N.C. Student Photos Connect Pulitzer Center's Global Reporting to Local Issues

"I never understood why my mother always liked having a midwife, but after reading this article I now have a better understanding. I took a photo of my mom and her 3-month-old baby. This relates to my chosen article because after my mom's first child (me), she wanted a midwife to help give her a more personalized experience for her other three births."  — Cameron Flagg, “How I See It" photo contest finalist from Hanes Middle School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

“I read 'The Government Spends Millions To Open Grocery Stores in Food Deserts. The Real Test is Their Survival' from Capitol [News] Illinois, and I was shocked and angry about how little access some people have to basic necessities like food. In my photo, I decided to take a picture of one of the number cards at the food pantry I work at … it is such a blessing for this pantry to be able to exist and for the people to be fed." — Yuehan Yang, RJ Reynolds High School

Nearly two dozen students from eight public schools in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, gathered on May 1, 2025, to celebrate the opening of an exhibition of photographs they composed for the “How I See It” photography contest. 

A collaboration between the Pulitzer Center and the Social Studies, English Language Arts, and Arts departments of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, the spring 2025 “How I See It” photography contest asked students to select one of the Center’s five focus issues and read a news story about that issue.  

After reflecting on the news story, students composed photo and artist statements that illustrate how the global issue and/or the news story they analyzed connects to their lives or communities. 

"Last night was a wonderful celebration of our students and their learning experience through the 'How I See It' project. This was a great opportunity for our students to do some of the deeper learning that we have been talking about this year. It truly was a great representation of our diverse community," said Courtney Tuck, director of social studies at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

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The 19 finalists and three winners of the “How I See it” contest represent grades three-12 and eight Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools campuses. Their images reflected analysis of 17 Pulitzer Center-supported news stories on challenges facing Vietnam’s forests, nursing shortages in the U.S., water contamination in Nigeria, the environmental impacts of mining for electric vehicles, the effects of pollution on coral reefs, the role native plants in North Carolina can play in fighting climate change, and more. 

The photos reflect students’ concerns with AI accountability, pollution, and access to the internet and healthy food. They also reflect the powerful ways that students and their community members are protecting their environments and challenging disparities in their communities.

“The Pulitzer Center story helped me learn how I can keep my community safe by planting plants that work with the area,” said Evelyn Oyler, a contest finalist from The Downtown School in Winston-Salem.

D'Angelo Withers, a student from RJ Reynolds High School, added: 

“In this article 'He Fled War in Sudan. Now the UK Doesn't Believe He is a Kid,' by Monica Montero for openDemocracy, the story of a young refugee highlights the harsh realities of identity and the struggles faced by people of color. 

"This connects deeply with my photograph of a high school Black boy wearing a mask, symbolizing the challenges of fitting in and the pressure to hide one’s true self. Just as the boy in the article is forced to prove his age and identity in a foreign land, many American Black boys feel the need to wear a 'mask' in everyday life, not necessarily a physical one, but a metaphorical one."

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The exhibition of student photos was on display at the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools Education Building on May 1-16, 2025. Check out the slideshow below for photos and artist statements from the finalists and winners of the photography contest (click on the image to advance slides).
 

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“How I See It” builds on a nearly eight-year collaboration between the Pulitzer Center and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools as part of NewsArts, a Center initiative that explores how art and journalism can engage Winston-Salem communities on global issues. 

Previous collaborations have included workshops for educators, collaborations with museums and film festivals, and visual storytelling training for students. 

For more information on NewsArts, click here. For information on potential educational collaborations, subscribe to the Pulitzer Center education newsletter and reach out to our K-12 education team by emailing [email protected].