasks and that everything got completed. One of the stories my team produced, even ended up in the magazine.
Editor's journals​
At the end of each month, the ODYSSEY editors write a reflection of the work they have completed throughout the month. This is a good time to evaluate whether we are meeting the goals, values, and metrics set at the beginning of the year, and determine if we are making progress from last month. I enjoy completing these because I have to think about my performance, what I struggled with, and what went well. I this they are very beneficial and good to reference throughout the month.
Mentorship
This year, I have been working with the Variety Editor and News Editor closely. I have been helping them learn leadership and editing skills. In addition, I have been helping them manage their staffers and balance their own workload. Outside of class, we have gone to coffee shops to complete our work and be a resource for each other. I have really enjoyed getting to do this because I feel like some of the advice I have given them has been helpful and I have loved watching them grow as individuals.
Cultural buzz
I worked with the Variety Editor on designing this layout. She had very little experience with InDesign so I taught her how to work the program. In addition, she didn't have any experience with Photoshop so I taught her how to work that as well. I loved getting to teach her how to look at the visuals and make sure everything was in an order that made sense and flowed. I know she was proud of this which made me happy to see.
Editorial board meetings
The Editor-in-Chief and I lead Editorial board meetings every Friday and I take the minutes. At these meetings we discuss how the week has gone, what the next week needs to look like and we address any problems that have been occuring. I enjoy leading these meetings because they are a time for everyone to be open and express how they have been feeling. I think that these meetings are really helpful because it allows everyone to be on the same page and understand what is happening in the program.
Presenting
I have presented many sessions for the class and I have presented at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association twice and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. I love getting to present because I enjoy sharing the knowledge I have acquired throughout my time in ODYSSEY especially if that information could help someone. I try to make my presentations and demeanor as fun as possible because I know that presentations can be boring at times. At both GSPA and SIPA, I presented a session on student leadership with Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell. I completely planned out the content in the presentation and together we designed the slides to make the information presentable. Presenting went super well and we had a lot of engagement with the audience. I was thrilled to be able to share the knowledge I had acquired with those who may have been starting their leadership journey.
Leadership seminars
Twice a semester, the editors in the program attend leadership seminars where are adviser discusses skills with us and helps us reflect on what type of leader we are. In these seminars, we are very open with ourselves and others. We reflect on how we have been doing throughout the semester and what we can do better. I love these seminars because it is an opportunity to talk with other editors and address any internal problems we have been having.
Editor's Synthesis
At the end of the year, all of the editors in the program write a synthesis describing their position and giving advice to the next person who holds their position. Last year, I wrote a synthesis about being the Managing Editor. I really loved writing this because I felt like a lot of it was very useful information and I tried to give as much advice as possible while also describing my experience. I think these syntheses are really helpful for the next person because they know what to expect. I think that this is a good way to describe how you made the position your own as well.
Texting
As Managing Editor, it is important that I have communication inside and outside of the Production room. This is sometimes a challenge for me because I am not the best at texting people. Throughout this year, I have been pushing myself outside of my comfort zone by texting people more often. In addition, as Managing Editor, I have to send reminders about upcoming deadlines or import information. The best way to do this is through text so that everybody gets the message.
Convention training
During the fall 2023 National High School Journalism Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, I attended a design pre-convention session with a fellow editor. She didn't have InDesign on her computer, so we decided to work together on my computer. Because I already knew how to make layouts and challenge my creativity, I let the editor take the lead. I helped her relearn the basics of InDesign and think of unique ways to present a story she wrote earlier in the year. I challenged her to incorporate multiple photos and avoid going with a standard layout. I helped her come up with the idea of making a street sign. Watching her attempt various ideas, figuring out what worked best and building her own passion for design was inspiring for me.
TEAM BUILDING
I have participated in many team building exercises with other extracurriculars that I do, but none of them has been close to the level of team building that occurs in ODYSSEY. I went into the year, knowing only the people in my grade and even most of them I didn't know super well. Throughout the year, I have gotten much closer to everyone from all grades and I have really loved getting to do this.
