DENVER — When asked about career aspirations, some of the more common responses that young children give include doctors, teachers and astronauts, but seldom do they say they want to become journalists.
In an effort to change that, former Colorado news anchor Rodolfo Cardenas wants to inspire youth to pursue careers in journalism by launching a program called "Reporter of the Month."
The program consists of inviting bilingual students to participate in his radio newscast and win prizes. Students learn how to write a news story and how to record interviews, and they are provided with ideas on topics that could be developed. They then present those news stories on his radio show "Hablemos Hoy" on KNRV 1150 AM.
The selected "Reporter of the Month" for February is 12-year-old Sylvia Kehm. She is a seventh grade student at Escuela de Guadalupe, a dual-language school in Denver. Kehm learned to write and produce news segments in Spanish, such as the one in the video above, where she is presenting a news segment about the end of mask mandates in Colorado.
According to El Comercio, Kehm considers Spanish to be her first language even though she was born to American parents. The Colorado native said in an interview that growing up with neighbors from Mexico allowed her to learn the language. Her parents also spent a year in Guatemala, which allowed them to learn Spanish too, and now that is the language that is spoken at her home.
She had the opportunity to interview Gov. Jared Polis for one of her news stories.
You can listen to the interview with Polis below.
9NEWS will continue to highlight each month's winner until the final competition, which will give the students a shot at becoming "Reporter of the Year" and receiving a $1,500 scholarship.
Cardenas said he hopes that getting the students into the studio and producing news segments will motivate them to participate in extracurricular activities in the area of communications and pursue careers in the journalism field.
He also seeks to help students improve their writing in Spanish.
Cardenas previously told 9NEWS that in addition to inviting students to participate in the program when visiting schools throughout the state, he would use the opportunity to chat about the industry and the importance and responsibility of being a journalist.
Cardenas started the first Spanish newscast on television in Colorado 25 years ago, and today he continues making an impact in the community with his Spanish radio show "Hablemos Hoy."
Who can participate?
- Students from seventh to 12th grade
What does it consist of?
- A student produces three or four weekly news stories which are included in the “Hablemos Hoy” newscasts on KNRV 1150 AM each month.
How and who selects the winner from each school?
- Students compete by writing a 15-second news report on any topic of their choice. A group of three journalists reads the news report and selects the best one.
What are the awards and recognitions?
- The reporter of the month will receive a radio and press interview, a plaque and a $150 gift card.
- The Reporter of the Year will receive a radio and press interview, a plaque and a $1,500 scholarship.
How can schools participate?
- Schools that wish to participate can contact RCARDENAS@HABLEMOSHOY.US. They are accepting submissions now for the months of September through December.
VIDEOS SUGERIDOS: Historias sobre educación de 9NEWS