Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 4-27-18

Feature
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Tampa native and Blake High graduate, Brent Solomon, has been named "Best Reporter of the Virginias" by the Asso- ciated Press. Solomon is a reporter for the NBC affili- ate in Richmond, VA. The awards ceremony was held Saturday, April 21st at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV.
More than 300 entries were received for a variety of television and radio cate- gories from journalists in Virginia and West Virginia. Brent was named a finalist in the “Best Reporter” divi- sion earlier this year and took home the top honor at the AP's annual two-state luncheon over the week- end.
Brent’s interest in jour- nalism was sparked by the oratorical competitions he pursued with Hillsborough County Schools’ Student
Advisory Council while in the 9th grade. He was fur- ther encouraged to pursue oratory by a middle school instructor.
“My former Adams Mid- dle School teacher (Mrs. Marshall) saw something in me when it came to writ- ing and speaking,” he said. “She encouraged me to pur- sue the county-wide speech contest.”
For several years, he did just that and placed among the top winners. At that time he realized he did have a ‘gift for communicating, which later evolved into helping him to “become a voice for the voiceless.”
While at Howard W. Blake, Brent was a student writer for the Sentinel. He graduated in 1999 with the re-opened Blake High first graduating class. He also won the title of Mr. Blake High School that year.
Brent is the son of late businessman, Clarence Solomon, and retired
Brent Solomon is pictured with NBC 12 News Director, Frank Jones at AP Awards ceremony last Saturday.
“I take my job very seri- ously and I am grateful to be able to tell stories that not only matter, but that also makes a valuable dif- ference in the lives of every- day people," Solomon said.
Brent is a graduate of the University of Florida (2003,) and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
The Associated Press is a not-for-profit agency headquartered in New York City, owned by contributing newspapers, radio, and tel- evision stations in the United States with a mis- sion of informing the world with accurate, fair, unbi- ased reporting.
Currently, Brent is pur- suing a Master’s degree in Communications from Pur- due University. He expects to graduate in August, 2018.
When time permits, he enjoys public speaking, mentoring youth and singing at church.
Hillsborough County Schools’ educator, Tee Solomon.
While Brent has been recognized by the Society of
Professional
and the National Associa- tion of Black Journalists, this is his first Associated Press award.
Journalists
Skills In The Media Lead To Recognition By 2 States
FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A