N’Naserri Carew-Johnson Day

Fulton County honors Kid Reporters in Georgia.

I recently had an AMAZING day! It was the day I was rewarded for the work I have done as a Kid Reporter for the Scholastic Kids Press Corps. On March 17, I was given a proclamation from the Board of Commissioners in Fulton County, Georgia, the county that is home to my home in Atlanta. I received the award along with fellow Atlantan Kid Reporter Andrew Liang.

When my mom and I walked into the Fulton County Government Center, I was sort of nervous. I did not know what to expect. We walked into the Assembly Room and all of the Commissioners were seated at their seats with their names in front of them. They had a seat reserved for me on the second row with my name on it.

It was interesting to listen to the agenda for the day and hear the type of work being done. They covered a few details and then it was time for the presentation of our proclamations. My family and I walked to the front of the room with Andrew and his dad, Mr. Ken Liang.

The chairman of the Fulton County Commission, Mr. John Eaves, read the whole proclamation aloud. What really made me smile was when I heard Chairman Eaves say that Wednesday, March 17, 2010 is now Scholastic Kids Press Corps Reporter N’Naserri Carew-Johnson Day. I was so proud! All of the interviews, blogs, TV interviews, HARD WORK, and had resulted in this!

On this very special day, my mother, father, principal, and teacher were there with me to support me, as they have been from day one. I was really happy to hear Fulton County School Board member Catherine Maddox say that Andrew and I are an example of why it is important to provide funding for education. This made me happy because I feel the same way. Kids like me need the support that we get from our teachers.

I would like to thank my mother and father for helping be a part of this program, but mostly I would like to thank my wonderful 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Lori Witherspoon. She is the one who urged me to apply to the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

Without her support and encouragement I would have never applied. I never would have conducted all the interviews, written all the stories, appeared on TV, or received this award. Thanks, Mrs. Witherspoon!

—N’Naserri Carew-Johnson

PHOTO: Kid Reporters Andrew Liang (left) and N'Naserri Carew-Johnson (right) receive proclamations from the Fulton County Commissioners in Atlanta, Georgia, declaring March 17, 2010, Scholastic Kid Reporter Day! (Photo Courtesy Andrew Liang)

When Reporters Become the News

Covering Haiti put Kid Reporters in the spotlight for a job well done.

Kid Reporters are like any other reporter when it comes to covering the news. But sometimes, we become the news, which happened this past week when I was interviewed by two different TV reporters and a radio journalist.

Fellow Kid Reporter Andrew Liang and I were chosen to speak to the press on behalf of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps and its coverage of the earthquake in Haiti. About half of the 54 reporters dropped everything the weekend after the earthquake to report on relief efforts in our individual communities. You can read all about it in a Special Report called Crisis in Haiti.

Our first interview was on WXIA, 11 Alive, a local TV news program in Atlanta, Georgia. I felt like I was on the hot seat, being the one to answer the questions rather than ask them.

A few days later, Andrew and I were interviewed by Mr. Steve Goss, a radio host for National Public Radio (NPR). NPR airs on WABE 90.1 FM in Atlanta. Unlike the 11 Alive interview, this one was taped to be aired later. The focus of the radio interview was a little different. Mr. Goss wanted to know about our jobs as reporters. His asked about the difference between reporting for kids and reporting for adults.

On Monday, it was back to live TV, this time for the national cable network MSNBC. I was really nervous, because this was a live, national show. Once we were prepped for the interview, I was fine, though. Ms. Contessa Brewer, a news anchor for MSNBC, mainly asked questions about our coverage on Haiti and how it is helpful for kids to have a news source designed specifically for them.

I have been thinking about what I’ve learned from these three different interviews. All three reporters treated us as professionals and with respect. We did not know what questions they were going to ask, although we did know the subjects. The experience taught me that I should always be prepared and know my facts, just as I have to do when I report the news.

Being on the other side of the interview isn’t as easy as it may seem. You have to know your subject and think quickly. These experiences taught me the importance of listening and telling stories well. You have to go into an interview prepared with your information. You have to listen carefully to what people ask, and speak clearly in reply. You also have to stay objective. And finally, don’t forget to thank the interviewer!

I realized that even though I was not doing the reporting, I was still a journalist. My responsibility on either side of a story is to share information correctly.

Three times in one week as the person on the other side of the interview proved to be an exciting experience that I learned a lot from and that I will always remember

—N’Naserri Carew-Johnson

PHOTO: Kid Reporters N'Naserri Carew-Johnson and Andrew Liang on the set of MSNBC waiting to be interviewed on live TV. (Photo Courtesy N'Naserri Carew-Johnson)