Shannon Green followed her heart and her journalistic instincts after high school, becoming a writer at the Orlando Sentinel. After years of reporting on everything from sports to general news, Shannon recently received a regional Emmy award for a documentary she and a coworker at the newspaper shot, wrote and produced.
Shannon Green followed her heart and her journalistic instincts after high school, becoming a writer at the Orlando Sentinel. After years of reporting on everything from sports to general news, Shannon recently received a regional Emmy award for a documentary she and a coworker at the newspaper shot, wrote and produced.
The program followed a grassroots effort to change Florida state law to restore ex-felons’ right to vote. “Basically I wanted to show why this matters and what it meant. Many of us take for granted our right to vote,” Shannon said. Winning an Emmy was never on Shannon’s radar.
“After high school, my entire background was straight writing. I’m a newspaper writer, so to go from that to producing a documentary, I think a lot of things I learned in high school set that foundation.”
Shannon, who graduated from Duncanville in 1998, said although it had been a couple of decades since she took a Media Technology class in high school, those skills quickly came back when she needed them. “I would say that in that class I learned so many things that I still use today. What I learned about television producing and editing – all of that was really relevant,” she said.
After more than 20 years as a journalist, Shannon recently made the decision to step away from the newspaper. She begins a new job on March 2 as a communications specialist for a women and children’s hospital in Orlando.
“It’s an exciting opportunity that allows me to continue storytelling among people who are truly doing life and death work,” Shannon said.
Her hope is to also have more time and energy to focus on her family, which includes her husband and two young daughters. She also runs her own business as a wellness coach.
Green has always been active. When she injured her knees during her sophomore year of high school, she had to give up playing volleyball and running track. She stayed busy playing her trumpet and marching in the band. “I had great friends, I was in great clubs and the skills I learned helped me with life,” Shannon said.
Although she lives in Florida, Duncanville is still home for Shannon. Her mother lives in Oak Cliff, and her brother Chris Owens, who graduated in 1997, is the head basketball coach at Bishop Dunne High School.
“When I came back for my 20-year reunion, one of my former counselors came. It was just cool to see him at our reunion - that he cared enough to come and see us after 20 years,” Shannon said. “Duncanville really is a family. It’s a very special high school. Once a Panther, Always a Panther.”