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Eighth grader Enya Yang of Pleasanton has been sharpening her journalistic skills over the past few years through a program for youth reporters.
The Stratford Middle School student is part of the 2025-26 cohort of Scholastic Kids Press, a decades-old initiative that trains young people on how to report about subjects such as children’s literacy, reading and education.
Yang is a repeat participant in the Scholastic program with an online portfolio dating back to 2022.
“When I first started, I was nervous and worried I’d forget my questions or miss something important. But with each article I wrote, I gained more confidence,” Yang said of her experience in the program. “Now, I can have smooth and natural conversations during interviews, something I only dreamed of doing years before.”
Yang began crafting fictional stories at the age of 5, she told the Pleasanton Weekly in an email interview. By 10 years old, Yang said she became very interested in journalism.
Upon entering the program, she joined the ranks of over 500 kids who have participated in Scholastic Kids Press since its founding in 2000, according to Scholastic spokesperson Anne Sparkman.
“Through hands-on reporting, they learn how to vet sources, think critically, write with clarity and purpose and understand the power of multimedia storytelling,” Sparkman told Pleasanton Weekly in an email. “Along the way, they also build confidence, communication skills and a deeper awareness of the world around them.”
During her time as a youth reporter, Yang has interviewed author and civil rights activist Ruby Bridges and visited a long-standing book store in San Jose as well as a fruit farm in Contra Costa County, according to her online portfolio on the Scholastic Kids Press website.
Among nearly 20 of her published stories, Yang’s most recent article covers the influence of TikTok on publishing and reading trends.
“Writing news articles and reporting is exciting because it gives me the chance to explore new places and share what I learn with others,” she told the Weekly.
Yang also said she remains alert for topics to cover with her favorites being meet-and-greets, sports championships and public events hosted by bookstores, universities and museums.
“Enya is a dedicated Scholastic kid reporter and we’re incredibly proud of her,” Sparkman said. “It’s been rewarding to watch her grow in her writing, especially knowing she’s an aspiring author herself.”
