OXFORD, Miss. – She’s only 12-years old, but Abigayle Lista of Metairie, La., has interviewed a sitting United States president, two former U.S. presidents, a former U.S. senator and a hornet.
In her latest news-reporting stint, as a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps, Lista was among the more than 2,000 credentialed reporters covering the first 2008 presidential debate Friday (Sept. 26) at the University of
Mississippi.
For an “experienced” reporter like Lista, who has also interviewed President Felipe Calderón of Mexico and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, as well as the cast of the CBS show “The Guiding Light,” the debate gig may well have been just another day’s work.
Describing her past experiences, Lista said, “It was exciting meeting presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. But it was also great fun to meet the owner of the New Orleans Hornets (professional basketball team) and Hugo the Hornet (the large teal and purple team mascot). That was different.”
As a reporter and blogger for Scholastic News Online, Lista has mostly interviewed political figures. And being at Ole Miss and in Oxford for the debate was no different, as she added another politician to her list of interviewees: former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi.
“Mr. Lott was very kind to me. I think he was surprised to see me holding a microphone and asking for a political analysis,” said Lista, a seventh-grader at Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies in Metairie.
Astonishment is usually the first emotion from those she interviews, Lista said. “Others kind of look at me with disbelief, but so far, everyone has been kind.”
Lista said she is used to the surprised looks she often receives. She should be, especially since she began her stint as a Scholastic News Kid Reporter in 2005 at age 9.
“I was in the fourth grade when my homeroom teacher, Ms. Herbert, mentioned Scholastic News needed a writer to tell what was happening with Hurricane Katrina. I said yes, but I was worried I wouldn’t do a good job. It was a lot of pressure,” said Lista, the only child of Victor and Gina Robinson-Lista.
Her first task was interviewing kids her age about the hurricane and asking how it affected their daily lives.
“I was happy to be able to give a voice to young people during that stressful time,” she said. “It was hard on us too. I mean, we were just getting settled into school and then Katrina hit. It was devastating.”
Like most families living in or near New Orleans, the Lista family was forced to relocate.
“Hurricane Katrina was hard on our family, especially on Abigayle who was just getting used to a new grade,” said Gina Robinson-Lista. “We stayed in north Louisina for a while. After Gustav, we stayed in Gulfport with family and eventually moved to San Antonio, Texas, where my husband was working. But we desperately wanted to move back home. We are New Orleanians through and through and feel like we don’t belong anywhere else.
“Writing for Scholastic News has been the one constant in her life. I’m so proud of her. She takes every assignment seriously. I don’t mind chauffeuring her to interviews. As long as she’s dedicated to writing, then I’m dedicated to her.”
“Abigayle is definitely one of our most devoted writers,” said Susanne Freeman, editor of Scholastic Classroom Magazines Online. “I don’t know how she keeps up with her writing assignments. I have a hard time keeping up with them, especially between hurricanes. I find it refreshing to work with Abi and all of our kid reporters because they have such a positive perspective. Everything is new and exciting for them.”
While getting a chance to blog and twitter about the presidential debate was the highlight of Lista’s trip to Oxford, Freeman said she was “excited about meeting Abigayle and her mom for the first time.”
“Getting to meet Gina and Abi face-to-face was so wonderful, especially following the turmoil of the hurricanes,” Freeman said. “I worried about them after each move. To see them in person to see that they were OK was so special to me.”
In her spare time, Lista said she likes to dance and play basketball. And, as for the future, the pre-teen said, “Oh, I don’t know what I want to do or be. I like journalism but also marine biology. All I know is that I’m enjoying right now. I guess that’s good enough.”
To read articles by Abigayle Lista, visit http://www2.scholastic.com . For more information about the University of Mississippi, visit http://www.olemiss.edu .