2011 Introduction to Journalism Camp teen reporters

Meet the 2011 Introduction to Journalism Camp teen reporters.

Alex Stephens

Hometown: Vadnais Heights, Minnesota
School: North Campus High
Grade: 9th
What is your ideal future career? Combat engineer
How many languages do you speak? Two – English and loose German
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Sgt. Angel from Hot Fuzz
What do you do for fun? Walk at night
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Simon Pegg, he’s funny!
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Invisibility, so I could sneak up on people.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Iraq or Bulgaria, because of the adventures.

Amolak Singh

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
School: Nova Classical Academy
Grade: 10th
What is your ideal future career? Scientist
How many languages do you speak? Two – English and Punjabi
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Atticus Fitch from To Kill a Mockingbird. He did what he thought was right.
What do you do for fun? Anything sports — watching or playing.
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Brett Favre. I would want to know why he did what he did.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? To know everybody’s thoughts because it would be cool.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? India. There are lots of things to do there.

Isaura Greene

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
School: Great River High School
Grade: 10th
What is your ideal future career? I don’t know yet.
How many languages do you speak? Two – Spanish and English. I’m also trying out French!
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Hermione from Harry Potter, she loves to learn like me.
What do you do for fun? Write, read, art, literature, and music
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Emma Watson, she’s awesome!
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? England. It’s cool!

Kaia Findlay

Hometown: Berkley, California
School: St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Grade: 10th
What is your ideal future career? Teacher
How many languages do you speak? One – English but I’m learning French
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? My favorite character is Gratuity from The True Meaning of Smekday, because she had a very distinct voice.
What do you do for fun? Read, sail, knit, play soccer
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? I would interview Johnny Depp because I think he’s explored so many roles and he is really creative with his characters.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? I would have the power of teleportation, because I like to go places but I like to get there fast.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would go to Scandinavia because my family came from there and I’m really interested in the culture.

Kelly Schueler

Hometown: Eagan, Minnesota
School: Going to college — undecided
Grade: Freshman in college
What is your ideal future career? Trophy wife
How many languages do you speak? One – Just English
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Dottie Hinson from A League of Their Own — smart, strong, mind of her own.
What do you do for fun? Read, hang out with friends, sports, writing
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Zooey Deschanel — pretty, smart, funny
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Run super fast, be a better athlete
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Maui, it’s pretty and fun to be there

Kimberly Mao

Hometown: Woodbury, Minnesota
School: Woodbury High School
Grade: 9th
What is your ideal future career? Patent Lawyer
How many languages do you speak? Two – English and Chinese
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Terra from North of Beautiful because she’s very smart, strong, and determined to do her best in everything she sets her mind to.
What do you do for fun? Run, read, play tennis
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Leighton Meester because she’s an amazing actress and she hasn’t done drugs/bad behavior.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? To be able to read minds because people rarely say what’s really on their minds.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? China, because my family’s customs and traditions all come from China. It’s also a very important part of my heritage.

Laura Shannon

Hometown: Golden Valley, Minnesota
School: Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Grade: 10th
What is your ideal future career? I plan on majoring in Arts and Entertainment Management, so along those lines.
How many languages do you speak? One – I only speak English but I can read and write in Latin.
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Holden Caufield from Catcher in the Rye. He’s cliche for a reason.
What do you do for fun? Hang out with friends, write, read, speech, etc
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? I’d be fascinated in interviewing David Savage. I’m just amazed at the power he’s had in the past year.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Pause time so I could just, you know, have more time.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Berlin because Christopher and His Kind is one of my favorite novels.

Lorna Liu

Hometown: Woodbury, Minnesota
School: Woodbury High School
Grade: 10th
What is your ideal future career? I want to be a Pediatrician or a Journalist.
How many languages do you speak? Two – English and Chinese
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird
What do you do for fun? Dance, sing, draw, paint, chill with friends, roam on the computer, read
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Kellin Quinn, he’s an amazing singer.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? To be invisible so I can listen in on conversations.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? California, it would be fun going to the beach.

Mai Ker Hang

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
School: Harding Sr. High
Grade: 12th
What is your ideal future career? Something with writing
How many languages do you speak? Three – I know a lot of Hmong and English and some Thai.
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Kalia Yang from The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir is one of my favorite characters because she had to go through a lot in life, just like me. We are alike.
What do you do for fun? Mostly reading manga, books, drawing and writing.
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? I don’t know much about celebrities so I don’t know who I would interview.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? I would want the power to stop pain and suffering.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would like to go to Japan because they have the most manga and the best manga writers!

Selin Kurtoglu

Hometown:
School: Mounds View High School
Grade: 11th
What is your ideal future career? Photo Journalist
How many languages do you speak? Two – English and Turkish
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Hermione from Harry Potter, she has a smart mouth.
What do you do for fun? Photography, sewing, playing guitar, painting, writing
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Luke Pritchard, he’s an amazing singer
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? To pause time, because I always seem to be running late.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Bombay, India, during the Holy festival (where everyone throws colored powder)

Tiana Daniels

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
School: Johnson High School
Grade: 12th
What is your ideal future career? CEO of a future fortune 500 company.
How many languages do you speak? Two – English and French.
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Jacob from Twilight because werewolves are amazing! Team Jacob!
What do you do for fun? Play basketball, listen to music, write poetry, read, play with my puppy
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? Michael Jordan, because he’s extremely talented and successful.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? X-ray vision so I can see through gifts and walls.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Somewhere tropical because it would be nice to get away from the city life.

Vang Thao

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
School: Community of Peace Academy
Grade: 10th
What is your ideal future career? Writer/Author
How many languages do you speak? Two – Hmong and English
Who’s your favorite character from a book or movie? Hermione from Harry Potter because she’s almost everything I want to be.
What do you do for fun? Read
If you could interview a celebrity, who would it be? No one, because I’m not really interested in any particular celebrity at this time.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? I have many I would want, but being able to control a person using just words, because it’s cool.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would go to Arkansas to visit my cousins or to the UK to visit the settings where my favorite movie was filmed.