Author: Grace Dacampora

By Parker Silberman
Longwood High School

Whether she’s writing, performing on stage or imagining her future as a journalist, the 17-year-old rising senior at Baldwin Senior High School is constantly looking for ways to express herself and connect with others. With a passion for writing, a busy schedule and ambitious career goals, she is already working toward turning that passion into a profession.

Briana will spend her senior year taking all of her classes at Nassau Community College. “I’m excited to step into a new environment and make the best out of my experience there,” she said. 

She lives with her parents, her older sister and her older brother. She also has a dog and a cat that are an important part of her life. “I’ve had my dog since I was five years old, and as an animal person, I love taking time out of my day to spend with Raven and Harley.”

Outside the classroom, Briana stays active playing softball, riding her bike, baking and spending time with her friends. 

This summer, in addition to attending the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute, Briana Dworsak alongside her mother, plans to visit her aunt in Ocean City, Maryland, as well as continue playing softball for Plainedge’s community league.

Her interest in journalism has been growing for years. “I wanted to join this program because ever since I was in school I have always had a love and desire for writing and creating stories,” Briana said. “That love remained all through middle school, and now as a rising senior I realized journalism and writing are a lost art that isn’t thoroughly explored and praised enough. The use of artificial intelligence recently made me want to explore journalism more and put my perspective out into the world.”

Briana hopes to pursue a career as either a psychologist or a feature writer for The New York Times. She plans to apply to colleges with strong journalism programs, including Stony Brook University and Syracuse University, where she can continue developing her writing and storytelling skills.

One of her favorite childhood memories was performing in her first school play, “Into the Woods,” in fifth grade. “I was shy, but performing in front of an audience actively helped me become more confident,” she said. The experience taught her to step outside her comfort zone and helped shape the confidence she carries herself with today.

Her mother, Erica Dworsak, has watched that determination grow over the years. “Brianna has always been extremely passionate about her hobbies and especially her main interests like journalism. She has big ambitions and will do anything to make them reality.” 

As Brianna prepares for her senior year and looks ahead to college, she remains focused on the goal that has inspired her for years: telling stories that matter. As she put it, “I have always had a love and desire for writing and creating stories.” 

By Briana Dworsak
Baldwin High School

Parker Silberman wasn’t interested in journalism until he started taking photography classes in school.

At 17 years old, Parker is preparing to begin his senior year at Longwood High School. According to his mother, Cortney Silberman, “Parker has always been someone who enjoys creating and isn’t afraid to challenge himself by trying new things.” While photography has become one of his biggest passions, she believes his “curiosity and willingness to learn are what truly set him apart.”

Growing up, Parker has always been surrounded by a supportive family that includes his mom, dad, stepmom, step-sister, sister, and two dogs, Xena and Tyson. His mother has described him as someone who has always enjoyed expressing himself out loud through different kinds of art. Whether he is drawing digitally or on paper, riding his bike, traveling, taking photographs, or spending time with friends, Parker has found ways to stay creative and active while enjoying the people and experiences around him.

His mom said that Parker’s passion for photography developed over time, and once he began taking photography classes in school, he started to take it more seriously. Parker’s teacher recommended Robert W. Greene Summer Institute, he hesitated because journalism wasn’t something he had ever considered pursuing. She encouraged him to keep an open mind, believing the experience would help him grow and figure out if journalism is for him. Parker soon realized that learning journalism could strengthen his photography by helping him understand the stories behind the images he captures.

One accomplishment that makes his mother especially proud is seeing Parker’s artwork displayed publicly. She remembers how much confidence that recognition gave him and even stated, “It motivated him to continue improving his artistic skills.” His mom has also admired the values Parker has gained as he’s gotten older. Rather than obsessing and recalling disappointments, he has learned to accept that not everything works out the way he hopes. She says his outlook can be summed up by a saying: “If it didn’t happen, it wasn’t meant to happen.” That mindset has helped him move forward from setbacks and focus on the comeback instead.

 Looking back, Parker’s childhood interests reflected the imagination and curiosity many children have. His mother laughed when she remembered career day in elementary school, most students dressing up as doctors, police officers, or veterinarians, while Parker proudly dressed as a paleontologist because of his intense interest in dinosaurs. She also recalls a phase when he enjoyed creating small comic books. Although, she says she never imagined writing or journalism would potentially become connected to his interests through photography.

As Parker prepares for his senior year, his mother is ecstatic to see where his creativity will take him next. She believes his passion for photography, artistic talent, and willingness to accept new opportunities will continue to help him grow. Whether he ends up pursuing photography, art, journalism, or a totally different path, she is confident he will continue telling meaningful stories through his work and continue learning along the way.

By Christopher Cabrera
Brentwood High School

Student journalist Maytal Bar views her work as a way of impacting the world through fearless reporting, “whether it’s through uncovering hidden policies or informing people on what is happening in the world,” she says.

May insists on expressing the ideas she believes must be heard. 

She grew up in Queens and moved to Brooklyn. An only child, she splits her time between her dad’s home in Brooklyn and Westchester, where her mother lives and where she attends Hendrick Hudson High School. 

During summers, May volunteers as a counselor at the Town of Cortlandt Day Camp, supervising children of all ages. She has committed herself to “take care of all the little kids… I have first and second-grade boys.” Beyond that, she played on her school’s JV girls’ tennis and volleyball teams, which helped her build communication skills and create an outlet of expression that has carried over to journalism.   

As a freshman, May initially joined her school newspaper, The Anchor, for fun with her friends. With the support of her advisor, Matthew Codner, she took on the role of editor-in-chief by the end of her freshman year. During this time, “I had to put together our entire last edition. And I had never done that before. So, I just had to figure it out,” May said. 

As a sophomore, May concluded her first year as editor-in-chief with a diverse portfolio of 26 articles. Her love for comedy series, such as “Blue Mountain State,” has influenced her entertainment pieces, while her knowledge of the rights of a free press has guided her in her commentary work. 

“May’s journalism is rather fearless,” Codner said. “She’s willing to take on topics that past writers have stayed away from.” While publishing an article about Project 2025 and an opinion piece about abortion, “one of the history teachers in my school had an issue with my articles and was trying to get them taken down,” May said. Through her own advocacy and her recognition on how students are free to publish their work unless they feature information that “isn’t factually correct,” she wasn’t forced to take it down. 

“I think May’s biggest stream of inspiration is her knowing that the final goal is for herself,” said Ethan Crook, one of May’s closest friends since eighth grade and a peer in her chemistry class. “In the process of her working on those goals, she doesn’t care what others think, which makes her absolutely unstoppable in what she wants to do. She keeps pushing and persevering.”  

Now, as an incoming junior, May is attending the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists. The program will “bring her writing and leadership to the next level,” said Codner, which will be critical as she hopes to expand her range of capabilities before entering the field after graduation. 

“Over this week at Stony Brook, I expect to become a better journalist and improve my skills significantly,” May said.