Hitson steps into new role covering joys, challenges of growing up in Montgomery
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Hadley Hitson is stepping into a new role, expanding the newspaper’s coverage of health, education and welfare issues in the state and how it affects families and the community.
Hitson, an Alabama native and graduate of the University of Mississippi, has been a reporter with the newspaper for the past two years, covering rural Alabama as a Report for America grant recipient. During that time she also wrote about caregiving in a fellowship with Columbia University’s Age Boom Academy.
“Hadley has done extraordinary work covering rural Alabama as a Report for America corps member, and we’re so excited she decided to stay with us on staff for this opportunity,” said Paige Oliver Windsor, executive editor of the Montgomery Advertiser. ”She's a talented writer and a strong reporter. We're lucky to have her in Montgomery.”
Hitson will take on stories about such topics as kids’ health and access to health care, how they are prepared for adulthood, teacher development and quality, drug abuse, food deserts, high-achieving students, rural challenges and successes — anything and everything that impacts the well-being of Alabama’s children and their futures, Windsor said.
Hitson will report on schools, but she will take a broader approach.
“Most local news organizations have education reporters who cover their local school systems,” Windsor said. “Sometimes that coverage can feel a little institutional. While we think keeping an eye on what’s happening with the school board and administration of school is important, Hadley’s coverage will go considerable further, covering the joys and challenges of growing up in the River Region.”
For her part, Hitson is ready for the challenge of creating a new beat, while still writing about topics she’s interested in.
“I grew up in Birmingham, but over the last two years that I’ve spent living in Montgomery and traveling into the rural communities that surround us, my understanding of Alabama has deepened in ways I never expected,” she said.
“I’ve learned about the alleged abuse of children in state-contracted mental health facilities, the deteriorating infrastructure across many Southern towns and barriers to receiving medical care. I’ve covered youth violence, and I’ve met kids with amazing determination to overcome their circumstances. These stories are important, and I will continue to cover them in my new role.”
Youth violence and disparities of all kinds, especially in the education and justice systems, are key parts of this beat.
“Now, my beat will focus on what it’s like to be a child growing up in Alabama and a parent raising kids in Alabama today,” Hitson said. “Education is a heavy part of that, but so is access to healthcare, technology and other support systems necessary to succeed.
“Essentially, I’m going to be covering every issue through the lens of how it is impacting Alabama’s kids, and I’m eager to jump in feet first.”
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Hitson to write about joys, challenges of growing up in Montgomery
