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Cub Run's Ana Webb Selected as Scholastic Reporter

With her recent selection to be a student reporter for Scholastic, the world's leading publisher for children's books, Cub Run Elementary School student, Ana Webb, might be eyeing a career in writing. At least, that's what we might assume. She IS, after all, one of only 25 students in the entire United States to earn the privilege to be a Scholastic reporter this year.

But the long range goal for this affable 5th grader involves not writing utensils but cooking utensils instead - she wants to be a chef. With an ever expanding collection of dishes, pots and pans, and kitchen gadgets that would make Rachael Ray green with envy, Ana says her passion is cooking - especially desserts - but she does enjoy her experience as a reporter for Scholastic.

Made aware of the Scholastic opportunity by CRES Librarian, Margo Jantzi, Ana put her name in the applicant pool and submitted the necessary documents to Scholastic for consideration. The application process, which began in the fall, was not a simple one. Nor was it quick.

"I had to send them a few things ... a story about me and some story ideas to start," she described. "It all took a while."

And she waited patiently to hear a response. Then, in November, she learned she had been accepted to join the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps and a Scholastic rep asked her to follow up right away on a story proposal she had presented to them earlier. To no one's surprise, her idea had a food connection - it was a feature on school nutrition. She reported on Cub Run's implementation of a new Nutrition Advisory Council (NAC) where students learn about good nutrition then take an active role in helping develop healthy and tasty school lunch menus.

When not busy with school, girl scouts, Destination Imagination, and her Scholastic responsibilities (she will post another report in the near future), Ana likes watching the show Food Network Challenge on The Food Network. With a giggle, she secretly admits that she enjoys watching the cake structures tumble.

"And once, a cake caught on fire - that was WEIRD!" she laughed.

Once her plans for college and culinary school are fulfilled, the talented youngster sees a future in the restaurant world. Or maybe our prediction will be on the mark and she will put her writing skills to use after all by authoring a best-selling cookbook? Either way for now, she will be content as reporter by day, pastry chef by night.

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Ana is the daughter of Beth Webb, who assists with the TLC program at Cub Run. She is a student in Carey Davis's 5th grade classroom. See more about Ana in her bio at the Scholastic site: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3748301