Journalism Content
Here’s a curated selection of content focusing on anchoring, reporting, writing, and production.
Talent Videography
Anchoring
Reporting
Print Writing
Living in Orlando and working at Disney World is a dream many people hold. For the Cunninghams, that dream became a reality. Kyle and Haylee Cunnningham both grew up in Charlotte before moving down to Blacksburg for high school. After graduation, Kyle enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and Haylee attended college at Horry Georgetown Technical College. They got married and had a baby, Kroy, after moving to Gaffney. Haylee began both working in property management and social media content creation, while Kyle worked in manufacturing in the Stouffer’s plant. In late 2021, Haylee decided it was time for a change. She was tired of the same old routine and needed something different. She put in her two weeks with her job and called Kyle to let him know that he needed to do the same… and find a job in Orlando. He couldn’t believe she had really gone for it, but got busy looking for employment in the sunshine state. “I had no idea if we’d make it,” said Haylee, “but we were trying.” The couple packed up their lives in Gaffney and made the trip down to Central Florida. Their first day in Florida, Kyle was set to start his new job as a plant manager for a concrete company, only to find out he had been scammed. The job was not, in fact, a managerial position, but an hourly position — not enough to support the family in Orlando. It was scary, but he began looking for another job. For the remainder of the 2021-22 school year, Haylee homeschooled their young son and did social media content creation. Kyle began working at Sherwin Williams, and did until late summer of 2022. Kyle quit his job at Sherwin Williams to stay home and help with their son, as Haylee had picked up several social media contracts and was constantly busy creating content. However, before long, Kyle was bored at home and felt he needed to get back into a job. With the family’s love of Disney and Kyle’s interest in mechanics, he went to a job fair featuring Disney and was hired almost immediately. He began working in EPCOT as a third shift mechanic on rides like The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Kyle worked as a mechanic for almost a full calendar year before an exciting offer was placed on his table. One night this summer, some Imagineers (Disney Engineers) approached the ride mechanics in EPCOT to see who would work on a special project at Guardians of The Galaxy. Kyle immediately agreed. “I just went in and started helping them,” said Kyle. Kyle doesn’t have an engineering degree or even a degree in a related field, but the engineers saw something in him that night. He was a hard worker and immediately stepped up to help solve a problem. A few days later, some of the Imagineers showed up during one of his shifts, looking for the “skinny guy with tattoos and glasses.” That was Kyle. The engineers didn’t even know his name, but they knew his work ethic and invited him to fill a spot on their team. Disney engineering positions are hard to come by and it’s a rare phenomenon for someone without a college degree to be on such a team. A job change didn’t just happen to Kyle. Earlier this year, Haylee decided she wanted to take a step back from social media and run her job in property management. She now works at a property right down the road from Disney World. They owe their success to perseverance. Not being afraid to get back up and keep trying, even when things are scary or difficult. The couple shared that the big thing that helped them get through the transition of moving so far away was sticking together and keeping their family and friends close, despite the distance. “Forget everything else,” said Kyle. “We’re gonna get through this and we’ll get through it together.” The Cunningham family took a big risk by moving so far away, but that risk came with high reward. Their message to other young adults looking to find something more is to “just go for it.” Published July 2024 for The Gaffney Ledger
Jerusalem Project came to a close on July 19, but planning has already begun for next year. One of the men that works tirelessly behind the scenes is Wayne Ruppe. Ruppe is 83-years-old but doesn’t let that stop him. He has been volunteering with the mission group for some 12 or 13 years. The Navy veteran began volunteering as a site lead, guiding teens through service work. Last year he put his hammer down and instead took hold of a steering wheel. Each morning during the week of the project, Ruppe, along with other volunteers, arrive at Kirby Church. Site crews load up buses before heading to work in the hot summer sun. Other volunteers arrive with trucks, trailers and equipment. They are given errands to run, whether that’s delivering construction equipment, picking up demolition debris, or making runs to Gaffney Lumber to gather needed wood and supplies. Throughout the mornings, they work to run these errands both quickly and with high spirits. “It’s a blessing,” says Ruppe. “I’m eighty three and don’t know how much longer I can do this, but it’s good we are able to help the people with needs.” Helping people is what the Jerusalem Project is all about. The project is organized by a group of churches to provide aid to homes needing outdoor repairs. Youth groups from across the county serve for a week each July to make improvements. This year, the week started off with 31 sites full of middle and high school students being guided by local adult volunteers. Ruppe hopes more churches and groups will continue to support the cause, as every year there are more homes needing repairs than JP is able to reach. Published July 2024 for The Gaffney Ledger
A trip to Greece is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that two local teens will experience this summer. Eva Owens and Kaileigh Pierce are dancers at The Southern Dance Academy in Gaffney and will travel together later this month. Owens is a 17-year-old rising senior at Chesnee High School and Pierce, 16, is a rising junior at Gaffney. Owens has been dancing for 12 years and Pierce for 14, both members of the Sapphire clogging team at The Southern Dance Academy. They have been on the same team for 4 years and have become close friends as well as strong teammates. The owner of the studio, Chip Harrison, introduced the idea of the trip to the girls. He and his wife, Misty, have worked in the dance industry for decades and have connections throughout the community. The director of the American Folk Ensemble reached out to Harrison about the possibility of Southern Dance Academy dancers auditioning for the trip. “We are fortunate and regularly have organizations reach out to us for various tours and events,” said Harrison. “We believe that all of our dancers are amazing but for this particular tour they were looking for specific styles of dances and wanted specific age groups.” Harrison believed the specific vision for the trip best fit Owens and Pierce, based upon their passion for dance and interest in furthering their experiences. When asked if they wanted to audition, they were both excited about the opportunity and took to preparing. “I’m so excited for this awesome opportunity and I can’t wait to be in Greece clogging and representing my studio,” said Owens. The dancers are traveling with the American Folk Ensemble, which is a music and dance performance group that travels the world to share traditional American dance and music styles. The girls will be clogging through Grecian festivals and parades for over a week. To prepare for the performances, they will be traveling to Utah to meet the rest of the group and practice all of the dance numbers. While the girls will be traveling with a large group of American performers led by experienced travelers, there are still nerves to be had when going overseas at a young age. Both girls are nervous about leaving without their families and the fear of lost luggage. Despite the rigorous preparation and anxiety about traveling so far, Pierce and Owens are thrilled about the opportunity to share their talents in Greece. “I truly can’t wait for this incredible experience. Being able to represent the USA along with Southern Dance Academy is such an honor,” said Pierce. The trip kicks off on July 21, and the dancers will return in early August. Published July 2024 for The Gaffney Ledger
