Senior Spotlight: Daniel Harms

In his freshman year, Daniel took News Media I, where he gained a solid basis and passion for journalism. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get into the newspaper class the following year due to his strict IHS schedule. Instead, he joined the yearbook staff, which has been one of his favorite experiences at South so far. 

Daniel has known for a long time that he likes to write, and he really enjoys working on writing school assignments such as the IHS extended essay. Last year, Daniel impressively published a novel he had been developing over the course of five years. It is a fantasy sci-fi novel titled Hidden Thunder, and it’s now available at the South library, as well as on Amazon.

One of the most satisfying parts of the process for Daniel has been to see his finished work put into print. Watching his published book placed in the library and witnessing the finished yearbooks get unboxed have allowed him to feel a significant sense of purpose. 

“Seeing something you wrote in print is a very cool experience. It just makes it real,” he said.

Daniel has also been a part of other activities at South, including the track and cross country programs. He enjoys running, but struggled with injuries last year that made it hard for him to stay motivated with such reduced progress. This year, he’s getting results closer to what he ran in his underclassmen years, and it’s greatly rewarding. He said that “to finally get back to that point was really big, a really emotional journey.”

Joining newspaper his senior year challenged Daniel because reporting was a new form of writing to learn about. 

“It really pushed my boundaries,” he said. But it made him realize that he could use writing as a tool to express his opinions about society and advocate for social justice.

 “That’s what I found really appealing about journalism, that I could use my writing in a productive and helpful way for society,” he said.

Daniel is planning to study journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia next year.

“I’m minoring in political science and economics, because if we can amend those systems and help people get better representation, that would be the way to do it,” he said.

Daniel’s most prominent goal going into the rest of his life is to advocate for others’ equality, safety, and well-being. 

“I want to make sure I’m helping others. I want it to be a fundamental part of my adulthood,” he said. “News media is important for our society and the maintenance of democracy.”

Article by Alaya Drummond