Scholastic News Kids Press Corps Opens 2018-2019 Applications

Having run reports from 44 Kids Press Corps reporters aged 10 to 14 during the 2017-2018 school year, children’s publisher Scholastic has put out the call for applications from journalism-minded young people for the 2018-2019 school year.

Images from Scholastic News Kids Press Corps reports filed in the current school year from, clockwise from upper left, Thailand, the UK, India, Australia, South India, and Italy. Images: Scholastic News Kids Press Corps

By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson

Deadline for Applications: May 31

Scholastic has opened the application process for its Kids Press Corps for the 2018-2019 school year.

Eligible student journalists are aged 10 to 14 by August 31 and come from many parts of the world.

Application requirements include a news article with certain requirements of quoted commentary, and the focus of the program’s reportage is on people and organizations working for the betterment of their communities. Download the application PDF here.

In a prepared statement, Suzanne McCabe, who edits the Scholastic journalism project, is quoted, saying, “For nearly 20 years, the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps has provided a forum for students to share their observations and perspectives with their peers.

“One of the best things about working with this talented group of young journalists is witnessing their passion for keeping fellow students informed on topics that matter to them and have a significant impact on our society.”

The concept of the Kids Press Corps is to have its young reporters “gain valuable writing and critical-thinking skills and first-hand journalism experience through local and national news assignments, which lead to unique opportunities to witness important events and interview newsmakers, including politicians, authors, actors, musicians, and professional athletes.”

Scholastic kid reporter Benedek Payne, left, reports on issues around school uniforms in the UK. Image: Scholastic News Kids Press Corps

The 2017-2018 year’s international kid reporters have included:

Ananyaa Chopra in India
Angus Chen in China
Benedek Payne in the UK
Italy’s Giona Pratelli
Helen Hong in Australia
Martin Lloyd in the UK
Moira Daphne G. Toledo in Hong Kong
Natcharee Chaiwongthitikul in Thailand
Rohan Saketh Devulapalli in India
Roopkatha Roy in India

Interviews from years past, according to press materials, include former vice president Joe Biden; Puerto Rico’s secretary of education Julia Keleher; the UN’s secretary-general António Guterres; Captain Underpants author Dav Pilkey; musical theater actress Kristin Chenoweth; conservationist Jane Goodall; comedian and talk show host Trevor Noah; tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands; and quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles Nick Foles.

Articles and video interviews by the kid reporters are available on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website as are select issues of Scholastic Classroom Magazines, which reach more than 25 million students in classrooms nationwide.

More from Publishing Perspectives on Scholastic is here.

About the Author

Porter Anderson

Porter Anderson is a non-resident fellow of Trends Research & Advisory, and he has been named International Trade Press Journalist of the Year in London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards. He is Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives. He formerly was Associate Editor for The FutureBook at London's The Bookseller. Anderson was for more than a decade a senior producer and anchor with CNN.com, CNN International, and CNN USA. As an arts critic (Fellow, National Critics Institute), he was with The Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald, and the Tampa Tribune, now the Tampa Bay Times. He co-founded The Hot Sheet, a newsletter for authors, which now is owned and operated by Jane Friedman.