Newsday's Joye Brown Visits Huntington
Newsday's Joye Brown intrigued Huntington High School students during a recent classroom visit with tales of an adventurous career that has taken many twists and turns along the way.
"I never know where I will be from one day to the next," Ms. Brown told a room full of journalism students. In a wide ranging talk that covered her background, including the years she spent at an all-girls Catholic school where she edited the school newspaper and recent interviews she conducted with politicians and newsmakers across Long Island, the Huntington students were an attentive group.
Ms. Brown told senior Steven Correll that she tended to gravitate to "the boring stuff" before quickly clarifying her answer. The news veteran said she has long been fascinated with and has enjoyed covering the world of municipal finance as well as politics. While she doesn't completely understand it, she still "respects it."
There was plenty of interaction during the visit. Ms. Brown discussed her time as a high school and college (George Washington University) editor. She said she wrote then in a "textbook inverted pyramid style." In later years she adopted a more conversationalist approach, which she utilizes today for her Newsday column.
The Huntington teenagers heard Ms. Brown say the biggest obstacle she needed to overcome as a writer was moving from news reporting to opinion writing. "Much like trying to relearn the alphabet, instead of her usual matter-of-fact writing style, she now had to persuade the reader as to why her opinions were valid," said Huntington English teacher Aimee Antorino.
Ms. Brown explained that while the transition was tough, she's a better writer because of it. "When someone reads one of my columns now, it's almost like we're having a discussion," she said. The column's style, which comes off almost as if she's having a conversation with a neighbor, has proven to be successful and appealing to Ms. Brown's loyal readers.
Long Island's top stories are regularly featured in Ms. Brown's column. "In fact, it was only due to her seasonal allergies that the journalism students were able to hear her speak last Wednesday," Mrs. Antorino said. If she had been feeling 100 percent, Ms. Brown would have been out in the field covering the story of the discovery of four bodies buried in a secluded spot along Ocean Parkway in Oak Beach.
Ms. Brown said she is often the first one to speak to the families involved when covering headline breaking events. Huntington senior Mike Hoffman asked how she approaches an interview and the Newsday veteran said she conveys her sensitivity as both a parent and fellow human.
Ms. Brown said she was the first reporter to interview the family of Katie Flynn, a young girl decapitated in a horrific drunken driving accident in 2005 as her family was returning home from a wedding.
One of Ms. Brown's most difficult stories to write, and one which particularly affected her emotionally, was an interview with the family of Marcelo Lucero, who was beaten and stabbed to death in 2008.
The writer said she also enjoys writing profiles of interesting Long Islanders. She described with humor her interview with Rohan Murphy, a former high school wrestling champion who went on to compete at Penn State and who is now an inspirational speaker. Mr. Murphy, who lost his legs at birth, has never allowed his disability to limit him in any way. The Huntington students laughed as Ms. Brown shared her competitive workout with them. It involves a hand cycle, which is a natural fit for the writer since she is a swimmer.
"Joye Brown's visit to Huntington High School was an enjoyable one that left a lasting impression," Mrs. Antorino said. "Her words inspired the students to work hard, be true to yourself and to pursue your dreams."
(Aimee Antorino and Steven Correll contributed to this article.)