RECO Reads Jr.
Dive into any topic through diverse sources such as research papers, news articles, and videos of speeches and interviews. Write and publish mini blogs totaling 1500+ words.
Ideal for Grades 8-9 to build global awareness and critical thinking skills.
2 months | 7+ live hours | 1500+ words | Individual Mentoring
Overview and Purpose
RECO Reads Jr. helps students bridge the gap between light, everyday reading and the complex academic texts expected in college. It’s ideal for those who have identified a subject or real-world issue they want to explore more deeply. Through guided reading and writing short mini-reviews, students learn how to engage critically with reliable academic sources while building the habits of reflection and analysis that strengthen their personal blogs. As a natural next step after RECO Spark, this course sets the foundation for thoughtful, college-level reading and writing.
Advance Your Reading Journey
Dive into any topic and expand your reading level guided by a mentor. Publish 5 mini blogs expanding on your journey.
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Discovery call with RECO’s founder to identify themes/pedagogies
Need to elaborate some more
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Explore your topic using a book.
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Explore using news articles
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Explore using speechs
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Explore using interviews
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Explore with research papers
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Edit all your mini blogs for smooth flow.
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Call with parents, counselor and founder to discuss next steps.
Beginning Your Reading Journey
RECO Reads Jr. helps students smoothen that transition as they explore curated texts on their chosen topic from multiple perspectives. Some of the resources include:
Op-Eds
Speeches
Reports
News
Interviews
One Topic, Many Perspectives.
In RECO Reads Jr., students learn to explore one topic from many lenses, academic, journalistic, and personal. Whether it’s biotechnology or global trade, they dive into research papers, op-eds, interviews, and podcasts to see how different thinkers approach the same issue. This habit of comparing perspectives builds the kind of intellectual range and curiosity that later stands out in college applications, showing not just what students know, but how they think.
Alumni Story
Kiara (Grade 9, Hill Spring, Mumbai) focused on gender. Over 8 weeks, she read news articles from FT, ET, NYT and more; TED speeches; UNESCO datasets, and other sources. She wrote blogs on masculinity, stereotypes, sati, and more.
How to Join
Step 1 (Optional): Book a free consultation to understand the course
Step 2: Fill out our short application form
Step 3: Be yourself in our friendly interview
Step 4: Start RECO-ing!
Explore More Options
Testimonials
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“Most students go to college without purpose. RECO is doing important work in helping students make the most of their time in college."
Anuja Kohli Mariwala, Education Consultant
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“The approachability and friendliness of the team made my experience extremely enjoyable. I’ve connected with my mentors even post the program.”
Aarush Kamdar, Grade 11, Don Bosco International School, Mumbai
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“I appreciated how flexible they were, prioritizing each student and their specific needs and not burdening them with additional work.”
Fuad Agha, Grade 12, Reva Independent PU, Bangalore
FAQs
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The application is very selective, as most students do not have the drive and stamina to sustain the work that we require them to do in this course. Students who have completed RECO Reads may find the process easier.
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We don’t expect students to be polished academic writers when they start. What matters more is a willingness to express their ideas clearly and to take feedback seriously. Students should be open to exploring different angles of a topic, and willing to revise and rethink their writing as they go. We are not looking for students who simply want to pad their CVs.
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In most cases, the articles will be connected by a theme the student chooses at the start of the course. This usually allows deeper and more well-rounded thinking. The articles, however, will be distinct from each other in their precise focus.
All this said, we are committed to ensuring that a student’s writing portfolio brings together their diverse academic, extracurricular, and personal interests by finding and drawing connections between these!
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Given the rigorous application process for RECO Writes and the demands of the course, there is a high chance that all the articles a student writes will be published in the RECO Review.
However, students will have to go through the independent process of publishing in The RECO Review. The cost of this process will be free for students of RECO Writes.
After RECO Writes, students will have a future directions call with the Founder of RECO, in which they will discuss how students can take their work forward and where they can publish any work they have created that is not published in The RECO Review.
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The RECO Review has an editorial board, which includes only PhD students, professors, and other thought leaders. To get published, high school students and all other authors go through the same process of two stages.
In Stage 1, writers submit their writing along with a form explaining their process and motivations, and pitching their work. Only if selected, writers will enter Stage 2, in which they work with our editors to refine and finalize their work.
There is no fee for writers to submit their work to be considered in Stage 1. If a writer’s work is selected for publication and they would like to move on to Stage 2, there will be a publication fee.
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The RECO Review has an editorial board, which includes only PhD students, professors, and other thought leaders from the world’s finest universities. We also regularly feature publications by individuals of similar credibility. We have high standards of quality, a commitment to social good, and a rigorous application process. For all these reasons, The RECO Review is considered a high-quality publication, especially among academics.
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The student leads the content, voice, and direction of each piece. Mentors provide feedback, structural guidance, and challenge the student to push deeper — but they don’t rewrite or dictate. Students revise based on suggestions, and the final work is their own. Ownership is core to the program’s design.