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RAHWAY, NJ – Scholastic Corp. recently announced that Rahway student Sasha Powell, a 12 year old seventh grade student who attends Rahway 7th and 8th Grade Academy, has been selected to join the award winning Scholastic Kid Press program, which is a team of 36 Kid Reporters from all over the world who report “News for children, by children”.
According to a press release on the program, during the 2021-2022 school year, Powell will interview leaders and experts in his community on the topics that matter most to children. Kid Reporter stories are published on the Scholastic Kids Press website and featured in select issues of Scholastic Magazines +, which reach over 25 million students in US classrooms.
Powell detailed the exciting opportunity, mentioning the lengthy application process.
“The Scholastic Kids Press is basically a program where kids around the world, ages 10 to 14, cover a lot of topics and things that interest them in their community, their state, their city. I don’t think we are traveling, but we have a lot of opportunities throughout this program, ”said Powell on Friday October 1st. “First, I did some research and applied. It wasn’t an appointment or anything. The application process was long. I had to write about a person or an organization that was making a difference in my community. I also had to write down two ideas I had for writing stories and then had to write down why I wanted to join. It was a really fun process that I was able to do. Applications were opened in March of this year.
Powell said his passion for journalism as a reporter for morning announcements at his school enabled him to be Kid Reporter for the Scholastic Kids Press.
“Aspiring to become a journalist has been one of my passions. Maybe that will change later, because I keep growing, but I think being a journalist is really fun, ”said Powell. “In my school, I was actually a reporter for my morning announcements, and everyone was like, ‘You have a great reporter voice, and you should become a reporter someday.’ I think I always thought about making the morning announcements.
“The morning announcements were in my elementary school and were voluntary, but due to COVID, during virtual times I would record them myself and send them to my teachers. But when we were in person, there was a big camera set up and we would read the little script with the director and that’s how we did it, ”she continued.
“I think everyone is different. Some people like math and want to do a lot of things with it, for example, ”Powell added. “For me, writing has always marked me. When I was younger, I wrote stories. I wrote a lot of stories, and from there I finally decided to look for programs that can really put this passion into motion. It was then that I discovered Scholastic Kids Press.
Powell said she thought there were a lot of things that made her stand out. She said they really liked her writing skills and the way she conducted the interview. She printed everything, including the interview reports, and sent them in, all in a pink envelope decorated with stickers. She suspects that’s why she stood out from them.
“So my editor, Susan McCabe, she’s already contacted me, so I can start interviewing people right away,” Powell continued. “I practiced interviewing people when I applied to this program…. Also, I think I’ll be interviewing someone else, because I’m working on a new story right now.
Grateful for the opportunity, Powell said she looked forward to interviewing people in her community and in New Jersey. She said she was really curious about people, but if there was anyone she could interview it would be Mariah Carey, as she would love to know how it feels to have such a high level. of fame.
“It sounds like such a great opportunity that I was chosen, and at 12 it’s actually a crazy experience and I know this is my first year doing this so I can’t wait for it all. what I’m sure to get on board, all the people I can interview and write stories about, ”she said. “I feel really excited and I feel great about it.”
Suzanne McCabe, editor of Powell’s Scholastic Kids Press, said Powell is Rahway’s only Kid Reporter and one of three New Jersey Kid Reporters.
“Once they’re on the program, our Kid Reporters write stories from their communities on topics that are important to them and their peers,” McCabe said on Friday October 1. “I work with each of them throughout the year to edit their stories and to help them frame questions and get interviews with relevant sources.
“Whenever we review Kid Reporter applications, we pay close attention to students’ writing ability, interview skills, and attention to detail,” she continued. “Sasha’s passion for writing and her innate sense of curiosity really made her candidacy stand out, and we were impressed with her press article on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected businesses in her community. . I can’t wait to see the other local stories Sasha uncovers in Rahway this year.
McCabe said that Scholastic Kids Press is an educational program, so Kid Reporters gain experience working with an editor in an award-winning team of young journalists, while building their critical thinking and skills. in writing, as well as their self-confidence. She said it’s amazing how the Kid Reporters transform while they are on the program and that a number of former Scholastic Kid Reporters have become professional journalists.
McCabe said she has helped many Kid Reporters over the years find writing opportunities once they leave the program. Many have moved on to their high school journals and received local and national recognition for their writing through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country’s longest-running program for creative teens in Grades 7-12.
“Sasha had already started running, and she is writing her first story as a Scholastic Kid Reporter,” McCabe said. “She told a story about tree damage from spotted lanterns and is now looking for experts at local universities to interview. The great thing about the Scholastic Kids Press program is that our Kid Reporters work at their own pace, so we encourage them to come up with ideas for stories that interest them and to work on those stories when it fits their job. time – school is always the first priority. “
Scholastic Kids Press will open the next call for applications in March 2022. When that happens, students, teachers and families can visit scholastic.com/kidspress to download the Kid Reporter app. The application process includes writing an original news article and a personal essay, as well as proposing ideas for potential articles.
Photos courtesy of Fatima Powell and Brittany Sullivan of Scholastic Corp.