Amid marching bands, floats and Chicago-style hot dogs, 84 cherubs scrambled through the Evanston Fourth of July parade searching through the crowd for a compelling story.

“I was having trouble coming up with an angle, and the fact that it was so hot didn’t help,” said Matthew Silverman, of Connecticut. “I was upset because nothing was working. Then I saw this guy dressed like a fire cracker, so I had an interview with him.”

The human firecracker told Silverman the parade is independently funded by Evanston residents and organizations.

“I took that angle and got more interviews to liven up my story,” Silverman said. “One of the things I learned is that if something doesn’t work out, you should try to connect the dots and come up with a new angle based on the information that you have.”

While some cherubs spent hours searching for the perfect story, others were finished interviewing before the parade began.

“I was lucky because Robert Badesch, the main journalist covering the event, called me over and started talking to me, and I got to spend a half-hour interviewing,” said Alyssa Kincaid, of California.

Kincaid spoke to Badesch about his experience in broadcast journalism and working part time at WGN-TV. He told her this was his third year volunteering as a broadcaster at the Fourth of July parade.

“I learned that sometimes all you need is a little bit of luck,” she said. “I was done before everyone else, and writing the story wasn’t that bad.”

Cherubs offer different opinions about the Fourth of July parade.

“The sense of community coming from the people was remarkable,” said Jesse Dembo, of New York. “From watching the parade, I could tell how closely knit Evanston is. It made me feel welcome.”

Although his story fell short, Julian Ring, of California learned a valuable lesson from covering the parade.

“My Fourth of July story was terrible,” Ring said. “One of the problems was that I profiled the theater group that was just starting and not very well known in the parade. My story ended being a profile on them and not about the parade. When you go to an event, you can find a little story, but it has to relate to a bigger picture. I sort of lost that. It was a good experience.”

Despite the heat and endless walking, many cherubs developed successful stories, and some were published in the Summer Northwestern.

“I was very excited to be published in the Summer Northwestern,” said Jane Herman, of Massachusetts. “After walking through sweltering heat, it was good to know the hard work was worth it.”

Herman wrote her story about a dance troupe, Sentimiento Boliviano Chicago. It was the troupe’s second time performing in the parade. Most of the parents were born in Bolivia, and all of the families live in America.

“It’s their way of showing that they are a part of American culture too,” Herman said.

To survive the Fourth of July parade in 2012, here are some helpful tips:

• Wear comfortable clothes and running sneakers. There’s a lot of walking, and the heat could be unbearable.
• Drink a lot of water.
• Don’t fear rejection. It won’t be the last time you’ll be told to go away.
• Be open-minded and step outside of your comfort zone.
• Interview random people. Sometimes, the strangest people share the most fascinating stories.
• Bring a camera. You’ll want to remember this experience.