Feature Story–the Lede
Don’t judge a book by its cover. This principle holds true for Morningside Senior, Michael Beavers.
On the outside, he may appear intimidating, with a scraggly brown and auburn colored beard; shaggy un-kept hair, and a barreling chest. He looks like a mix between Jack Black and a mountain man. His occasional Bob Marley t-shirt may give you the impression he’s a bit of a hippie. But if you take the time to talk with him, you’ll realize he’s not intimidating at all. He’s fairly mild-mannered, likes to watch South Park, listens to Bob Seger, and is an aspiring elementary school teacher. Yes, a teacher.
December 7th, 2012 at 3:34 PM
The first graf is a bit cliche, so just begin with the second. Use the description to take me in one direction. Then sucker punch me: “He wants to be your daughter’s first grade teacher.”
Where you go from there will depend on your interviews. Has he done his student teaching? Is he prepared? He’s done some observation. How have kids responded to him?