2026 Graduate Spotlight: Dani Crossen, CK High

Dani’s favorite time of the day used to be when the bell would ring at the end of 6th period, signifying the end of the school day. Then she found her passion.

Everything changed when her English teacher recommended Dani enroll in journalism class and write for The Cougar Chronicle, Central Kitsap High School’s student newspaper. Not only did Dani become the Cougar Chronicle’s editor-in-chief, but Dani was named the Journalist of the Year by the Washington Journalism Education Association (WJEA). 

Journalism gave her high school career purpose and made CKHS feel like a second home. “I went from never wanting to be here to being here at 9 o’clock at night in some cases [to work on journalism.]”

Q&A

Plans after graduation: Attending Western Washington University to study journalism. She hopes to write for The Western Front, the school newspaper, as soon as possible. 

Greatest accomplishment in CK Schools: Being named Washington Journalist of the Year.

Favorite memory in CK Schools: Traveling to Boston for the JEA 2023 Fall Convention and becoming better friends with her fellow classmates and making connections with real journalists in the industry. 

A piece of advice that stuck out to her: From her journalism advisor, Ms. Miller, “Just word vomit on the page until something happens.”

Where she sees herself in 20 years: Working in journalism for a newspaper, ideally the Boston Globe.