When the new JAG program launched at Tonopah Valley High School during her junior year, Nyla saw this as an opportunity to start fresh. “When I saw JAG and what it meant and had to offer, I wanted that fresh start…to better my future.”

She joined JAG looking for support and community. 

“I was going through a difficult time when my father passed. I looked to JAG for a community where I could feel supported, find the positive in my circumstances, and find my voice.”

For the first time in high school, Nyla ran for a leadership role. Even though it was her first year in the program, she became Vice President of her school’s JAG Career Association chapter. As vice president, she helped organize events such as JAG-A-Palooza, the Initiation & Installation Ceremony, and a prom for the JAG and Best Buddies programs.

Throughout that journey, her JAG Specialist played a big role in her life. “What I like most about my coordinator is that no matter what, I know she will always be there for me. I doubt myself a lot. I’m an overthinker, and I’m always in my head. She never gives up on me; she pushes me to keep going."

Nyla competed in multiple competitions at the 2022 Career Development Conference, placing in the public speaking, housekeeping, and LinkedIn competitions. After winning first place in the Carolyn Warner Legacy Public Speaking Competition, she shared her story in front of more than 700 guests.

In April 2023, Nyla traveled to Orlando, Florida, to compete on the national stage in Public Speaking and attend the Jobs for America’s Graduates National Career Development Conference, where she connected with students from other states and shared her experience as a workshop presenter.

After the trip, she shared; “When I went on the trip, I was really nervous because I didn’t think anyone would like me. And before, I was struggling a lot with friendships. Going on the trip made me realize that I’m worth so much more than I think. I definitely want to work on being more confident in myself and knowing my purpose, my worth, and what I have to offer not only to this program but to my school, community, and this country in general.”

Through public speaking and leadership, Nyla discovered the power of storytelling. “The JAG program ignited my passion for public speaking, where I discovered the power of storytelling and advocacy.”

That experience helped shape her future path. “Competing in public speaking showed me the importance of amplifying marginalized voices, and sparked my interest in journalism.”

Her internship as a JAG News Desk content creator helped solidify her career decision. “As a news desk content creator with JAG, I further realized journalism was my calling to give voice to the voiceless and shed light on the darkest corners of society.”

By her senior year, Nyla set her sights on Howard University, a goal that felt massive and historic. “Howard wasn’t just a dream,” Nyla says. “It felt like a calling.”

At Tonopah Valley High School, no student had ever even applied to Howard, let alone been accepted. "Part of me wondered if a girl from my small town could really break that barrier," she admits. She applied anyway.

When the acceptance letter arrived, it was a milestone not just for Nyla, but for her entire community. “It wasn’t just good news,” she recalls. “It was history.”

She graduated from Tonopah Valley High School in May 2024 and began studying Media, Journalism, and Film with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism at Howard University.

Today, Nyla continues her journey as a sophomore at Howard University and a 2026 WHUT-PBS Spring Semester Production Intern.

She credits those who helped guide her.

“I am profoundly grateful to my coordinators, and to the entire JAG community for their endless support and continuous belief in me, and to my amazing mother, who pushes me harder than anyone I’ve encountered.”

With the leadership and public speaking skills gained in JAG, the academic rigor of Howard University, and real-world experience at PBS, Nyla is preparing for a very successful career. 

“This is only the beginning,” she says, and her future in journalism is just getting started.