Daniela Morales was selected as one of 13 aspiring Florida journalists, and the sole high school recipient amongst university students, to earn the 2016 Barbara L. Frye Journalism Scholarship.
The scholarship is named after the Tallahassee bureau chief for United Press International for 38 years and was the first woman to work full time as a state government reporter in Tallahassee covering 11 governors from Spessard L. Holland to Bob Graham.
Morales, a senior in the Cambridge program journalism strand at Miami Lakes Educational Center, and the school newspaper’s The Harbinger editor-in-chief, was awarded $1,000 to go toward the cost of her education. She hopes to attend her dream school, Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Morales stumbled upon journalism as a high school freshman after taking an English course with the journalism teacher, Neyda Borges.
“I initially didn’t think I would go into journalism,” said Morales. “But after taking a class with Mrs. Borges I wanted to be in a positive environment with someone that can push me to be better, and she did that for me.”
Beginning as a layout and design editor, Morales took over the helm in the summer of 2016. She has focused on political news writing but ultimately decided to begin her college degree with a major in marketing. She considers marketing an extension of the work she’s done in journalism as both are centered on the media.
“I want to pursue something that caters to my creative side,” she said.
The Cuban-born senior juggles her responsibilities at the school newspaper alongside her academics earning a 3.6 GPA and positions of founder and treasurer of the American Red Cross Club and cabinet member of the Southeast for Junior State of America. Outside of the classroom she interns at The Miami Herald where she writes for the community and health sections.
“At the Herald,” said Morales, “I’m free to do my own writing, come up with my own ideas and I get a lot of feedback from professionals which is helpful and fulfilling.”
After learning of her Barbara Frye Scholarship award win Morales said, “It was a relief. The transition into college can be so stressful and financially complicated so the award helps with that, and also to know my writing earned recognition was exciting.”