It was a difficult decision as always, but after reading through more than 200 applications this year, we are proud to announce the 2012-2013 Scholastic News Kids Press Corps! This year, we chose 16 new Kid Reporters who will join our 17 returning reporters. In the coming weeks, you’ll be able to read stories by some of our newest reporters at scholastic.com/kidspress (they are already hard at work on their first stories — can you believe it?), but until then you can check out the list of reporters below and take a look at their bios here.

This year’s Scholastic News Kid Reporters hail from 23 states across the United States, and one province in Canada! They will report on stories from their hometowns, covering news, entertainment, sports, books and more! Last year the Kid Reporters were busy covering the Presidential Election (which included a sit-down interview with President Obama!), along with stories about Hurricane Sandy and interviews with people like entertainer Taylor Swift, Norman Bridwell, creator of Clifford the Big Red Dog®, and Amar’e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks. They’ve also gathered “Tips from the Pros” from journalists including Soledad O’Brien of CNN and Chief White House Correspondent, Chuck Todd, of NBC News.

The 2012-2013 members of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps are (* indicates new reporter):

Alabama
Isabel Hope Retsinas – Tuscaloosa *

California
Matthew Ferreira – San Diego *
Anya Jensen – San Francisco *
Diego Magaña — Oxnard

Connecticut
Cooper Boardman – Westport *

Washington, D.C.
Nell Leibovich – Washington, D.C.

Florida
Topanga Sena — Orlando

Georgia
Madison Cruz – Woodstock *

Hawaii
Jessica Taylor — Honolulu

Illinois
Natalie Wexler – Highland Park

Indiana
Grace Ybarra – Indianapolis

Kentucky
Robbie Keyes – Louisville *

Louisiana
Christopher Pate – Alexandria

Massachusetts
Coleman Hirschberg – Somerville

Maryland
Hannah Prensky – Middletown
Emily Shao – Rockville *

Michigan
Molly Pribble – Ann Arbor

Minnesota
Aaliyah Kellogg – Maplewood *

North Carolina
Alexandra Pritchard – Raleigh *

New Jersey
Amiri Tulloch – Woodbridge

New York
Dani Bergman Chudnow – New York
Fred Hechinger – New York

Ohio
Mahathi Venkatesh – Strongsville *

Pennsylvania
Katelyn Barr – Wayne
Matthew Moore – New Castle
Rhiannon Potter – Starrucca *

South Carolina
Thayer Loose – North Augusta *

Texas
Millie Hernandez – Pasadena *

Vermont
Rebecca Berlind – Burlington *

Washington
Elizabeth Claire Peterson – Kirkland *

Canada
Cindy Xiong – Ontario *