Youth as E-Citizens, an Online Tour

"This 'Youth as E-Citizens' Online Tour is the digital piece of a much larger research project," based at the Center for for Social Media at American University. The online tour includes categories such as: Voting; Local Community; Global Issues; Media; Tolerance; Youth Development; and Activism.

"Youth as E-Citizens' provides a groundbreaking overview of Web-based civic efforts, by and for youth. Beginning with a close-up examination of website content, the report also examines the organizations and institutions creating that content, and the larger environment in which civic sites function."

Pay It Forward Mini-Grants for Service Projects

"Pay It Forward Mini-Grants are designed to fund one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to perform to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community. Projects must contain a 'pay it forward' focus – that is, they must be based on the concept of one person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results growing exponentially – to be considered in the grant making process... Application deadlines are January 15, April 15 and October 15 of each year... Mini-Grants of up to $500 are available for projects on a one-time-only basis. Because funding is limited, projects requesting smaller amounts will be given priority."

Paths to Success for Young African-American Men

"On July 18, the Kaiser Family Foundation hosted a forum, "Paths to Success for Young African-American Men," which featured experts (and actor Bill Cosby) discussing findings from a major new survey by the Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard University. A recap, a webcast of the event, and the related materials are available online."

Teacher development key to tech success

Survey confirms importance of professional development to tech integration
By Robert Brumfield, Assistant Editor, eSchool News
"In their efforts to meet federal requirements for improved student performance, the nation's teachers say effective use of classroom technology is essential to conduct important administrative tasks and reach a new generation of learners weaned on technology. And key to the effective use of classroom technology, educators report, is adequate professional development. The findings are part of a new national teacher survey released by technology provider CDW-G, which uses the results to call for continued support of federal ed-tech grant programs."

Study: Distractions Impede Learning

"Your parents were right, don't study with the TV on. Multitasking may be a necessity in today's fast-paced world, but new research shows distractions affect the way people learn, making the knowledge they gain harder to use later on. The study, in Monday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also provides a clue as to why it happens... That could affect a lot of young people. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation last year found third-graders through 12th-graders devoted, on average, nearly 6 1/2 hours per day to TV and videos, music, video games and computers."

Best Buy Offers Support for Interactive Technology in K-12

The Best Buy te@ch program recognizes creative uses of interactive technology in K-12 classrooms. The purpose of te@ch is to reward schools for successful interactive programs they have launched using available technology. This year the program will provide more than $3.5 million in total awards to K-12 public, private, and parochial schools in the United States.

Deadline: September 30, 2006

Making Diversity Count - Free Online Course

"The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is now enrolling participants for the pilot of its first ever web-based A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute anti-bias course. Making Diversity Count: An Online Course for Educators, developed with funding from the Ford Foundation and the Sylvia and Leon P. Family Foundation, is a new groundbreaking online educational initiative to combat bias and promote respect. The course is developed for secondary level educators in public, private and parochial schools. Educators enrolled in the pilot may take the 12-15 hour course online anytime from August 28th - October 27, 2006."

Students Map Neighborhoods With GIS

"Geographic Information Systems (GIS) -- mapping and analysis software employed by the U.S. government, NASA, and other agencies -- now is helping students locate and document hazards in their communities."

Red, White & Green Youth Action Campaign

"The Red, White & Green Youth Action Campaign, a new joint project of the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute and Youth Service America, announces the availability of 60 grants for young people, ages 15-25, to create community service projects that address climate change. The $500 grants will support younger Americans as they develop their voice and impact public policy on the critical issue of climate change.

The ambitious three-year Red, White & Green Campaign is intended to encourage widespread youth engagement on the issue of climate change leading up to the 2008 national presidential election. Grantees will bring their project results and their public policy recommendations to Washington, DC for a three-day Youth Summit in late 2007." Deadline: September 1, 2006

Development Gateway Award to Honor Empowerment of Youth

"The Development Gateway Foundation is calling for nominations from around the globe for the third annual Development Gateway Award... This year the program is highlighting projects that empower or improve the conditions of youth. The nominated projects must leverage the power of ICT to create fresh opportunities and address development challenges such as health, education, employment, or other areas important to social and economic development. The $100,000 award will help the winning organization expand upon its success and mentor other prospective leaders in the field of ICT for development. In addition to giving a significant cash prize to the award winner, the Development Gateway will highlight the stories of all the finalists" on their website.

New Web Publication on Youth Media Making

The YouthLearn team recently completed work on a new publication as part of our Learning Resource Center for the National Science Foundation's ITEST (IT Experiences for Students and Teachers) program. It was our attempt to look at the intersection between the worlds of youth media and informal science learning. "Fostering Media Savvy STEM Learners" explores the relationship between the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) skills and the need for new 21st century literacy. Experts from ITEST projects and the field of media studies discuss what constitutes youth media making, the skills needed to be savvy media consumers and producers, and what educators need to know to facilitate the process. Samples of media products from ITEST projects are featured throughout.

“LACK OF INTEREST” REASON WHY TEENS DON’T USE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

"Four-in-ten teens (40.5%) who do not attend after-school programs say it is because they simply are not interested in what is being offered, according to a new poll. In contrast, about one-in-ten teens say they do not participate because of cost (11.9%) or lack of transportation (11.6%). Overall, 44.7 percent of respondents say they attend after-school programs other than sports, while 55.3 percent do not."

Getting in the School Door...and Staying There

"Partnering with schools can be tricky, but with know-how and strategizing, it can be done."

"Most youth media organizations wanting to reach a diverse group of young people consider, at some point, collaborating with schools. "Let's face it," says Kathleen Tyner, who teaches at the University of Texas and helps bring media education to schools, "schools are where the kids are, and the kids are hungry for this."

BGCA: Youth Report To America

"Setting the stage for a yearlong celebration of our Centennial milestone, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has published the results of its Youth Report To America – the largest national survey developed and administered by teens. In the Report, 46,000 young people (ages 13-18) deliver a candid message to America."

Issue Brief: Helping Our Children Succeed: What's Broadband Got to Do With It?

"The Children's Partnership released this week an Issue Brief on Broadband and Youth entitled, Helping Our Children Succeed: What's Broadband Got to Do With It? Considering that there is substantial action in the California state legislature and in Congress that will impact not only access to the Internet, but the multitudes of services it provides and applications it powers for our young people, we feel this is an important piece."