Behind every story is
a life that cannot be
summed up in a headline
ANASTASIA EFREMOVA
ECONOMICS & PUBLIC POLICY JOURNALIST
Exploring the intersection of
economics and public policy
through journalism
DRAFT PHOTO PLACEHOLDER
Authentic portrait or working photograph of Anastasia
ABOUT
The person behind the stories
I’m Anastasia, a student journalist exploring economics and public policy. I want to understand how decisions shape people’s lives—and tell those stories with care and a commitment to evidence. Through reporting, I connect complex issues to the people affected by them. Through mentoring and financial education, I share what I learn and help younger students put their ideas into practice.
“Behind every story is a life that cannot be summed up in a headline.”
MOST POPULAR
Article image pending permission / attribution
Most Popular selection pending
FEATURED STORY
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Orange County Schools Limit Student Phone Access Under State Law
MY WORK
Stories That Matter
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Orange County Schools Limit Student Phone Access Under State Law
A policy-focused report on district responses to a new California law restricting student phone use during school hours.
Article image pending permission / attribution
TTM Tech Reports Record Revenue for Q2
Business reporting on quarterly results, growth drivers, and the numbers that mattered to Orange County readers.
Article image pending permission / attribution
InnoCaption Enters Next Chapter Under New CEO
A leadership story connecting a CEO transition with the company’s origins, accessibility mission, acquisitions, and growth.
IN THE NEWSROOM
Editorial Leadership
As Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Oracle, I help lead our student newsroom. I organized training for new writers, established a business team, and coordinated summer production so our newspaper was ready for the first day of school. I also created a student-journalist handbook covering reporting ethics, AP style, and our editorial workflow.
Editorial leadership image pending
IN THE COMMUNITY
Knowledge in Action
I mentor younger students in business and public speaking and serve as a judge at youth speaking competitions. I founded Kids Business Clubs in 2020 and Teens Investment Club in 2023 to share what I’ve learned about finance and investing. Through hands-on projects and educational resources I’ve created, I help young people explore and build new skills.
Community image pending
MY STORY
Milestones Along the Way
Authentic milestone photo pending
My First Business Venture
AGE 6
My friend Jackie and I turned our first business idea into a booth at a children’s business fair. We sold our products and won the Grand Prix, earning top honors in three categories.
Authentic milestone photo pending
From Business Camp to Kids Business Club
AGE 10
I led my first business camp, helping children set financial goals and work toward them. During the pandemic, I founded Kids Business Club, using online games to teach financial skills and introduce real estate investing.
Authentic milestone photo pending
Starting Teens Investment Club
AGE 14
I founded Teens Investment Club to share what I was learning about finance and investing. Together, we explored saving, investment choices, and practical ways to turn financial knowledge into action.
Authentic milestone photo pending
Reporting Beyond School
AGE 16
Through HUMMA, LA Times High School Insider, the Fullerton Observer, the Orange County Business Journal, and Voice of OC, I expanded my reporting beyond the classroom, exploring business, public policy, and the people behind the headlines.
Authentic milestone photo pending
Leading Young Writers
AGE 17
From Reporter to Editor to Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Oracle, I took on a growing role in training writers and organizing newspaper production. As INK Club President, I also lead students in writing books for children, bringing storytelling to younger readers.
MY BOOK
Teens Investment Toolkit
Book image pending
A practical financial-education resource designed to make earning, saving, investing, risk, return, and real estate understandable to young people.
MY GAME
Real-World Investing Game
Game image pending
Draft page created. Project title, Anastasia’s role, current stage, prototype visuals, and next steps remain pending owner-supplied source material.
Projects & Activities
Initiatives, reporting projects, clubs, debate, tennis, research, and educational work.
Awards & Recognition
Awards, recognition, programs, and certificates separated by type and source.
Résumé
Education, journalism, editorial leadership, community projects, honors, skills, and languages.