Kid Reporter Alumni Spotlight: Tiana Sirmans

Each year since 2000, our editors have selected a team of students to report for TIME for Kids. That’s more than 250 kids who’ve joined our crew! And nothing brings us more joy than seeing former TFK Kid Reporters pursue their goals and dreams.

Take Tiana Sirmans. In 2018, at age 8, she became the youngest Kid Reporter we’d ever had. “That was major,” Tiana says. She met writers such as space expert and TIME editor at large Jeffrey Kluger (above). She also saw her byline in print for the first time: “It really showed me that I could be a journalist,” she says.

Now Tiana is studying digital media at her Delaware high school, and plans to study broadcast journalism in college. “Journalism is a field that allows you to be different,” she says. “There are so many paths you can take, so many stories, so many different ways to relay information.”

Read more from Tiana below, including tips for students who want to enter the TFK Kid Reporter contest.

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?

Tiana: I’m studying digital media in high school, and plan to attend Howard University for broadcast journalism when I graduate. I ‘ve been a youth film critic for the past seven years. I get to see films before release, interview actors, and provide reviews. I’ve covered the red carpet for huge events, such as the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. I’ve also had the honor of being a Jr. WNBA kid reporter and interviewing players at the WNBA draft. My most recent accomplishment is being the first person to host a movie premiere discussion at Netflix House Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania.

Journalism really is my life. It provides me with so many different opportunities. It allows me to be creative and tell stories, and it inspires me to look at things such as movies and award shows differently.

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

I had so many amazing moments being a TFK Kid Reporter. It’s so hard to pick just one. A top memory for me is getting to visit the TIME for Kids headquarters. Every time I was there, I was gifted a bunch of books, many of which I still have. My mentor, Constance Gibbs, made the experience truly special for me.

TFK is the first publication in which I had a byline, and it really showed me that I could be a journalist. Plus, at the time, I was the youngest person ever to have been a TFK Kid Reporter. That was major! One of my most memorable experiences happened after my time reporting for TFK: I was selected to be part of the kid jury on the first TIME Kid of the Year special, on Nickelodeon—all thanks to TFK.

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

Being a TFK Kid Reporter opened so many doors for me. It allowed me to learn skills in writing reviews and coming up with interview questions, which I have applied to my work as a film critic. After being with TFK, I was featured by The Kelly Clarkson Show as their youth-reporter guest, which led to internships with Ariana Huffington and Access Hollywood. I attended the National Association of Black Journalists Convention, as well. I went on to create and host my own show, called Lights, Screen, Action.

TFK allowed my younger self to believe she was set to be a journalist. It also showed me that there are endless roles in journalism.

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

Don’t be afraid to show your personality and have fun. Journalism is a field that allows you to be different. That’s what makes it so special. There are so many paths you can take, so many stories, so many different ways to relay information. Showing your personality and giving life to your projects will take you far and help you greatly in the long run.

Always believe in yourself, and put your all into the work you create. You never know where it will take you. One of the best parts of being a TFK Kid Reporter is the opportunity. If you’re picked, learn all you can, do your best work, and enjoy the time while it lasts.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.