Ten-year-old John Wortman hosts a newscast from his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. John started John News shortly after the pandemic caused his school to stop meeting in person in March, 2020. John was in first grade then; now he is in fifth grade, and John News is still going strong!
John says that he started John News "because I want to make people happy--even during coronavirus time."
See the newest episode of john news
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR ISSUES IN EDUCATION?
John News presents the fourth annual back-to-school episode! John interviews his school principal and assistant principal – and explores some of the major issues facing public education in America.
Watch the previous episode of John news
ARE LASERS DANGEROUS?
John News spends an afternoon at Duke University and visits the quantum computing lab. John learns about mirrors, lenses and optics, atoms and lasers, John News explains what quantum computing is, and why it is important for the future of calculations.
Find out more about the Duke Quantum Center
The Duke Quantum Center is a unique “vertical” quantum institute that conducts research on the entire stack of a quantum information system. They’ve pioneered the world’s leading quantum information processing architecture, so rather than focusing solely on theoretical questions or experimental research with quantum components, the are co-designing the entire quantum information stack, from qubit components and control of entangling operations up to applications and algorithms — plus everything in between. Click here.
john selected as a Hometown hero
Check THIS out! Another accolade for John and John News! WCHL, the local radio station, named John a "Hometown Hero"! It's worth your time to listen to the audio. Click here.
And you get to hear what John's school principal says about him!
listen to john's interview on the radio
John appeared on WCHL, 97.9 The Hill. He had a lot of fun substituting as the guest for the station's Talking Books segment. Click here to listen.
John gets a major award
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
It's a big day for John! At the annual recognition ceremony for his school district, John is one of three students — out of 12,000 in the district — to receive the “Hamlett's Heroes“ award. John News was there to record the superintendent presenting this important award to John.
Help fight hunger. All proceeds go to TABLE, Inc., a nonprofit that feeds hungry kids in John's community. To order your shirt, click here.
John News Featured on CBS 17 News Program
May 2, 2021 Reporter Crystal Price interviews John, gives an in-depth account of how John News is created, and reports on why John started his newscast. To view the story, click here.
Visit John's YouTube channel here.
See where it all began
Watch the very first episode of John News! You can see how far John has come.