An article by 11-year-old CC Elliott was published in the latest issue of The Week Junior, a major weekly magazine for young readers across the country.
Elliott was one of twelve students between the ages of 8 and 14 selected nationwide to be on The Week Junior’s “Junior Council,” a group mentored by magazine staff to become better researchers, writers and community leaders. Each student worked on an essay this fall addressing how kids and communities can combat hunger, a topic chosen by the council, which met twice a month on Zoom with professional editors, reporters and guest speakers.
Elliott was the only council member from Alaska. In an article called “Participating in a Community Garden,” she wrote about the Starvin’ Marvin garden at the Haines School, managed by Takshanuk Watershed Council.
“It’s been really fun,” Elliott said of her experience on the council, noting that she enjoyed meeting students from around the country and learning about the magazine’s writing, editing and publishing process.
The Week Junior was founded in 2020 to teach children about current events and inspire them to follow news and effect change in their communities, according to special projects editor Bari Nan Rothchild, who worked with Elliott on council.
Elliott was on The Week Junior’s second-ever Junior Council. As a fan of the magazine, she was motivated to apply by reading about the students on the first council, last spring, who wrote about reducing carbon emissions. “It seemed like a cool experience, so I thought that I might try and see how it goes,” Elliott said.
Her application was selected out of hundreds.
“CC is bright and engaging. She impressed us right away in her application really by talking about how she lives in a small town—and that gives her a perspective on world events that people who live in big cities might not have,” said Rothchild. “CC is wonderful to work with. She’s curious and conscientious, which makes for really good reporting. And like the other 11 children in her cohort, CC is really interested…in making sure children’s voices are heard on the issues that matter to them.”
Elliott juggled several extracurricular activities, like basketball and student council, to attend the magazine’s meetings at 4 p.m. “It was a little difficult to try to balance everything, but I managed,” she said.
Elliott’s last Junior Council meeting is on Thursday. She said she plans to stay in touch with the students she’s met and looks forward to reading their articles, which range from “Help Deliver Groceries to People in Need” by 9-year-old Florence in Washington, D.C., to “Be Informed about Nutritious Foods” by 12-year-old Emma in Iowa.