Petersburg High School senior Madelyn Johnson has been spending her senior year behind the lens, capturing the emotion and grit that defi ne Viking athletics as the school’s student media specialist. Her dedication and talent have earned her a spot at West Virginia University, where she’s been accepted into the Sports and Adventure Media program — a perfect next step for the young photographer who’s made an art out of freezing split-second moments in time.

“Growing up around sports, I always wanted photos of myself to share with family, post online, and honestly, show off a little,” Madelyn said. “After receiving a camera for Christmas, I realized I could do that for others, too. Once I started photographing sports, I instantly fell in love with capturing the action and emotion that make every game so powerful.” Madelyn’s journey as a student photographer began with initiative. “I actually reached out myself,” she said. “I emailed the school asking for the opportunity to photograph for Petersburg High and to travel with the teams as the official student photographer.