Jordan Trendle, a recent English graduate from Missouri State University (MSU), was hired in December by Warden Publishing to report on Crawford County news.

Trendle grew up in the Bourbon area, graduating in 2022 from Sullivan High School. She participated in many different activities, such as color guard, softball, soccer and speech.

“I grew up wanting to play sports. I begged my parents when I was four to let me play soccer. I wasn’t really the best, but I still enjoyed it,” Trendle said. “When you’re a part of a lot of groups, you get to learn about so many different people.”

Academics are very important to her, and she strove to meet her long-term goals.

“While still attending Strain Japan R-16 School, I knew about Sullivan’s Top 10 graduates. It was probably around seventh grade when I decided that when I went to Sullivan, I would be among them. It just stuck in my head,” Trendle said. “And I did it, too.”

When attending MSU, Trendle auditioned for both the fall and winter color guard.

“I never really liked being in front of crowds or cameras — still don’t,” Trendle said. “Although there is just something about going out in front of hundreds of people and performing your heart out with your friends. You never fully feel like you’re prepared, but then the adrenaline hits you and then the show is almost over.”

She has been a reader from a very young age, and loves to go on book adventures.

“I loved the Percy Jackson books. My first-grade teacher read the first book of the series to the whole class, and I was instantly hooked. I just had to know what was next, so I found the rest of the series in the library,” Trendle said. “Then it was the author’s next series and branching out to other authors.”

Her love of reading is what inspired her to want to write. Whether it was imagining stories or trying to put her thoughts to paper, the creativity that writing can draw out has always been what has attracted her to it.

Trendle is excited to be able to see her community in a new way.

“In a small community, it’s cool to know everyone or they somehow know you, whether that’s personally or through relatives,” Trendle said. “Working with the paper just means I get to be more immersed in the community. I really like that.”