THE KIDS ISSUE
MAX COVERAGE One seventh grader shares his experience getting started as a kid reporter By Te re s a Fan g | Ph o to by Jo h n M ic h ael S imp so n
hile many kids dream of becoming an astronaut or doctor in the future, seventh grader Max Chen is already a budding journalist. Along with playing tennis, cello and learning how to code, his hobbies also include writing. Now, the Smith Middle School student is taking part in a unique opportunity that allows him to share his writing with other kids as part of the Scholastic Kids Press program. He is one of 29 kid reporters this school year, all aged 10-14 and based across the globe. The program, which started in 2000, works with young journalists to write “news for kids, by kids” – that’s anything from politics, entertainment, the environment, sports and more, both in their hometowns and on the national stage. Suzanne McCabe, the New York City-based editor of Scholastic Kids Press, says it was a “great idea to have kids tell the story to their peers because young people love to listen to someone their own age.” The journey to join the cohort was rigorous. “We look for curiosity, good interviewing skills, good writing skills, critical thinking, [an openness] to all ideas and just an interest in sharing the stories that may not get told otherwise,” Suzanne says. Applicants had to think of a topic for a story, conduct interviews and write an article to submit to the judges at Scholastic. For many kids like Max, inspiration came from their own community. “I decided to find a topic that was close to home,” he says. “I really enjoyed my orchestra class, and I thought it would be interesting for kids to know the importance of music.” He interviewed his music teachers during his first-ever interviews. Upon his acceptance into the program, Max wrote his first article covering Election Day in Chapel Hill. He says he was nervous in the beginning but soon found himself in the groove while in action. “I kept pestering my dad about how I should approach the volunteers [at the
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January/February 2023
Seventh grader Max Chen is interviewed by former Scholastic kid reporter (and East Chapel Hill High School sophomore) Teresa Fang at Joe Van Gogh in Chapel Hill.
polling place],” he says. “Once I got there though, I thought it was really fun. You don’t feel nervous once you start talking to real people. Everyone was nice, and they even congratulated me on my interview when I finished.” When he settled down to write, Max says he felt accomplished. “What I loved about Max’s first story is that he covered the election and told the story from the vantage of kids his age and the age of our readers who can’t vote.” Suzanne says. “We’re helping young people see that they have a voice, even if they’re not old enough to cast a vote. Max is very bright; he loves to read. He loves social studies. That was his first story, and he did a great job.” The stories that kid reporters cover vary depending on their schedule, guidelines set by Suzanne and their own passion and responsibility for