Madison Lipe: What it's like navigating two beats as a reporter for the StarNews

I joined the StarNews at the beginning of this year and jumped into reporting on two different beats: Pender County and education.

I am originally from Denver, North Carolina, and I'm a December 2023 graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone. In these few weeks of coastal living and reporting on a county I had never been to before, I have learned a lot, and anticipate more to come!

Here are some of the things I have learned from living in Wilmington and covering two beats.

What was it like moving from Western NC to the coast of NC?

After living in Boone on and off for school for three and a half years, I became used to days below freezing and crisp air, but a few days in Wilmington made me realize that the weather in the winter is completely unpredictable. One day I was bundled up, the next day it was shorts and sandals. Overall, I'm enjoying the vitamin D a lot more.

Having come from a small town and then moving to another small town for college, living in a decent-sized city is new to me. There are definitely a lot more things to do and places to try out. Having grown up in North Carolina, I've been to a lot of the surrounding beaches, but being the Pender County reporter has allowed me to explore Surf City and Topsail Island, two places I've never been to before.

What's it like covering education?

Before coming to Wilmington, I worked at two different newspapers in the western part of the state. Although I didn't cover education, I was able to catch a glimpse of what it would be like to cover school board meetings on a much smaller level. When I started covering education in the Wilmington area, it was overwhelming, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. Like moving to any city for work, you have to get an idea of what was going on before you and I came in at an important time for New Hanover County Schools.

One thing I can say about covering education, is that a lot of people are passionate about education and their kids, and that was no surprise. Covering education can be exciting, but most of all, I appreciate going to school board meetings and hearing everyone's thoughts and opinions. It just reminds me how important it is to make sure I am reporting issues from all angles.

Read more: Click here to read Madison Lipe's recent stories on Pender County and education issues.

What's it like to juggle two beats at once?

I cover education for New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counites, and I'm also the Pender County reporter. As many may know, education in the Wilmington area is an important topic. Because of the fast growth in the area, it's important to keep up with all of the latest issues with school boards, as well as trying to attend all of their meetings. This can be stressful when it comes to covering three counties as well as local government in another county. I always try to go to in-person meetings so that I can talk to community members, but sometimes I'm not able to attend them all because some overlap. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, but it helps that a lot of boards and councils will upload their meetings online, so that anyone can watch them live or watch them later when they have the time. Even though it's a lot to cover, I like that my beats keep me busy.

What's the most rewarding part of my job?

Since I have been in the Wilmington area, I have encountered so many helpful and kind people in my personal and professional life. Because my job requires me to get out and about and talk to new people on a daily basis, I never know if people will want to help me or not, because sometimes people just don't have the time or they don't want to and that's OK. But, when I meet people who take the time to sit down with me and have a conversation about their lives or something they're passionate about, it makes me extremely thankful. As someone who struggled growing up to get outside of my comfort zone, my job as a journalist has shown me that it's actually pretty easy to make connections with people and it can start with just one question or introduction.

Pender County Museum reopens: Here are 5 things to know about new exhibits, hours

I'll give an example. I went to the reopening of the Pender County Museum in Burgaw recently, and as I was waiting to enter, a few of us were gathered on the porch. None of us knew each other prior to attending the opening, but one woman started telling stories from her childhood. That woman was Carolyn Simpson Whitley and her family has generations of history in Pender County. She was so open and wanted to share her life experiences with all of us who she had never met before. Being able to connect with her and learn from her was inspiring to me and she encouraged me to learn more about my family's history. Moments like those are what I feel makes my job fulfilling.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Madison Lipe shares what it's like covering Pender County and education