So much of journalism is about objectivity.

But measuring one story against another is deeply subjective.

I mean, what does it mean for a new story to matter?

To have impact on the listener, on the reader?

I mean, does it have to be about a person who's been wronged or an institution caught in a cover-up?

Do you need to feel like it could affect your life personally?

Well, these are the kinds of questions I've wrestled with as one of the national judges for the

Livingston Award for Young Journalists. The award was established in 1981 to reward excellence

in journalism from reporters under the age of 35. And no, I never won it. But you do know the

names of journalists who have. Public media's Ira Glass, New Yorker editor David Remnick, CNN's

Christian Amunpur. So for today's episode, we are going to feature some of this year's winners,

because their work is very much in line with what our vision is for this show, trying to figure out how to tell stories that matter with the voices of the people who have lived them.

I'm Audie Cornish, and this is the assignment.

Talking to kids isn't easy.

Talking to kids going through puberty about going through puberty, honestly, seems terrifying, at least for most parents.

Your mom told me a little bit about going to the doctor.

Are you okay to share some stuff about going to the doctor for going through puberty early? So we went to the doctor and forgot what it's called and they just

tell me your bones are two years older than you. And I'm like, how is that possible?

Like, was I just pure bones in a pile in my mom's stomach?

And then I started for me?

And why did your parents take you to the doctor?

This is Alison Berenger.

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