Pair to be featured on 'Nick News'
Because of their energy and ingenuity, two county youths will appear in a spot on Nickelodeon in August.
Jonathan Baktay, 11, and Robert Liberto, 14, were interviewed and taped by the television network for children on Thursday for a late summer edition of "Nick News."
The half-hour show features a different theme each Sunday, and the youths will appear on an episode about children who work.
Their names were submitted to Nickelodeon by the Butler Eagle circulation department when the channel called and asked for the names of some exemplary carriers.
Kara Pothier, Nickelodeon spokeswoman, said producers wanted to feature younger employees, and thought paper carrier positions fit that description. Pothier said the wife of a Nickelodeon producer hails from Butler and told her husband the Eagle still employs paperboys and girls.
Jonathan recalled his initial telephone interview with Nickelodeon about a month ago.
"I was very nervous because I just woke up," Jonathan said. "It was a Saturday morning, and my sister answered the phone and yelled 'Jonathan, it's Nickelodeon!'"
He said producers asked him all about the 48-paper route in his Zelienople neighborhood as well as how he got the job, the specific tasks involved in delivering newspapers and his customers' reaction to him.
But Nickelodeon also discovered the industrious Evans City Middle School student is a burgeoning businessman. To pay for his after-school acting classes and eventual college, where he plans to major in performing arts, Jonathan started up a candy-machine business last summer.
Jonathan tapped into his paperboy savings to invest $55 each for three nonelectric, globe-shaped candy machines. Skittles, M&Ms and Peanut M&Ms are available at three locations in the Zelienople area, and Jonathan empties, services and refills the machines without the help of his parents.
Jonathan's acting and the candy gig also will be featured on his segment of Nick News, which was filmed in three locations on Thursday: Jonathan's house, a candy machine site, and at Comtra Theatre in Cranberry Township, where Jonathan is rehearsing for an upcoming performance of "The Velveteen Rabbit."Pothier said the candy machine business was an added bonus producers discovered upon interviewing the youth."By hitting on Jonathan, we found a kid that is an entrepreneur," Pothier said.Jonathan's mom, Christina, said the family was surprised by the event and delighted for Jonathan."It was like a dream for Jonathan because he has been into acting for the last few years and wants to be an actor," Christina said last Wednesday as she readied her home for the film crew. "Then out of the blue he gets a call from Nickelodeon. How perfect is that?"The Baktay family also includes minister father Dean, Joshua, 14, and Linnea, 7.Robert recalled hearing the news on his answering machine after returning from the store with his family in April. He returned the call and spoke with a "Nick" producer, who said he would call back in two weeks if Robert were selected for a taping."It actually took three or four weeks for them to call back," said Robert, who is still flabbergasted that he was chosen by the popular network and show."Out of all the kids in America, why me?" he pondered on Thursday.A three-man film crew on May 12 showed up at the Libertos' East Pearl Street home to interview and tape Robert, who was impressed with the microphone assembly that attached to his back and snaked around to his collar."It made me feel cool," said the Emily Brittain sixth grader. "I didn't want to give it back."Robert said the crew spent about four hours talking to him about the mechanics of his 45-paper route, mainly on the family's front porch. The crew asked many questions about his paper carrier job."I told them to be a paperboy, you have to have a good memory," Robert said.Robert's mother, Jamie Liberto, also enjoyed her son's moment in the spotlight."We were told he was one of only five in the nation (to be chosen,)" Jamie said. "It's an honor.""It was an amazing adventure for him," Jamie said. "He's proud of it and I'm glad he got to do it."Jamie said a neighbor was drawn into the excitement when Robert was filmed personally delivering the paper to her. She said many neighbors ventured outside to see what all the fuss was about."It's like he became a local celebrity for a day," Jamie said.The episode of "Nick News" will appear on Nickelodeon on an undetermined Sunday in late summer or early fall.
