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NATCHEZ — The Natchez Democrat staff welcomes two new interns this summer who both know the area well.

Cooper Brumfield, who is the son of Joanna Kidder and Cliff Brumfield, is a rising high school senior at Mississippi School for the Arts in Brookhaven. He is from Natchez and has been published multiple times in the Phoenix Literary Journal.

Bradford Perkins, who is the son of Janay and Brandon Perkins, is from Woodville and is interested in sports media.

Both began work at The Democrat this week.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Bradford and Cooper to our team this summer,” said Stacy Graning, regional editor for The Democrat. “Being able to nurture and help foster an interest in community journalism in young people from our region is an exciting opportunity and a responsibility we take seriously.”

Brumfield said he is interested in expanding his horizons in all forms of writing, having already published his personal memoir as well as a poem and a play.

He has also been awarded for his writing by the Regional Scholastic Writing Competition.

“I’m interested in learning how to incorporate my writing passion into a living,” Brumfield said, adding he aims to adopt a more formal writing knowledge that is informational as well as creative.

When he graduates from high school, Brumfield said he intends to go to college and major in either creative writing or journalism.

Bradford is a 2022 graduate of Wilkinson County Christian Academy and is in his junior year at the University of Mississippi, where he studies journalism.

Bradford said he is interested in learning more about the writing business as a whole with plans to make that his career.

“I look forward to practicing interviewing people more,” Bradford said. “When I declared my major last year, I just thought ‘I could do this.’”

What Bradford loves most about Natchez, he said, is “the view of the Mississippi River and the history surrounding this place.”

Both will be out interviewing community members, reporting on public meetings and sporting events and will help us keep our readers informed on events and happenings in the Miss Lou.

Join us in welcoming Brumfield and Cooper to our team and be sure to check out the stories they produce this summer here at The Natchez Democrat.