Joie Tyrrell
Education Reporterjoie.tyrrell@newsday.comI grew up on Long Island and have been a lifelong reader of Newsday. I became a reporter because every day is different, and it is interesting to meet people and tell their stories. My goal as a journalist covering Long Island is to ensure that the stories of the people here are told in an informative and responsible manner. I am about to mark my 25th year working for Newsday.
I cover schools on Long Island. There are 124 districts spread throughout the area, and they vary in size and scope – and that can take some time to understand. There are districts that enroll tens of thousands of students to smaller districts – especially on the East End – that have a few dozen children. For my job, I like to be in classrooms the most, telling the stories of outstanding educators and students. Luckily, Long Island has a lot of both, so it keeps me busy.
I believe that Long Islanders truly value their schools, and that is why local journalism is important: so people can be informed about what is going on in their districts.
Before coming to Newsday, I worked at newspapers throughout the country. I was a reporter at news organizations in Arizona, North Carolina and New Jersey. I also have covered other issues aside from education, including local government, health and crime. But my favorite beat to cover is education.
I believe that Long Islanders truly value their schools, and that is why local journalism is important: so people can be informed about what is going on in their districts. I know that Newsday strives to cover education on Long Island better than anyone, from news to high school sports. Every year, we publish the valedictorians and salutatorians of each high school.
I also think that Long Island is a special place to live, and I enjoy going to the beaches on both the North and South shores.