Help Violet Attend NYT Summer Academy

About Me:

My name is Violet Miller-Brady, and I am a 16 year-old student at Berkeley High School. This year, I was honored to be accepted into the highly competitive pre-college journalism program - The New York Times Summer Academy, www.nytedu.com. I don’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity so I am reaching out to ask for your support. My specific program area is centered around law based journalism and I will learn about the workings of the legal system as well as free speech and civil rights. I will have the opportunity to visit law firms, courts, unions, and more, and build my interest in writing in the field of law.

About the Program:

NYT Summer Academy is a two week long journalism program for high school students that takes place in New York City. Students reside in dorms and experience an immersive environment where they get to learn from incredible faculty and be with fellow students from around the world. My specific program area is centered around law based journalism and I will learn about the workings of the legal system as well as free speech and civil rights. I will have the opportunity to visit law firms, courts, unions, and more, and build my interest in writing in the field of law.

Why I Need Your Help and How Your Donation Matters:

This prestigious program is quite expensive and although I did receive a merit based scholarship of $2,000, I am still looking at other ways to help offset the remaining $5,300 program tuition.

Your donation would allow me to attend this program and continue to improve my journalistic skills and experience. I am the features editor at Berkeley High’s school newspaper, The Jacket, and am incredibly passionate about sharing untold stories. Attached below is the essay that gained me admission into the NYT Summer Academy which further expands upon my goals. I want to continue pursuing this interest and any amount you are able to give would make a difference in my ability to do so.

Thank You! I deeply appreciate your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Violet Miller-Brady

10th Grade

Berkeley High School

NYT Summer Academy 2024 Application Essay written by Violet Miller-Brady

When I was nine, I came across a National Geographic magazine centered on gender identity around the world. Flipping through the pages, I encountered people who were able to freely express themselves along with others who faced immense oppression for their identity. I grew up with a transgender father in a queer, feminist-centered family in Berkeley, California. In my forward-thinking community, it was a foreign idea that having a specific haircut, using certain pronouns, or simply being a woman could put your life at risk. At the time, I thought I was aware of the political and social climate surrounding gender; however, reading those articles opened my eyes to the incredibly harsh and violent reality of gender bias on a global level.

Attending the Academy will allow me to gain knowledge of the greater world by working with accomplished professionals and teachers while exploring the experiences of people who have grappled with and overcome gender discrimination. It is important to me to learn from fellow students who may have been raised with different cultural attitudes towards gender and gain a cohesive worldview. New York City is a place of incredible diversity that offers an endless amount of important conversations to be had. Such conversations would give me the opportunity to better understand and write about the multifaceted nature of the human experience. Just as my perspective on gender equality was drastically changed through reading several magazine articles, my goal is to change others’ perspectives on important world issues through journalism.

For the past two years, I have written for my school newspaper, the Berkeley High Jacket. Writing in different sections has provided me with experience talking to people from varied backgrounds and has sparked my interest in storytelling. This fall, I also participated in Youth Radio Media, an internship based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to “hand the mic to young people.” This new experience expanded my understanding of the value of first-hand perspectives and allowed me to exercise my creativity. I got a taste of reporting on real world problems. Now I want to explore how I can continue using my voice to advocate for others. The Jacket taught me how to research stories, conduct interviews, and write in multiple journalistic styles. But to date, I haven’t had the chance to report on many topics I am curious or passionate about. Attending Summer Academy will give me the opportunity to expand my connections to new people and learn how to tell stories that aren’t often portrayed in the media.

The extensive list of qualified and experienced Academy staff also greatly interests me because I may receive inspiration on different career paths I can take. Their input isn’t something I can acquire anywhere else and seeing the strong female representation on the faculty specifically excites me because I want the opportunity to have a relatable mentor. This program will allow me to explore a multitude of issues and discover those that ignite a desire within me to create change.