Category: Youth Advisory Board

Olivia is a senior at Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas. She has been an active member of her school’s yearbook staff since freshman year, and she has held the position of co-editor-in-chief for the past two years. Olivia attended WJMC in 2024 and hopes that everyone who is presented the opportunity attends as well. Outside of journalism, Olivia loves animals, reading, and exploring everything the world has to offer.

MaCayla Henderson is an Alumni of WJMC from Columbus, Ga. She currently attends Columbus High School where she is the Social Media Chair for her school newspaper and UNICEF Unite chapter. Outside of school she is an actress and has acted at her local theatre since 2019. She also enjoys writing, mainly poetry, which has won her several accolades.

Xen originates from Philadelphia, a city that has deeply shaped their identity. Growing up in this vibrant urban environment, Xen was drawn to the creative arts. Initially, they pursued acting, appearing on stage, and developing a passion for performance. However, their artistic path shifted when they discovered videography. Behind the camera, Xen found a new way to tell stories, capturing emotions and narratives through documentary filmmaking. They also developed a love for photography, using it to amplify marginalized voices and tell untold stories. Through both mediums, Xen aspires to foster empathy and inspire positive change in the world.

Vedant is an extremely driven indiviudal with a keen eye for creativity. They have a tendency to gravitate towards aspects that keep audiences engaged and attentive, and have an enthusiasm for performances. This enthusiasm is seen within their passion for figure skating and competing within the sport. They continue to thrive to be the best they can be and are looking forward to further developing to the WJMC community!

Tori Brannon and is from Sunny state of Florida. She loves music and writing in her spare time. She is in her junior year and attend this program last year. She plans to major in journalism and is excited for her future.

Sydney Gordesky is a junior at Metuchen High School, where she actively engages in leadership roles as an advisor on Congressman Pallone’s board and a member of both the Principal’s and Superintendent’s boards. An alumna of the Washington Journalism and Media Conference, Sydney is also the president of the Metuchen High School Media Club. Passionate about journalism and media, she enjoys traveling and cherishing moments with her family. Sydney is excited to give back to the WJMC community as a member of the Advisory Board.

Sydney is a high school senior from Charlotte North Carolina who thrives in the Theatre and Arts life there. She’s the editor and chief of her school’s yearbook, and most enjoys sports and arts photography along with online design. She attended WJMC in July of 2024 and cannot wait to come back!

Serenna is a junior at May River High School in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. She is the Editor-in-Chief of her school’s yearbook team and is a member of multiple honors and creative clubs around her school. Outside of pursuing an education, she loves to work on her novel and award-winning short stories, as well as make music and art. Her WJMC experience was one so powerful it left a lasting impact on her heart, life, and career choice— one she wishes to share with other creatives.

Savannah became interested in journalism after discovering her love of reading the New York Times. She also enjoys writing, which led her to create a Creative Writing Club at her school and involve club members in hosting workshops and a club for kids in the community. Additionally, she is co-editor of her school newspaper and enjoys writing about sports, school events, and editorial pieces. Savannah is excited to serve on the Youth Advisory Board because she loves the people she was able to meet at WJMC, especially the individuals in her color group. Go magenta!

Rowan is a junior at Capital High in Olympia, Washington (as of the 2025 school year). She attended session one of WJMC in 2024 on team Magenta and is thrilled to be involved with the program again. Rowan is actively involved with her school’s newspaper and is passionate about sharing stories and exploring unique perspectives. She is eager to collaborate with the rest of the YAB and make this experience as fulfilling as possible for future classes.