Sunday Solutions – July 16, 2023
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Happy Sunday! My name is Sarah Harwell, I’m one of five summer interns at The Current and will be filling in for Susan this week. Today’s newsletter is an intern takeover!
See what we have been up to this summer outside the office, what we’ve learned, and some interesting media to bring to your Sunday dinner conversations.
I’d love to hear what you think of this week’s newsletter! Send feedback to thecurrentga@gmail.com or you can reach me directly @newswithsarah.h on Instagram.
A summer at The Current
Being half way through the summer and for some of us almost fully through our internship, I thought it would be nice to reflect on what we have learned. Internships give young people the opportunity for growth and exploration and The Current summer internship program has done just that.
For me, I’ve learned how important it is to say yes to opportunities I may have never thought to explore before (hence the newsletter you’re reading now). I feel more equipped to work with new aspects and mediums of journalism in the future than I did at the beginning of the summer.
Here’s what a few of the other summer interns say that they have gained from their experiences.
Caelen McQuilkin
One thing I’ve been learning about while interning at The Current is what it means to report and write meaningful stories in a place you haven’t lived for a long time (In my case, that’s about six weeks in Savannah). I’ve learned that this has a lot to do with listening to people: picking up information and building context about a place by doing things like going to museums, town halls or other events. Sometimes, it means working up your courage in the line at Kroger to ask the check out person what they think about the bus driver shortage.
Kailey Cota
I’ve learned a lot about Coastal Georgia during my time at The Current so far. Before moving to Georgia earlier this summer, I drove through Savannah but never visited any of the other coastal counties. The Current gave me the opportunity to visit Glynn County twice already and to meet many Georgians. This allowed me to know how to write stories that are important to our community.
Audrey Gibbs
I’ve had the chance to report on new subjects, such as the business of the film industry in Georgia. I’ve had to grow a whole new knowledge base. It’s refreshing to learn a new beat with completely fresh eyes. It means I don’t have to unlearn any bad habits or correct outdated knowledge—I just get to absorb the new topic, starting with a blank state. Everything from the square footage of a movie studio to coordinating transportation—so much goes into a couple frames that looks seemingly effortless. I’ve enjoyed learning about this industry within Georgia and look forward to gaining more knowledge!
Jabari Gibbs
Since I’ve been at The Current, most of my time has been dedicated to covering education. I have gained a deep understanding of the current state of education in Coastal Georgia, particularly how crucial the next couple of years will be for schools. My time covering education has also sparked an interest and passion for identifying the issues that augment the struggles of some students, such as poverty, racism, and learning disabilities, who often get left out of conversations. I am now comfortable asking tough questions and thinking on my feet during interviews. I can take more risks and experiment with different beats as a reporter and it has given me a stronger sense of my own voice as a writer.
Your Second Cup: Frankenstein’s chicken dinner
Last month, the sale of lab grown chicken, made from animal cells, was approved in the U.S. The meat is meant to help reduce environmental impacts that come from the current practices in farming animals. While you may not see it on shelves in your grocery store for awhile, Singapore already has a restaurant with lab grown meat on the menu. Still, a poll from the Associated Press shows half of adults in the U.S. would not try it, half of them questioning its safety and half just thinking it sounds too weird.
Dinner and a show
For me, eating a meal without some kind of video media feels almost criminal. If you are the same or are simply just looking for an interesting watch, I’ve got you. A thought provoking YouTube series I’ve enjoyed is called Last Meals by the Mythical Kitchen. The show brings in celebrities/well-known influencers, cooks them their requested ideal “last meal”, and asks them to discuss their lives and how their choice of food reflects that. This episode features Tom Hanks, star of the film famously featuring Savannah, Forrest Gump, as he discusses topics from loneliness in the digital age to the enjoyment of Diet Dr. Pepper.
Crossword around the coast
Here’s a crossword you can play with some of the interns’ favorite places in Coastal Georgia they’ve visited this summer! Need a hint? Check out these intern photo submissions for some of the places you might know (and see in the puzzle).
Play the interactive crossword here!
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