In February 2014 Danielle Greaves entered the media world, she dived into the world of journalism and has been swimming to success ever since then. Many readers may have had the pleasure of meeting the 19-year-old who has been a reporter at the Estcourt and Midlands News for almost a year and has been the face behind #Fresh Take.

Through 2013 Danielle attended the Caxton Cadet School in Johannesburg where she was placed at the top of her class and received a merit award for her innovative column #Fresh Take. Besides her academic achievements, the soft-spoken lass has been making her mark in the community with her writing, with many residents commenting on her well-written articles and pleasant demeanour. Danielle’s colleagues describe her as a respectful, caring, friendly and helpful individual who has become part of the Caxton family. And family is an important part of Danielle’s life and she says that spending time with them is one of her favourite pastimes, aside from reading.

After Danielle was born in Durban, her family relocated to Estcourt where she completed her primary and secondary schooling at Drakensview Primary School and Estcourt Secondary School respectively. During the grade 12 year, choosing a potential career was a daunting task and Danielle says that she was undecided and often thought that her love for history would lead her to law or social work. But, fate had a different plan. “When I returned from holiday in January and received my results in 2014, I was still undecided about what to study. After a while I got a call telling me that I have an interview at the Estcourt News. I was excited and knew then that this is what I want to do,” said Danielle.

Since then, the world of journalism has captivated her. “I love it! It has been overwhelming. I have met wonderful people who have inspired and challenged me and allowed me to share stories about amazing people,” she said. When asked about whose stories have inspired her, Danielle replies Reverend James Adams and Vanesse Baumann. “They have so much to give to the community, they are wise and love sharing this wisdom.” Oprah Winfrey would be Danielle’s dream interview, not only because she watched and learnt a lot from the world-famous talk show host but also because Oprah’s life story is inspiring. To keep motivated, Danielle’s mantra is ‘life is short, when we are blessed with a new day make the most of it today, tomorrow is not assured.’

Here are five other things you may not have known about Estcourt News reporter Danielle Greaves:
1. Favourite song at the moment? Chris Brown Drunk texting.
2. Most interesting news story of 2014 – the Oscar Pistorius trial.
3. Favourite book of all time – A Father’s Fortune (Mills and Boon Vintage Collection).
4. Most interesting person you’ve interviewed? – Estcourt Senior Citizens Chairperson Mrs Nandan.
5. Biggest lesson learnt in 2014 – Never judge a book by its cover.