NHSJC
The past two school years, the editors in ODYSSEY had the opportunity to go to the National High School Journalism Convention in St. Louis and Boston. Going to this convention was my favorite thing I have ever done with ODYSSEY. I loved getting to travel with my friends, the sessions I went to were amazing, and going out to dinner was always fun. I had never had an experience like this one because we traveled far and were with each other for five days. I can't describe how much I enjoyed this experience and how much closer I got with everyone who went.
Secret holiday gift giver
In December, we do a celebration where we eat lunch together and give each other presents. Everybody has the opportunity to sign up or not, but the majority of people choose to participate. I love this celebration because it is a nice break at the end of the year and it is the opportunity to talk to people we don't normally work with. It is also funny to see what everybody thinks of one another through their gifts.
End of the year banquet
At the end of each school year, we host an end of the year banquet for parents and students. Alumni usually come as well. The seniors give speeches and people get recognized through staff awards. This celebration is really sad because it is the time where we say goodbye to the seniors, but everyone loves the ceremony. It's a good opportunity to meet other people's families which is nice because we don't usually see them.
UGA home games
In order to raise money for the program, ODYSSEY works UGA home games. I worked five of the home games last year and three of the games this year. I loved working these because we got to talk to each other, take pictures, and film videos when we weren't working. Even while we were working, it was fun because we were just doing it together and everything is better when you are doing it with friends. I think we all loved going through the experience with each other.
Friendsgiving
Around Thanksgiving time, we host a potluck where everyone brings a dish and we eat together. This event is really fun because we go around saying what we are thankful for and it is the first potluck of the year that we have. It is also an opportunity to interact with the Journalism 1 students which we don't get to do as often. I love being able to celebrate holidays with everyone in the program.
SIPA
The Southern Interscholastic Press Association is a major turning point in the school year. Attending this convention reminds everyone of why we do ODYSSEY because we get to spend time with the people we have formed friendships with and we get to embrace ourselves in journalism. SIPA is a unique experience that I love because there are so many of us that go and we get to hang out with people we might not normally interact with.
Valentine's Day
Last Valentine's Day we had a celebration in class where we did arts and crafts and we ate lunch together. We got to sit with people who weren't on our staff which was exciting and a good way to get to know other staffers better. I love when we have celebrations like these because we have some really funny people in ODYSSEY and everyone ends up laughing.
Sophomore saturday
Two years ago, my colleague Molly and I were mentored by two of the seniors in the program. We frequently went to coffee shops on saturday where they would teach about anything from editing to design to conflict management. I loved getting to do this with the seniors and I felt like I really learned a lot. I still keep in contact with them even though they graduated which shows that we build true connections in ODYSSEY. While it's not with these seniors, I have continued going to coffee shops with staffers in order to work together or mentor them.
Why you're awesome notes
I love to give people why you're awesome notes in order to show how much I appreciate them. I, personally, love receiving these so I make an attempt to give them out every once in a while. I think that these make people feel good about the work they have been doing and feel acknowledged. Sometimes it is hard to recognize everyone in the moment, but these give me the perfect opportunity to give people personalized comments.
Weekend work days
Throughout the year, we have multiple weekend work days where we come to school on Saturday. While this may seem awful, it is actually a lot of fun. Because we are the only people at the school, there is a very different environment and dynamic so it doesn't really feel like we are at school. I think these are a lot of fun because we get a lot of work done, but we also have plenty of time to be silly and talk to each other.
Cycle celebrations
At the end of each cycle, we have a celebration where we give out staff awards. This is a lot of fun because we have the opportunity to recognize all of the hard work people have done and everyone loves winning awards. We usually have food during the celebration too and you get to talk with whoever you want.
Goals, values and metrics
At the beginning of the year, each staff establishes goals, values and metrics for the year. This was a way for the Cabinet to talk to each other and establish what we all need throughout the year. I think that this is a great way to hold each other accountable and learn more about the people you are working with. I appreciated doing this and I think this list is helpful to refer back to, especially when we are completing our reflections.