Photo courtesy of the Dudeja family
Vivaan Dudeja of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, was the first student from Alabama chosen to be part of the Junior Council for The Week Junior national magazine.
Vivaan Dudeja is going places, and being selected for The Week Junior's Junior Council is just the beginning.
Hundreds of students nationwide applied, and 13-year-old Dudeja, a Vestavia Hills resident, was the first chosen from Alabama.
The Week Junior is a weekly magazine that reports the news directly to children ages 8 to 14. Only 12 kids from across the country earn a place on the Junior Council every year. Dudeja’s semester on the council lasted from January to May.
Andrea Barbalich, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, said that the program provides opportunities to learn about current issues in the world and also how to make a difference.
Dudeja has been interested in journalism since the third grade, and reading The Week Junior magazine inspired him to write for The Altamont School newspaper, the Acta Diurna.
Dudeja said his “eyes were opened” to journalism, and after writing several articles for the school newspaper, he knew he wanted to apply to the Junior Council.
His first application was unsuccessful, but perseverance paid off, and he was accepted this year. He plans to continue pursuing journalism when his time on The Week Junior's Junior Council ends by writing for both the Acta Diurna and other papers.
The selection committee for the junior council program looks “for children who are curious, who care about the world and who are committed to making a difference,” Barbalich said.
Out of hundreds of applicants, Dudeja made an impression with his many interests, including piano, golf and volunteering at a food bank, Barbalich said.
“Most of all, we were impressed with his clear and genuine concern for the world, especially ensuring a quality education for every child,” she said. “He also said to us, ‘Nobody is a born leader. We learn to become one’ — which we felt were very wise words.”
The Week Junior Council program consists of video calls and workshops, and the students learn “how to develop informed opinions and turn their ideas into action,” Barbalich said. “They choose topics to report on and write about, interview experts and work together to produce articles for the magazine.”
Dudeja said he understands the power of journalism to inform curious readers and help children gain a quality education. He also said that he writes a lot, and his teachers at The Altamont School have helped him grow as a stronger writer.
During his time in the program, Dudeja learned all about producing a magazine.
“I have been given a peek inside the process that editors and designers go through every week to deliver a great magazine to readers across the U.S. and the rest of world,” he said.
Planning and conducting interviews were valuable skills that Dudeja learned. The budding journalist wrote an article for The Week Junior about the potential for algae to be a superfood for the future.
“Children and their parents have told us that being on Junior Council is a life-changing experience that will stay with them forever,” Barbalich said. “Just as children learn to make a positive difference through our program, we are thrilled that the Junior Council is making a positive and lasting impact on their lives.”
“My experience with the Junior Council has been absolutely amazing, and I have truly learned a lot,” Dudeja said.
