Kayla Gamble has joined the Coastal Courier as a staff writer. Gamble was a reporter for the Inkwell, the newspaper for the school formerly known as Armstrong State University, throughout 2017.  While there, she covered community events and education for her school.

“It’s no Daily Planet, but I’m still pretty thrilled to be working here at the Courier,” Gamble joked. “I know how important the Coastal Courier is within our community, and am looking forward to contributing.  This community is always growing and changing in the most interesting ways, and I look forward to addressing what drives it.”

“We are thrilled to have Kayla join us here at the Courier,” said Patty Leon, general manager of the Coastal Courier and Bryan County News. “I think it’s fantastic that she is a resident of Liberty County, a graduate of Liberty County High School and decided she wanted to come back home to her community to begin her career in journalism. We are truly lucky to have her on board.”

“Kayla has already shown in her first week on the job that she has a spark for writing and an enthusiasm for reporting,” Courier editor Denise Etheridge said. “Kayla received a solid grounding in communication at Georgia Southern University (Armstrong campus), and because she grew up in Liberty County she genuinely cares about her community. This combination is a winning one for any hometown newspaper reporter.”

This past December, Gamble earned a bachelor’s degree in English communication. Having been a History major previously, it was during her studies that Gamble realized her passion for writing, journalism especially. This interest was encouraged by one of her professors, who convinced her to join the Inkwell. 

Despite her interest in journalism, Gamble didn’t initially think of a career in the field after school until she began actively reading the paper. It was while scanning the classifieds for work that the idea sprung into her head. That, along with her fondness for feature stories, further encouraged Gamble to get involved with journalism full-time.

Gamble has spent a majority of her life here in Hinesville, having moved into the area as a child. Her mother, Lori Gamble—a native to the area—, has taught as an elementary school teacher for more than 30 years. Her father, Keenan Gamble, served in the Army, and worked on Fort Stewart before retiring and settling in the area.

Gamble lives in Hinesville. While she has no children, she does have a dog that chews metal fences which she considers more than enough “child” to handle.