Kid Reporter From Alexandria Named For Scholastic Kids Press Program

ALEXANDRIA, VA — An Alexandria boy is among 29 Kid Reporters selected around the U.S. and the world for the Scholastic Kids Press program.

Xander Dorsey, a fifth grader, will be part of an international team reporting "news for kids, by kids," according to Scholastic. The program allows students to learn from news veterans how the news is reported and get hands-on experience researching, interviewing and fine-tuning their writing skills. Kid Reporters, aged between 10 and 14, cover events in local communities as well as a variety of global topics relating to government, entertainment, the environment, sport and more.

"The enthusiasm and passion our Kid Reporters have for covering the news is inspiring," said Suzanne McCabe, editor of Scholastic Kids Press. "The stories they share with our wider Scholastic audience are thoughtful, age-appropriate resources that help students, parents, and educators make sense of events that shape our world and affect our lives."

Some recent topics covered by Kid Reporters have included presidential elections, the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Winter Olympics and more. They've also interviewed important figures like Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Mike Pence, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, conservationist Jane Goodall, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, and civil rights activist Ruby Bridges.

Kid Reporters' bylines appear on the Scholastic Kids Press website and select Scholastic Magazines issues.

While Dorsey is a Kid Reporter now, his goal is to become a lawyer or federal judge. He enjoys playing travel lacrosse and reading the "Crossover" book series by his favorite author Kwame Alexander.

This is the 23rd year of the Scholastic Kids Press program. The 2022-2023 Kid Reporter team comes from 15 U.S. states as well as China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam.