Reporter’s story has far-reaching impact
I am writing to share with you how far-reaching a story can be. Megan Moseley wrote a story about a monk seal mural painted by fourth-graders at Kahakai Elementary School. I was the volunteer who spoke to the keiki at that school.
Recently, NOAA held its statewide monk Seal Count Day, May 16. As I covered the area from Waipio Valley to Richardson Beach talking story with people and looking for seals, I was dumbfounded to have nine people spontaneously bring up the story about the mural written by Ms. Moseley, asking if I had read it. I was a career market researcher. Statistically, if nine people brought it up to me that day, there are just as many if not more who’ve noticed that article. I asked a few questions. I heard remarks about how well written it was, nice for the keiki (that was mentioned frequently), but what caught my attention, were the frequent remarks about looking up more information about the monk seal. And “I didn’t know how bad things were for them.” I also asked, was there anything off-putting about the article? Nothing, I heard over and over. It was a wonderfully written article, highlighting a beautiful piece of artwork by keiki was the gist of comments. And, I learned more about monk seals, I heard, too.
Ms. Moseley’s article served the Hawaiian monk seal conservation cause in such a far-reaching manner. Had she been with me on my seal count, she would have been dumbfounded, too, I think, for I have not expressed adequately the remarks I heard. I personally was thrilled and amazed.
I’ve had others mention that story to me, how well-written it was, articulate, captured brilliantly what the keiki intended. And being the person who was in the classroom with the keiki and having met them on several more occasions, including the presentation ceremony of the mural to me, I was personally delighted with how well she captured what the keiki wanted to express.
I felt I must give feedback, because journalists may not know how impactful their words may be, and my experience on Seal Count Day was truly unusual. My heartfelt thanks to this reporter who wrote this exceptional story. The power of words.
Paulette Wright Smith
Volunteer Monk Seal Responder
Hilo