Next Generation News Editor Maple reflects on 1 year of Generation Z-focused series

Time flies when you're having fun.

It feels like yesterday that the first issue of Sumter's Next Generation was released to the public. On Aug. 2, 2023, I, along with The Item's graphic designer Cary Howard, Executive Editor Kayla Green, Publisher Vince Johnson and former videographer Richie Weber, witnessed the fruits of our hard work during the American Press Institute's Table Stakes Local News Transformation Program come to fruition.

We understood not everyone's youth is defined by scoreboards and white-striped fields - mine definitely wasn't. Many students in our community make exceptional strides in academics, the arts, STEAM, career readiness and general excellence - but did not traditionally receive the same media coverage as their athletic peers. Sumter's Next Generation was our way of filling that void voiced by many in our community and serves as a natural extension of what we pride our organization on: telling the full story of our communities, not just the bad.

The public reception of the series was beyond what we could've imagined.

Within the first few days of our first feature on Sumter High's Jordyn Mihlbauer posting to Instagram, our reel reached 6,944% more non-followers than average. The series' longevity was cemented in the admiration and pride our community and folks across the platform had for these young trailblazers. There was an eagerness to celebrate their achievements and aspirations, and our youth were excited to stand alongside their athletic peers in the century-plus-long legacy of The Sumter Item. A portion of our community that was once underserved is now receiving well-deserved recognition.

Since that day, we have published 20 narratives detailing how the next generation is shaping our future in fields such as arts and entertainment, firefighting, medicine, environmental sustainability and more. While every feature has a special place in my heart and every student will be equally as important to me, my most memorable feature has to be Jordyn's. It's where we got our foothold, where we mapped out how we would pull off a bi-weekly print and video series, where we brainstormed how we would make this a success - where I challenged myself to write in a language and length that resonated with Gen Z. That first feature is where my nerves were most present because this was new for me, new for Sumter, and I wanted our mission to be conveyed with sincerity and devotion. It was that first feature that started it all for us - and for our youth.

Our young folks have received national recognition, being talked about on platforms like Better News - a project powered by API to highlight the best practices of journalism, provide guidance on important issues facing news organizations and share important lessons from participants of the Tables Stakes Program - and the It's All Journalism podcast.

Our series alumni have gone on to receive state proclamations for their hard work, prepare for the opening of their second theater production, be named their school's valedictorian and reach great heights. In conversations with these students, many have shared how their confidence has soared since their feature was published. They've also mentioned how new opportunities have emerged within the community, allowing them to further their aspirations, contribute in meaningful ways and be a source of inspiration for younger students.

In addition to expanding our reach, our team has also expanded. Zac Hooks, videographer, and Adam Flash, photographer, were brought on weeks after the series launched. Together, we have had the privilege of watching students blossom from being ridden with nerves to exuding great confidence.

Being a native of Sumter and writing about students who remind me of my younger self - hopeful, driven and vying for a way to share that passion with the world - has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. Coming back from college to serve my community in a way I had never thought possible but now can't imagine myself not doing has been a dream come true. Sumter's Next Generation has had a significant impact on me as a writer and a community member, making me conscious of how I can be a resource to the next generation. It's important to be aware of that responsibility and to embrace it fully.

And at the core of Sumter's Next Generation, that's what it's about. Our goal is to provide these students with a platform to be appreciated by their community in a way they hadn't been before. This series has not only allowed me to reflect on the optimism and potential of our youth, but also reinforce the role we, as a newspaper and community members, play in nurturing and showcasing their talents.

Seeing the positive changes and the tangible impacts of these students' lives reaffirms the importance of giving youth the space to express their aspirations and successes. I couldn't be prouder to be a part of a platform with such a meaningful purpose.

One year down, many more to go.