Brookfield 8th Grader Named Scholastic 'Kid Reporter'

BROOKFIELD, WI — An 8th grade student from Brookfield will work this school year to inform her peers on matters that affect them through the Scholastic's Kids Press program.

The student, Emilia Sato, was chosen this year as a "Kid Reporter," a cohort of 10- to 14-year-old students that produce "news for kids, by kids," according to a news release from Scholastic.

Scholastic said Sato will interview newsmakers in her community on topics like the 2020 election and other issues that matter to students today. Her stories, along with those from other Kid Reporters, will be published on the Scholastic Kids Press website and in some issues of Scholastic Classroom Magazines.

Past Kid Reporters have interviewed subjects like conservationist Jane Goodall, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, award-winning author Jason Reynolds, and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and United States presidents Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump.

Scholastic Kids Press editor Suzanne McCabe said the program encourages students to think critically about issues in their communities.

“Kids have experienced monumental changes in their lives this year, prompting questions about health, science, and racial justice," McCabe said in a statement. “By writing about issues that affect them and contextualizing the news for their peers, our Kid Reporters help keep themselves and our young readers informed. By asking tough questions, they also identify leaders in their communities who have solutions.”