Julia Huebner and Aleena Ismail don’t mind their latest reading homework assignment.
Huebner, a Walter Payton College Prep senior, and Ismail, a Northside College Prep junior, are among 25 teens around the world selected by the New York Times to join its Spring Student Council. As part of the council, the teens inform the company about what stories they “find most interesting and important” by reading Times stories daily. The feedback helps the Times choose content for its “The Learning Network” blog.
[…] “It’s really an honor to be representing Chicago,” said Ismail, 16, of West Rogers Park. “The most interesting thing is looking at articles that other students think are interesting. Our group is really diverse.”
Ismail, a news editor and staff writer at Northside’s The Hoofbeat online paper, can’t remember when she didn’t peruse the Times. Her father, Aziz, immigrated to Chicago from Bangladesh when he was 16 and read the Times to learn about politics, the United States and to enhance his vocabulary. Since his daughter was a child, he’d send her articles he thought were fascinating.
“I’ve always been encouraged to read the New York Times,” Ismail said. “Now I hope I can get people to read about things they don’t always read about, and to go beyond the headlines.”
** Aleena also runs ‘big sister, little sister’ program for high and middle school girls at Northside College Prep.
Sources:
Ismailimail 