Dallas' skateboarding scene wasn't something I was familiar with when I started this story. Spending weeks researching it's history and cultural impact in the community, though, proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at WFAA.

Covering the DePaul University student encampment during my second year of college was truly a trial by fire. Over the course of the 17-day encampment, I learned how to handle politically charged breaking news in my own backyard and trust my journalistic instincts.

My first interview with Alexander Lehr was for a different article, but I realized over Zoom that he had a bigger story. What followed was weeks of scheduling issues and one hectic night at Bub City chasing a story I hadn't expected, but had a gut feeling would be a good one.

When I told my editor that I wanted to spend a day at a farm in the Texas summer heat, he understandably looked at me like I was crazy. Yet, with the rising trend of "crunchy" or all-natural lifestyles online, I knew there would be an audience interested in local agritourism.