The Woodland Hills High School Library was honored to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Martha Rial to the high school on Wednesday, March 18 as the latest guest in the Woodland Hills Interaction Series.
A Murrysville native, Rial won the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography in 1998 for her work documenting the lives of refugees from Rwanda and Burundi in Africa. Her work as a staff photographer for the St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay) Times and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette took her around the country and around the world.
Her photography has been showcased at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Mattress Factory, Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Galleries, Carnegie Mellon University, and was formerly on display at the since-closed Newseum in Washington, D.C.
She's also taught photography and journalism at various institutions, and her current project is serving as the project manager for the McKeesport Community Newsroom, a citizen journalism project in the Mon Valley. She works with both adults and students to tell stories in the community.
During her visit with the Woodland Hills students, Rial spoke about her work showcasing people and their stories. She shared a wide range of her work, both local and international, and explained a bit about the stories behind the photographs. She also shared information about the McKeesport Community Newsroom and how high school students can develop their photography and journalism skills.