As their time at Sacred Heart Greenwich comes to an end and college decisions are finalized, seniors Ava Briganti, Lila Caruso, and Amy Walsh plan to pursue careers in the fields of journalism and media.  These seniors hope to cultivate their knowledge of these subjects by gaining new perspectives at their respective universities in the fall.  They look forward to taking their passions and what they learned at Sacred Heart to the next level.  While Ava is finishing up her second year working for the King Street Chronicle (KSC), Lila and Amy discovered their interest in the media world through the filmmaking program.

Ava is excited to apply the journalistic skills she has gained writing for the KSC at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida.  She plans major in Journalism and take courses such as Fundamentals of Newsgathering, Writing for the Digital Age, and Freedom of Expression and Communication Ethics.  As the Podcast Editor for the KSC this year, Ava credits her experience with the online newspaper for sparking her passion for journalism and strengthening her desire to pursue it in college.

“I think what definitely made me want to major in journalism was being part of the King Street Chronicle for two years,” Ava said.  “I love being creative and being able to write about topics that actually interest me, and I also really enjoy doing the graphics for featured images.  Additionally, I love being an editor; it’s a very fulfilling job to not only help staff writers improve their writing, but to even be inspired by them.”

Reflecting upon her four years spent learning in Sacred Heart’s filmmaking program, Lila is thrilled to deepen her eager enthusiasm for creating powerful films that explore prominent themes such as community and gender stereotypes at the University of Miami as well.  In addition to majoring in Motion Picture Production, Lila will continue to dance while at college, an activity she has enjoyed since elementary school, and plans to join clubs that combine choreography and visual storytelling.  Lila particularly commends the filmmaking program for encouraging leadership and supplying a platform for girls to find their confidence and express themselves.

“Growing up at an all-girls Catholic school shaped my passion for film by showing me the power of community and female-driven stories,” Lila said.  “Throughout my four years in the filmmaking program, I created films that challenged gender stereotypes and highlighted issues like beauty standards and implicit bias.  Additionally, through supportive classmates and leadership roles, I gained the confidence to express myself through storytelling.  These experiences helped me realize that I want to pursue motion pictures production to tell stories that inspire change and amplify underrepresented voices.”

Amy is ecstatic to pursue a degree in Business of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California this fall.  Like Lila, Sacred Heart’s filmmaking classes inspired her to develop her creative thinking and has fueled her passion for storytelling.  She also credits the Sacred Heart Externship Program and how it helped her to gain insight in what it would be like to join the entertainment business by shadowing professionals at various large media companies.  In addition to her Business of Cinematic Arts major, Amy plans to earn her Bachelor of Science in Business and is looking forward to the unique classes the University of Southern California offers.

“The Business of Cinematic Arts program at the University of Southern California is a truly unique opportunity,” Amy said.  “I’m most excited for the core Business of Cinematic Arts classes that are central to the major.  In addition to earning my Bachelor of Science in Business, it’s the cinematic arts courses that truly make this program special.  Many of these classes are taught by industry professionals actively working across various fields in the entertainment industry throughout the Los Angeles area.  These lectures often take place in the evening—after most students have finished their daytime classes—because the professors come directly from their jobs on set or in studios across the city.”

Featured Image by Blaire Williamson ’27