Kid Reporter Alumni Spotlight: Avery Stone

Every year since 2000, our editors have selected a team of students to report for TIME for Kids. Nothing brings us more joy than seeing former TFK Kid Reporters pursue their goals.

Take Avery Stone, from Rhode Island. As a TFK Kid Reporter, she covered the 2004 Democratic National Convention, in Boston, Massachusetts (above). “Each day, I sourced interviews and filed stories,” Stone says. “I met such a wide range of influential people that week,” from politicians to celebrities.

As a professional journalist, Stone has been an editor at many media companies—most recently ours! Joining TIME as a senior editor this January felt like “quite a full-circle moment,” Stone says. “I feel exceedingly lucky to work in this field. I view journalism not just as a career, but as an ongoing opportunity to learn and think critically about the world.”

Find more from Stone below, including tips for applying to be a TFK Kid Reporter.

Think you have what it takes to be a TFK Kid Reporter? Now’s your chance! Visit timeforkids.com/kid-reporter to apply by June 15.

TFK: How is journalism a part of your life now?

Stone: Journalism became my full-time career after I graduated from college and moved to New York, in 2014. Over the last 12 years, I’ve worked as an editor for various media companies, including Penske Media and People Inc., as well as a freelance features writer for outlets such as the Cut (New York Magazine), the Hollywood Reporter, ELLE, ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, VICE, Eater, and more.

Lastly, not to bury the lede, I joined TIME as a senior editor in January 2026—quite a full-circle moment! Overall, I feel exceedingly lucky to work in this field. I view journalism not just as a career, but as an ongoing opportunity to learn and think critically about the world around us.

What’s your favorite memory of being a TFK Kid Reporter?

During my year with TFK, I covered the 2004 Democratic National Convention, in Boston, Massachusetts. Each day, I sourced interviews and filed stories. I met such a wide range of influential people that week, whom I’d never have encountered otherwise, including Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, James Carville, Hannah Storm, Al Sharpton, André 3000, Liz Phair, and Ben Affleck.

It’s impossible to choose one favorite memory from the DNC, but here’s a fun one: My access to Affleck was a direct result of working with TFK. I showed up to a taping of a political commentary show where he was a guest. (There was a no-media policy, but I hoped I could get around it because of my age.) I struck up a conversation with a woman in the audience who turned out to be Affleck’s mother. She was an elementary school teacher and a big fan of TFK. She introduced us, and I was able to land a quick, on-the-record interview!

What impact did being a TFK Kid Reporter have on your life and/or career?

My time with TFK was absolutely what made me want to pursue journalism as a career. I’d always loved reading and writing, but my year with the magazine made me realize how much I loved reporting on the ground and everything it entails: the challenge of finding stories and sources, constantly observing the world around me, staying up late to transcribe interviews, meeting tight deadlines, and working closely with editors. (I count my TFK editor, Dina El Nabli, as my first industry mentor.) I caught the bug, as they say.

What advice would you give kids applying for this year’s contest?

Never be afraid to ask difficult questions—of those you interview, but also of your editors, as you learn and continue to hone foundational skills. An innate curiosity is one of the integral parts of being a reporter. 

Also, in your application, show your full self and clearly convey what excites you about the role.

Anything else to share?

I have so much gratitude for this program. It’s an incredibly unique opportunity—and in my case, it changed the course of my life. Even if you don’t end up going into journalism, a year as a TFK Kid Reporter will broaden the way you see the world.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.