Samhita Kotamraju

Looking over at one of the managing editor’s inDesign page, senior Grace Sharma points out the things she notices in the spread.

Grace Sharma, editor-in-chief of the online edition of tjToday was announced Virginia’s 2025 journalist of the year today. Sharma has been a part of tjToday since her freshman year, working on the magazine and online newspaper. Her passion to tell stories that matter to the students of our community is what keeps her going.

To apply, Sharma completed an online portfolio detailing her experience as a journalist, three recommendations, a personal resume and a self-analytical essay. “I didn’t go into journalism hoping to get awards. I got into it because I loved writing, interviewing and doing all the journalism things,” Sharma said. “ I [just] took what I did the past four years and then applied, and it’s a nice recognition.”

Being a journalist, one of the things that motivates Sharma is her passion to tell the stories that matter not only to the students, but also the whole community.

“I feel like tjMedia is such an integral part of my identity. Anytime any event happens at the school, my first instinct is to be like, ‘How can I write about this?’ ‘What new angles can I do?’ It was something natural that kept me doing more and more,” Sharma said.

Working on tjToday, TJTV and Techniques, has given Sharma many experiences on covering important topics that matter to our community. Over her four years, Sharma has been able to write over 50 articles, ranging from covering the cheer team to Homecoming photo galleries and covering accidents around the community.

“My favorite thing is when someone I’m interviewing says ‘That’s a really good question,’” Sharma said. “It makes me feel like I did my job well and I’m finding different avenues to tell their story because that’s the job of a journalist, it’s to give a voice to people who don’t have a voice.”

After earning her recognition, Sharma’s portfolio will move onto the next level, the national student journalist of the year, hosted by the Journalism Education Association (JEA).

“I don’t see this as an end. It’s just the end of high school,” Sharma said. “But I’m going to keep doing journalism, I’m going to keep writing. I’m going to keep telling people stories.”