Karena Phan

Karena Phan is an Editorial Assistant at Time for Kids. Before joining TFK, she was an intern at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in Washington, DC. Karena grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated from the University of California, Irvine, in 2018 with a bachelor's in literary journalism and a minor in digital information systems. In college she was one of the first news interns at her campus radio station news program, KUCI News, where she found her passion working in a newsroom. She is excited about helping bring media literacy into the classroom and contributing her skills to the TIME for Kids team. In her free time she loves to rock climb, read comic books, and explore new food places.

Latest Stories

Time Off

On Planet Earth

April 6, 2021

For our Earth Day special issue, we’re featuring three new books about our home—and the plants and animals that live here. Hello, Earth! Hello, Earth! Poems to Our Planet explores the extraordinary place we call home. Each poem is dedicated…

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United States

Relief Bill Passed

March 19, 2021

On March 12, Americans began receiving payments from the United States government. This is part of President Joe Biden’s plan to help people. Many have struggled during the pandemic. Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, worth nearly $2 trillion. That…

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United States

Advancing Equality

March 12, 2021

March 8 was International Women’s Day. President Joe Biden marked the occasion by signing an executive order. It promotes equal opportunity for women and girls. The order establishes the White House Gender Policy Council. The group will support gender equity…

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Health

A Third COVID-19 Vaccine

March 5, 2021

The United States Food and Drug Administration has authorized another vaccine to prevent COVID-19. This one is made by Johnson & Johnson. It’s different from previous vaccines. It requires only one shot instead of two. This is the third vaccine…

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Technology

Everyone Can Play

March 3, 2021

Clinton Lexa loves video games. But playing them hasn’t always been easy. Lexa was born with a disability. It affects a person’s hands. Lexa usually does tasks and activities, such as playing video games, left-handed. “I taught myself,” Lexa told…

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Media Literacy

Closer to the Truth

February 17, 2021

Many of the Southeast Iowa Union’s older readers don’t get their news online. Instead, they rely on the newspaper. Ashley Duong is a former reporter for the Union. She says national papers did not cover the pandemic in rural America…

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Science

Little Lizards

February 12, 2021

Scientists have discovered what may be the smallest reptile on Earth. The species is called Brookesia nana, or nano-chameleon. It lives in the rainforest in northern Madagascar. The finding was published in the journal Scientific Reports. Researchers found two of…

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Time Off

Leading the Way

February 9, 2021

February is Black History Month. Here are three new books that honor the contributions of Black Americans. Which one would you like to read first? Sprouting Wings Sprouting Wings, by Louisa Jaggar and Shari Becker, tells the true story of…

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World

Dancing Lions

January 21, 2021

This time of year, you might see lions roaming the streets. They prance to the beat of a drum. They aren’t real lions: They’re dancers in colorful lion costumes. They’re celebrating a tradition that originated in China. It’s meant to…

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Election 2020

For the Record: Election Edition

November 13, 2020

Kamala Harris has made history. She’s the first woman and the first person of color to be elected vice president of the United States. Harris isn’t the only person breaking barriers in the 2020 election. A diverse group of leaders…

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