The 3-Minute interview: Madison Hartke-Weber
By: Leah Fabel
Examiner Staff Writer
September 2, 2009
 |
| Madison Hartke-Weber (Courtesy photo) |
As most ninth-graders are planning their next trip to the mall, Madison is angling for the next big scoop. The 13-year-old is a student at D.C.'s Duke Ellington School of the Arts and a reporter for the Scholastic Kids Press Corps, found at scholastic.com/kidspress.
You've interviewed some of D.C.'s most powerful people. Any favorites?
One of my recent favorites was U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. That was a big deal because I go to a D.C. public school and I was able to talk to him about a lot of issues that my school faces. And I even got in a question about playing basketball.
Did he have any interesting replies?
One thing he said was that we all need to read a lot. So if he were able to start programs so that kids could learn to read better, and be more interested in reading, that would be a big help.
Anyone you'd still really like to interview?
I'd of course be very excited to interview President Barack Obama -- or Malia and Sasha.
What would you ask them?
I'd probably ask how their lives have changed since their father became the president. And what are some of the good things about having your dad as the president?
Any tips on how to save newspapers?
Most of what I do isn't print journalism. Scholastic News has a blog and I write a lot for that. I've done print a few times, but I think the future will be on the Internet.
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
I could see myself as a reporter, or doing something related to filming or television. And one of my big interests has always been to write for Rolling Stone. Green Day is my favorite band, and The Beatles and The Who.
