Just four years after her high school graduation, Jones alum Ava Thompson ‘21 is making waves in the journalism community – setting an example for all Jones students looking to pursue a career in the media. 

From researching for Lori Lightfoot to interning on Capitol Hill for NBC, Thompson fronts an impressive resume. However, her journalism experience dates  back to 2018, when she first joined the Jones Blueprint. 

“I was one out of maybe four sophomores [on the Blueprint]. I had no idea how to write a story. It took me five hours to write a little 250-word article,” said Thompson.

It wasn’t until December that Thompson finally experienced a breakthrough in her writing.

“I started writing a story about a girl who would dance in the courtyard every morning. I’d see people watching her and be like ‘Hey, honestly, what do you think about her’,” said Thompson. “I did the story, and it was really good.”

Thompson’s skill continued to improve after her courtyard close-up, earning her an invite to the McCormick Foundation High School Media Awards alongside her older peers.

“I was the only [Jones] sophomore to go to the competition that year for cities, and then we won,” said Thompson.

Coming off the heels of a successful first year, Thompson felt empowered to attack her biggest story yet. 

“This opportunity came up to interview Lori Lightfoot right when she was winning. I kept pushing it for two months, and I was so nervous it was going to fall through,” said Thompson. “We ended up getting the story, and I got promoted to School Editor because of it.”

Despite her evident talent, Thompson remained unsure of journalism’s role in her future. That changed when she picked up a story on the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) strike.

“That story was interesting because we also interviewed people outside of Jones. We went out in the streets and started talking to random teachers about what they feel is important,” said Thompson. “After that, I was like, ‘I want to go to journalism school. I actually think I can do this, and I really like it.’”

The COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately disrupted the later part of Thompson’s junior year and the entirety of her senior year. Still, as the newly appointed Editor-In-Chief, she drove the Blueprint to become a voice of advocacy for the school community.

“Kids were going through a lot during that time [COVID]. I don’t think mental health was as talked about within classes. I thought the Blueprint was that voice to be like, ‘This is what students are feeling. This is what students are thinking during this time,’” said Thompson.

After leaving a lasting impact on the Jones Blueprint and community, Thompson headed to the University of Maryland to study Journalism. Although she entered with mainly print experience, Maryland helped her discover her love for broadcasting and guided her toward her first internship. 

“I started working at NewsNation as a show intern. Our DC bureaus were working in tiny little offices, but I loved it. [We] had such a diverse group of people,” said Thompson. “We were covering everything in national politics. ”

With legitmate experience under her belt, Thompson headed to Capitol Hill next.

“I ended up interning at NBC Capitol Hill Unit. That was my favorite thing I’ve ever done. It just like felt so fulfilling that I’ve been doing this since I was 15 and now I’m interning for a major network,” said Thompson.

As she finishes her final semester at Maryland, Thompson looks ahead with ambition.

“I hope to get back to the network as an entry-level position, or I would be a producer or reporter in a lower-level market, probably in the South.”

Thompson leaves hopeful Jones writers with one final piece of advice, rooted in the spirit of what it means to be a journalist.

“Always be open to talk to people,” said Thompson. “You might learn something from them.