Aided by love three pre-teens launch magazine
Published: August 24, 2003
Imagine giving up your Sundays completely to your cousins. Imagine giving them $10,000.
It’s just what Aileen Rolon and her boyfriend, Fernando Diaz did. After reading the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (now also a movie out on DVD and VHS) they were inspired to give their Sundays to kids.
Enter Samantha Ramos (8), Megan Aguilar (12) and Jacob Diaz (11). They brainstormed and came up with the idea of a magazine for kids - by kids. The concept of J4K (Just For Kids) was born.
Rolon donated the use of her two-car garage and about $10,000, mostly coming from her student loans, to launch the publishing operation. With the help of family members, they turned the garage into an office - now known as The Blue Room, painted and carpeted, appropriately, all in blue.
The three young editors in chief are full-time students, and both Rolon and Diaz have full-time jobs, so the team meets primarily on Friday afternoons and on weekends.
The adults help the kids prepare for interviews, teach them how to present the magazine to potential advertisers, show them how to create proposals, etc. All the creative work is done by the kids themselves.
Rolon and Diaz said they are waiting to get their nonprofit status, and when the magazine does start making money, it will initially go back to Rolon and the people who helped get the magazine off the ground.
From then on, all profits will be put into special accounts for Megan, Jacob and Samantha for their college educations.
The premiere issue will be distributed in September and will be available at Vons, Borders and Barnes & Noble, as well as in some school districts - the Montebello and West Covina school districts have already taken out subscriptions.
The magazine will come out quarterly.
The premiere issue will feature interviews with Los Angeles Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal, astronaut Sally Ride and race car driver Mario Andretti, as well as many others.
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