Spotlight on students at this year’s Award Ceremony

It was a resounding success with 34 winners split across seven categories. Two students, one from each year group were crowned top reporters for 2024.

Wendy Williams who runs the scheme at Wallington High School for Girls and had a winner in the interview category, said: “A great evening and-fantastic to hear about journalism from those with first hand experience and a really good way to celebrate our young journalists.”

The standard was very high and difficult decisions had to be reached to choose the two Top Reporters, one from each year group.

After lengthy discussions between the judges, it was decided that Aishwarya Kajendra and Emma Durrant deserved this title and both winners will now be the faces of the scheme on our marketing material for 2024/25.

Sean Duggan, a previous group editor of Newsquest South West London and one of the judges this year, sent huge congratulations to all the winners and everyone who took part in this excellent programme.

He added: “It is great to see how many young people are interested in journalism and, through this scheme, they get to try it out and get a feel if it is for them.”

Rishmita De from Parmiters School, who was a winner in the interview category, said: “Being a Young Reporter has been incredibly rewarding for me by providing me with a hands-on journalism experience and the opportunity to see my work published. I have not only improved my writing skills but have learnt a lot through talking to new people.”

The scheme has been running for sixteen years and tens of thousands of students have benefitted from this unique programme. It offers real live experience as a journalist and all articles that the students write, are published on Newsquest Media Group’s range of online newspapers.

Anthony Fitzgerald, currently Director of Careers at Kingston University has worked with the scheme for many years, through three different schools. He said: “We are delighted that so many of our students have completed the Reporter Scheme this year, best yet and this has to be to do with the exciting opportunities offered to students to report on and the encouragement they gain from their community of reporters, particularly pleased for Alexandria whose interview with a Paralympian rower gained her a place as a finalist!”

The scheme continues to attract students from all academic backgrounds and gives them not only an opportunity to explore their local area, but to build their confidence, work within deadlines and help build their confidence as young writers.

Kai Zhao, who was one of the winners in the photograph category, summed up the scheme by adding: “Great experience for anyone who is looking to get into the world of media. I really enjoyed researching specific topics that I have always wanted to talk about but did not know how to get across.”

Students don’t necessarily have to be looking for a career in journalism to benefit from this scheme. Many have followed countless different careers and it is a really worthwhile programme to put on a CV or UCAS application.

For more information, browse the Young Reporter website or contact infor@youngreporter.co.uk

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