Youth Safety Online: Resources on the YouthLearn website

The YouthLearn online community recently saw a deluge of messages in response to Lauren Penney's question about whether to unblock the MySpace website at her Boys and Girls Club. Folks weighed in on both sides of the issue, and expressed a great deal of concern and interest in the safety of the Internet for young users. If you're looking for additional resources, please check out the recently updated section on Online Safety at the YouthLearn website. Also, look for a forthcoming report from Wendy Rivenburgh, YouthLearn associate, about her recent appearance on the 2K Nation teen radio program on DC's WPFW--discussing the issue of youth safety online.

Interactive lessons from Concord Consortium Newsletter

Fall 2005 @Concord Newsletter

This issue of the Concord Consortium Newsletter features ready-to-use lessons that "allow students to learn more science and math, earlier and deeper." Also, there's a piece supporting "More Science for More Americans: Technology can enable needed changes in science education." And more...

Learning in the Arts Grants

"National Endowment for the Arts 'Learning in the Arts Grants' Program offers funding for projects that help children and youth acquire appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of and skills in the arts. Projects must provide participatory learning and engagement of students with skilled artists, teachers, and excellent art, and ensure the application of national, state, or local arts education standards. Maximum Award: $5,000-$150,000. Eligibility: school-based or community based projects. Deadline: June 12, 2006."

Wikis test students' research skills

'Information literacy' is key in dealing with online sources

"Wikipedia and other reference sites that allow users to submit and edit content themselves are creating new challenges for educators. Experts say the rise of these kinds of web sites underscores the need for educators to teach students strong information-literacy skills."

Hitachi Foundation Opens Youth Community Service Awards

Deadline: April 1, 2006

"The Hitachi Foundation presents the Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community each year to ten high school seniors from around the United States on the basis of their community-service activities.

The award is accompanied by a gift of $5,000, dispensed over two years. Recipients may use the award at their discretion."

New Publication on Out-of-School Time Programs' Use of Technology

"This 'Snapshot,' 'Harnessing Technology in Out-of-School Time Settings,' provides an overview of out-of-school time (OST) programs that use technology. It examines the diverse ways in which these programs utilize technology, how they are being evaluated, the outcomes associated with participation in these programs, and common implementation challenges and successes." YouthLearn's Afterschool & Technology website, and The YouthLearn Guide are featured resources in this publication.

ING GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHERS

DEADLINE: 5/1/06

"Financial services company ING gives Unsung Heroes awards to K-12 educators pioneering in new methods and techniques that improve student learning. Educators submit applications describing projects they have initiated or would like to create. Applications are judged on their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects, and ability to make a positive influence on the children they teach. Awards range from $2000 to $25,000. Deadline: May 1, 2006."

FREE MEDIA THAT MATTERS TEACHER'S GUIDE

"From global warming to state politics, from gay rights to media diversity, the 16 shorts in the fifth annual Media That Matters Film Festival will make you laugh, make you think, and motivate you and your students to take action. The films can be viewed in their entirety online and are also available as a DVD compilation. Looking for ways to bring media into your classroom? The Media That Matters Film Festival Teacher's Guide has everything you need to incorporate these powerful short films into your curricula -- discussion questions, hands-on activities, resources and more."

Current's new Storytelling Guide for teachers and filmmakers

VC2 Survival Guide: "online training package meant to give filmmakers (and teachers) the help they need with equipment, shooting tips, legal advice and editing skills"

As a part, the "Storytelling Guide includes advice from Robert Redford, Elvis Mitchell, Ira Glass, Xeni Jardin, Catherine Hardwicke, Jonathan Caouette, Bonz Malone, Dave Eggers, Sarah Vowell and Orville Schell."

Web Site Launch ARTOPIA: media literacy elements

"South Carolina Educational Television's (PBS) new media division has just unveiled ARTOPIA a website project created by funds from the National Endowment for The Arts. Of particular interest to media educators and students is the MEDIA ARTS section with material about photography, radio, television, film and electronic arts under BE A MEDIA CRITIC."

