Virgina Carr gives journalism an artist’s lens

Virginia Carr, a rising senior at North Central High school, credits those who came before her – her grandmother (Carr’s namesake), her teachers and advisors – in getting her to where she is now.

Carr, 17, is involved in her school’s theater program as cast and crew. Her passion for the arts is deep-rooted – she’s been involved with the Spokane Civic Theater for years, and written her own poetry and short stories for even longer.

So, when she was approached by her English teacher, Mr. Tapp, about NC’s student-run arts and literary magazine, Voices, the draw was irresistible. Carr is going into her third year with the paper and is looking forward to being its Senior Editor.

Her involvement in the arts has taught her some important lessons about community – and she has built hers to support and uplift fellow artists.

“You can’t do something cool, or significant, or important on your own,” she said. “You’re always going to need someone to support you. Rome wasn’t built in a day – and it also took, like, a bunch of people.”

In theater, Carr finds joy in organizing to work toward something “bigger than the sum of its parts” – a piece of art for all to enjoy. In Voices, she encourages people to create, and push against the negative voices in their heads that say they can’t be artists.

After high school, Carr hopes to stay in the northwest and study to be a librarian – a profession that embodies her drive to support the arts and create communities.

When she got the recommendation from her advisor to apply for The Spokesman-Review internship, she took the jump.

“I’m a poet before I’m a journalist,” she said. But she wants to combine the two by applying a creative lens to journalism, uplifting others and creating community.