BETHESDA, Md. — A teenage journalist in the making is helping us get uplifted. At just 13 years old, Micah Greenblatt from Bethesda, Maryland won a national essay contest in Junior Scholastic magazine.
Micah was in geography class at Landon School when he heard about the contest. Called Eyewitness to History, students under 14 were asked to write a 700-900-word essay, interviewing someone about a life-changing event. Despite never having entered a contest like this before, Micah's story beat out some 300 other entries.
His article tells the story of Parisa Seleh, a colleague of his father's who, as a child, was forced to flee the Iranian revolution this her family. It was a story he says he felt a responsibility to tell.
"I wanted this story to really captivate people. I didn't want this just to be a random essay that I did because, why not? I really wanted people to understand this story, and how important it is that people understand what's going on in the world," Micah said.
Micah's story was featured in the magazine and we won a $250 prize, which he donated to animal shelters in honor of Parisa, who was arrested for walking her dog as a child.
Micah tells WUSA9 he isn't sure if he wants to be a journalist, but he does know that talking with and writing about Parisa has made him a better person.
You can read his full interview online here.
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