Congratulations to the Publications Student of the Month... Ava Traill from Daytona State College. Ava was nominated by her advisor, Dr. Harun Thomas. Here is was Dr. Thomas had to say about Ava: 

"I have been working with Ava since Spring 2024, when she joined the Daytona State College’s student newspaper In Motion to take photos as a hobby. I have been an advisor for the past six years, and I cannot think of a single student who has grown more than Ava, both personally and professionally. When I met her, she told me that she did not work well in large groups or where there is constant change. So, the staff at In Motion in Spring 2024 was a perfect fit for her. Led by a kind and spirited leader and surrounded by four supportive writers, Ava found a comforting environment in which she could express herself. The adjustment was not easy though—she barely spoke and did not make much eye contact—but she eventually settled in such a loving and inspiring environment. The staff was self-driven and beyond productive. They set a goal to write 40 stories, and collectively, they surpassed that mark. Ava came to embrace the challenge, especially since they had fun throughout the experience. Because photography was merely a hobby for her, her skills were not quite where she wanted them. Still, in this context, she thrived personally and socially. By the end of the semester, at our celebratory gathering, she performed karaoke with her peers, something that neither she nor I thought she could do. When she returned in the fall, things were different. With the departure of the editor in chief, managing editor, and sports writer—all headed to the University of Florida to study either journalism or sports marketing and operations—the dynamic of the staff changed considerably. With the return of two of the staff writers, serving as the editor in chief and managing editor, the spirit of the previous group existed in waves, occasionally, but the consistency wavered. We saw a few new potential staff come and go, and Ava did not feel as comfortable with this group. She made the decision to leave, but I told her that she would always have a place at In Motion. Shortly after she left, Ava contacted me to say that she wanted to return; she had a change of heart. When she returned, she was a better photographer—and she was ready to do some writing. At the end of Spring 2025, she published her first piece, “Autism Doesn’t Need a Cure – It Needs Respect,” in which she discusses the challenges that she and others have faced and continue to face. One of her photos nearly became the cover for our college’s student literary magazine that year. The photo, “Ponce de Leon Inlet Stairs,” ended up on page 52 instead and was a first-place selection for the photography category for the 2025 FCSPA contest.

This academic year, Ava was the first to write a story, despite being a staff photographer, and she submitted it in record time. For the story, she was given clearance at a NASCAR race, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, on August 23. She took photos and finished the story in a day. Because we were still trying to get organized at the time, we were not able to publish the story until early September. She was very much concerned with publishing the story in a timely manner to fulfill her obligations to the NASCAR College Program. Our current staff is larger than the one she met in Spring 2024, and it continues to grow. Individually, we have many talented writers and creatives. As we evolve, I see Ava evolving with us. And I hadn’t really thought about it much until now, but I could confidently add “leader” to the list of qualities that have defined her time at In Motion. Most recently, she read the work of her peers and assessed their strengths to help us identify where we might place our writers this spring as we prepare for the contest season. Her peers LOVED it! As for her contributions in the meetings today, she makes eye contact, she offers insightful and brilliant suggestions, and she carries herself with integrity and respect. When I think about how far she has come, I sometimes get emotional. I am proud of her and impressed with her development as a student and person in the last two years. I will miss her so much when she goes away to Flagler College to pursue her studies. As the sole holdover from that Spring 2024 group, ready to move on, I’m sure that her original mates would be so proud of the photographer and staff member that she has become if they could work with her now."

Congratuations, Ava! Thank you to Dr. Thomas for nominating her!