Our Kid Reporters have written some incredible stories this year, covering “news for kids, by kids” from across the country and around the world for Scholastic Kids Press. What were some of their personal favorites? We checked in with five Kid Reporters to see which articles they enjoyed writing the most, and what they’ve learned from their peers’ reporting.
Hinekerangi Waaka, New Zealand
My favorite story would have to be How Kids Can Build Resilience. I think that kids all around the world can relate to this subject, particularly because 2020 has presented us with so many challenges. I find that when you can really relate and feel strongly about something, your feelings flow out. I definitely got that feeling writing this article.
Out of all the other wonderful articles by other reporters, Lincoln Miller’s article, Kids Speak Out About the Election, was probably my favorite. Living in New Zealand, I know that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election in the United States. Lincoln’s article helped me understand people's attitude towards the current political situation there from multiple perspectives.
Lincoln Miller, Florida
My favorite story I wrote so far this year is Young People Make Their Voices Heard because of the experience I had throughout researching and writing the article. I got to meet Ryan Servaites, co-founder of March For Our Lives, who was optimistic, kind, wise with his words, and full of heart. I am so happy I was able to share his message that anyone, no matter how young, can make a difference. Something horrible happened in my town a few years ago, and I felt voiceless. At the time, I did as much as I could by participating in the local March for Our Lives event, but that was it. Ryan helped me feel powerful. I’m proud that I was able to share my report on the election, represent Parkland, and help March For Our Lives get their message out that everyone can make a difference.
My favorite story written by another Kid Reporter is A 14-Year-Old Student Wins a Top Science Award by Quade Kelley. Quade's writing was interesting and informative! Anika Cherbrolu showed intelligence, perseverance, and compassion when she discovered a possible breakthrough in a cure for COVID-19. It inspires me that even as a teen, Anika displayed passion, researched facts, experimented, and came up with a conclusion that could completely change the current pandemic.
Siroos Pasdar, New York
My favorite story is probably my most recent article, Election 2020: A Look Back. This was my first election to sit down and understand everything, the votes and results. (I was too young four years ago to really understand what was happening.) This was a huge election, and I think this is the most important election because of the coronavirus pandemic. Our next president will determine the fate of this country. I think it was an extremely important topic to cover.
I also enjoyed reading Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge by Kid Reporter Annika Petras. I am a huge Star Wars fan, so I really enjoyed learning about how the new game show was created.
Teresa Fang, North Carolina
My family and I are really interested in figure skating. My younger brother, Alex, and some of my friends figure skate, and I think it’s a really beautiful, yet tough and competitive sport. When I heard that the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships was going to be held in Greensboro, which is close to home, I was determined to meet Nathan Chen and Alysa Liu, two stars on the ice, and write about their inspiring stories. It was a whole new experience of going on scene to report, and I am super proud of that experience.
This year, I read former Kid Reporter Maxwell Surprenant’s interview with CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper. I learned about the experiences of a reporter in the real world, and some of his story on how he became an anchor, which I found interesting because becoming a news anchor or reporter is one of my dreams for the future.
Zhoriél Tapo, Louisiana
My favorite story this year was Summer Camp Goes Virtual. I enjoyed writing about it because it was something I experienced firsthand. Even though COVID-19 changed the way summer camps were conducted, it was still a lot of virtual fun. During the summer camp, I was able to meet new people from all around the country and do a lot of experiments.
I also enjoyed reading stories written by other Kid Reporters about their parents who were frontline workers and how things changed with the pandemic. It was interesting to read about how things were different at home and how their parents had to quarantine to not spread the virus.
Looking for more Kid Reporter articles? You can keep up with all Kid Reporter news on the Scholastic Kids Press blog, and on Instagram and Twitter (@kidspress).
