How Children Interpret Today’s News Headlines…
Have you ever wondered how high school students perceive the war in Iraq?
Or how pre-teens are impacted by national news headlines especially today with everything that is going on in the world?
Well, the Kid Witness News (KWN) education program, supported by Panasonic (I should probably mention that we do public relations for the company) in conjunction with more than 200 public schools in the U.S. and seventeen countries, does just that. The program provides economically disadvantaged students with the chance to show others the world through their eyes and in their voice.
Currently in its 17th year, KWN has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of young students across the world affording them the opportunity to create and learn through the use of digital video technology. Each year hundreds of participating students write, produce, act in and edit videos on a variety of news or curriculum based topics. These children are extraordinary and could be the next Barbara Walters or Brian Williams!
This year six Spotlight Award winning videos will be honored at the annual KWN New Vision Awards on May 7 in Secaucus, NJ.
Here’s a list of the students/schools and their project descriptions:
Documentary
“We Will Not Fight: Draft Resistance in The Vietnam War”
School Without Walls, Washington, D.C. – Students in grades 9-12 ranging in age from 14-18.
Students take a look back during the era of The Vietnam War and learn that sometimes, if you don’t learn from the past, there is a chance of history repeating itself.
Health, Science & Technology
“The ABC’s of Smoke Detector Safety”
PS 41, Brooklyn, NY – Students in grades 3-8 ranging in age from 9-14.
With approximately 7 million Americans currently not equipped with a smoke alarm*, the students hope to raise awareness for these often ignored life and home savers.
*The 2006 Fire Safety Census - conducted by Liberty Mutual and the International Association of Fire Fighters
News
“Education-The Times is Now”
Gordon Parks Academy, East Orange, NJ – Students in grades 4-6 ranging in age from 9-13
Having improved since the standards of the No Child Left Behind Act, several sixth grade students highlight how their school’s “Each One, Teach One” program is getting everyone in on the initiative.
PSA
“At Risk Students”
Jere Baxter Middle School, Nashville, TN – Students in grades 5-8 ranging in age from 13-15.
This class is striving to be part of the nine percent of at risk students who will earn a college degree while knowing they WILL make it and encouraging others in the process.
Local Hero
“Chicago’s Finest Choklit”
Marcus Garvey School, Chicago, IL – Students in grades 5-8 ranging in age from 10-13.
An unlikely hero reaches students over the air waves and encourages them to be themselves, do their best and the value of education.
Fiction Comedy/Drama
“Standardized Testing With The Right Attitude”
Ernest Hemingway Elementary School, Ketchum, ID – Students in 5th grade ages 10-11.
A glimpse of how three very different students prepare for a major test – each ultimately learning how to ‘let it flow’.
With much of the news focus on technologies, environmental issues, war, peace, the global economy, its worth engaging those people that will be affected the most, our kids. As a mother of an 11 year-old daughter, I know from first-hand experience, kids are informed, they care about issues and they have a lot of interesting things to say, so we should start listening to them!
Here are some links to kid-run websites. You just might get a better read about your future customers…
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/kids
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK
http://www.headlinespot.com/for/kids
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/index.asp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/kidspost/orbit/kidspost.html