NEA Jazz in the Schools now online

"NEA Jazz in the Schools is a web-based curriculum, found at www.neajazzintheschools.org. The five-unit, multimedia curriculum is designed for high-school social studies, U.S. history, and music teachers, to help their students explore jazz as an indigenous American art form and as a means to understand American history. A free multimedia toolkit containing a modified version of the curriculum, designed primarily for high schools without adequate web access, can be ordered on the website."

TEACHER TALKBACK: Do Computers Trump Real Learning?

"In a recent article in TEACHER MAGAZINE, English teacher Alan Warhaftig argues that the emphasis on technology in the classroom harkens back to an earlier era of vocationalism in schools and threatens "to divert attention from academic content." A technology-infused curriculum, he says, may weaken students' intellectual skills and, ironically, jeopardize their ability to thrive in the global economy."

"What's your view? Do computers in the classroom detract from deeper academic learning? How should technology be used in schools? What skills, vocational or otherwise, do today's students need to learn, and how are they best taught?"

Sites to See: Family Fun Sites

"Family Fun Sites offer parents an opportunity to explore the Internet with their children in a safe environment. Many of the sites have an educational focus, giving parents an opportunity to become involved in their child's learning as they guide their online activities."

Impossible Choices: How States are Addressing the Federal Failure to Fully Fund Afterschool Programs

"As states struggle to meet rising demand for AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, federal support continues to fall far short of what is called for in the No Child Left Behind Act, says a new report by the Afterschool Alliance."

Grants for In-school Music Projects

"The Mockingbird Foundation is offering grants for in-school music projects that promote creative expression through music, encouraging applications associated with diverse or unusual musical styles, genres, forms, and philosophies. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: non-profit organizations, public schools. Deadline: February 1, 2006."

J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism Invites Applications for New Voices Community News Program

"J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism invites U.S. nonprofit groups and education organizations to apply for funding to launch new community news ventures and to cooperate with J-Lab in spotlighting best practices and lessons learned.

Under the New Voices project, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, J-Lab will select ten projects a year for two years to receive as much as $17,000. Grant funds may be used for equipment, software, rent, phones, training, marketing, production, stipends, freelance payments, and contracted services."

Coming Up Taller Awards to Honor Arts and Humanities Programs for Young People

"Each year the Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and reward outstanding after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. Award recipients receive $10,000 each, an individualized plaque, and an invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference. Programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses, and eligible government entities are encouraged to participate."

Voices Study: Survey of youth ages 10 to 17

"Four in ten young people have doubts about whether they will be able to realize the American Dream because they are stressed, concerned about their personal safety and confused about what choices to make to protect their health and well being, according to a survey from America's Promise."

The Freechild Project's Youth Movement Mapping Project

"Several categories of action in the international youth movement"

"This movement, which is leaderless and diverse, is complex. It is obvious to say that young people everywhere are complex with broad needs and interests, and that young people everywhere are responding to their situations uniquely. This page represents our first deliberate effort to paint a clear picture of the diaspora of activity under the common umbrella of connecting young people and social change."

REQUEST FOR COOPERATION: Unite for children, unite against AIDS

"Dear all -

As you probably know, UNICEF started a global campaign this year called "Unite for children, united against AIDS".

We are now looking for young people around the globe to help us create a short multilingual video with the message "Unite for children, unite against AIDS".

If you want to be part of this, all you have to do is get some young people (friends, brothers, sisters, neighbors, classmates, etc.) together, take a video camera and record how you all say together "Unite for children, unite against AIDS". This should be done in your local language - no translations needed - as it's a global campaign, we'd like to have as many different languages as possible.

Then please get in touch with me (Chris Schuepp - cschuepp@unicef.org) and we will see how you can get the material to us. We would prefer if you sent us the material via email/Internet - there are different ways of doing this - more info once you have done the recording."