Ava Weaver is the Review Page Editor of the Dispatch Newspaper at James Bowie High School in Austin, Texas. 

“As journalists, it is not only our responsibility but our right to share real and truthful information that affects the lives of those on our campus. Censorship directly affects student journalists’ ability to provide real journalism for our schools. This is why I will fight for the New Voices law to pass in Texas, because students and teachers deserve truthful news, and journalists deserve the right to deliver that news.”

What I Do

As the communications specialist for New Voices Texas, I focus on the marketing aspect of expanding our outreach by connecting with local businesses and students in Austin to increase awareness of our mission for journalist rights.  Collaborating with my fellow communications officers and specialists, I help inform and gain support from those unaware of the challenges student journalists are experiencing. 

I am responsible for collaborating with our officers to develop creative ways to achieve support from those in Austin. With my love for graphic design, I create physical and digital informative posters to post on our social media and hang up around Austin to catch the attention of locals.  I will be developing relationships with those interested in the rights of student press, with the hope that our support only grows.

I will measure my success as a communication specialist by the number of people who join the New Voices Texas mission, no matter if they are personally journalists or not. I also hope to have a specific business that supports and helps us spread our mission.

By the end of this school year, I hope to become a better journalist, fighting for student press rights and successfully gaining support for New Voices Texas. Being able to see our social media following and the number of businesses that support us grow will allow me to track this goal. Overall, I hope to be able to effectively inform others of the importance of New Voices Texas.