Vancouver meets 10-year-old reporter

How do you picture a typical reporter? Middle-aged, a little weathered, potentially balding? How about a 10-year-old with a James Dean hairdo, a pocket full of calling cards, and who is dressed to kill, or at least, gets down to the story.

Time Magazine's kid reporter Brennan LaBrie is painting a new picture of the criteria many expect reporters to fit.

"I was into writing in first grade. Our teacher showed us that we could just make our own books," LaBrie said about how it all began. "And one day on the swings I thought I could start my own newspaper."

LaBrie started his newspaper at eight and has been writing, designing and delivering his paper to about 250 people in his small town in Washington State ever since.

"He just had a real feel for it," said the young reporter's mother Colleen LaBrie. "He just started writing it and we'd copy them, there weren't many at first but then he killed our copier," she laughs.

In September the budding reporter was chosen to be one of 12 kid reporters, out of a pool of 400 applicants, for Time Magazine's Time for Kids scholastic edition, which goes out to about 3.5 million subscribers.

"When I was chosen, [Time] mentioned because I lived right across I could report the Olympic coverage and that's probably my most exciting assignment," LaBrie said.

He has interviewed high-profile athletes during the Games like snowboarder Shaun White, figure skater Rachael Flatt, short-track speed skater Marianne St-Gelais and many more.

After his stint in Vancouver, LaBrie said he hopes to jet off to the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

"I look forward to meeting all the people, going to games and meeting athletes."

Source: Olympic.org