Granny Ranny’s Coming Attractions

Scholastic Media announced today that its Emmy® Award-winning animated series WordGirl®, produced by its animation studio Soup2Nuts, will premiere a sixth season of all-new episodes on PBS KIDS (check local listings) beginning Monday, August 5, 2013. The season kicks off with ‘What’s Up With WordGirl Week’ featuring five new episodes. The season will include 13 episodes in total.

The sixth season of WordGirl will find fifth grader Becky Botsford (and her alter-ego WordGirl) facing some of her toughest challenges yet, against the series’ most popular villains. The definition dynamo will be tricked by Mr. Birg (a Mr. Big doppelganger) and will combat Seymour Smooth – more than once! – as he tries to commit crime through game play. Audiences also will see Victoria Best mistaken for WordGirl - until the real WordGirl is able to prove Victoria has been fibbing, and WordGirl must battle Dr. Two Brains to save the world from being hit by a giant cheese asteroid.

Returning voice talent for the sixth season includes Dannah Phirman (“MadTV”) as WordGirl, Chris Parnell (“30 Rock,” “Saturday Night Live”) as the Narrator, Maria Bamford (“Louie,” “Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil”) as Mrs. Botsford, Ryan Raddatz as Mr. Botsford and Scoops, James Adomian (“Last Comic Standing”) as Mr. Birg, Daran Norris (“The Fairly OddParents,” “Big Time Rush”) as Seymour Smooth, Kristen Schaal (“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “30 Rock”) as Victoria Best, Tom Kenny (“SpongeBob Squarepants”) as Dr. Two Brains, TJ and Beau Handsome, John C. McGinley (“Scrubs,” “Burn Notice”) as Whammer, Patton Oswalt (“Justified,” “Two and a Half Men”) as Tobey, and Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”) as Mr. Big, among others. Jane Lynch (“Glee”) guest stars as Miss Power in ‘The Rise of Miss Power’special, originally broadcast in 2012, which will air in Season 6 over the course of two episodes.

For more information on WordGirl, please visit mediaroom.scholastic.com/wordgirl,

Cynopsis Kids 2nd Annual !magination Awards took place today at the Yale Club in New York City bringing together the top creative and business minds in kids entertainment.Special honors were given to Margaret Loesch, founder/CEO of Hub Network; Elie Dekel, president of Saban Brands; children’s singer/songwriter Laurie Berkner; and Cartoon Network for its Stop Bullying Speak Up campaign.

Two very special anniversaries in children’s entertainment were acknowledged:Babar the Elephant, who has charmed kids and families for 80 years and Clifford the Big Red Dog, who celebrates his 50th year.

Here’s a complete list of the !magination Awards winners and finalists:

App (Educational)
Winner: Nickelodeon - Bubble Guppies: Animal School Day
Honorable Mentions:

Cupcake Digital  Wubbzy’s Fire Engine Adventure
Disney Publishing Worldwide - Sofia the First: Story Theater
Lawless Entertainment - Suzy’s Zoo
Nancy O’Dell Enterprises - Little Ashby: Star Reporter
Oceanhouse Media, Inc.-  A Whale of a Tale!: All About Porpoises, Dolphins, and Whales
PBS KIDS - DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD: Play at Home with Daniel
Sprout The Good Night Show: Sandy Stories

App (Entertainment)
Winner: Budge Studios - Chuggington Traintastic Adventures
Honorable Mentions:

Cartoon Network - Cartoon Network
Cupcake Digital - Wubbzy’s The Night Before Christmas
Lima Sky - Doodle Jump
Nickelodeon - Nick Jr. Draw & Play
Random House Children’s Books - Barbie Color, Sparkle and Style!

Tablet-Based App (Educational)
Winner: Scholastic Corporation - Storia
Honorable Mentions:

Disney ABC Television Group - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally Appisode
Luca Lashes LLC - Luca Lashes Series
marblemedia - Skatoony: Skadoodle
National Geographic Kids - National Geographic Kids Tablet Magazine
Thirteen/WNET - Cyberchase 3D Builder

Digital Marketing Campaign
Winner: Saban Brands - Launches Vortexx on The CW
Honorable Mentions:

Cartoon Network - Level Up Choose Your Battle Experience
Disney - Little Mermaid
Sprout  A Lot Happens When You Sprout

eBook
Winner: Auryn, Inc. - Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery
Honorable Mentions:

Bento Box Interactive - Sweet Pickles
Luca Lashes, LLC - Luca Lashes Series
Mibblio - Mibblio
Random House Children’s Books - The Cat in the Hat Know A Lot About That! Color & Create
StoryToys - The Little Mermaid

Educational Series/Special Parent/Teacher Curriculum
Winner: The Jim Henson Company - Sid The Science Kid
Honorable Mentions:

Sprout - Noodle & Doodle
The Mother Company - Ruby’s Studio: The Friendship Show

Feature Film Based on a Book
Winner: Universal and HP - Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Honorable Mentions:

Dune Entertainment/Color Force/20th Century Fox - Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Studio Ghibli/Disney - The Secret World of Arrietty (based on The Borrowers)
Working Title Films/Universal Pictures - Big Miracle (based on the book Freeing the Whales)

Game Based on a Series
Winner: Thirteen/WNET - Cyberchase: Buzz & Delete Save the Day
Honorable Mentions:

DHX Media - UMIGO
Scholastic - I SPY Super Challenger for LeapFrog
Sprout - The Chica Show: Mr. & Mrs. C’s Melody Maker

Interstitial Series
Winner (tie): Nickelodeon - Team Umizoomi Curriculum Interstitials
WGBH/Seftel Productions - The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers
Honorable Mentions:

Beeswax Production - Recess Stories: Life on the Playground
Disney Channels Worldwide - Disney 365
Nickelodeon - Kids Around the World
THIRTEEN/WNET - Oh Noah!

Kids 2-11 Series
Winner: Corus Entertainment/NELVANA Ltd. - Franklin and Friends
Honorable Mentions

Cartoon Network - Adventure Time
Hub Network - Littlest Pet Shop
Hub Network - R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: The Series
Hub Network - Transformers Prime
Nickelodeon - NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians
Saban Brands - Power Rangers Super Samurai

Kids 2-11 Special/TV Movie
Winner: Hallmark Channel - Jingle and Bell’s Christmas Star
Honorable Mentions:

Cartoon Network - Stop Bullying: Speak Up
Disney Channels Worldwide - Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess
Hallmark Channel - hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween
Scholastic Media - WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power

Marketing Campaign for a Toy/Game
Winner: Nickelodeon/Playmates - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Toy Launch
Honorable Mentions:

Hasbro - Scrabble’s Catch Phrase game campaign featuring Neil Patrick Harris
Mattel - Hot Wheels For Real X Games campaign
Mattel/Peterson Milla Hooks - See What Happens When You Play With Barbie

Marketing Campaign for TV Series
Winner: Hub Network - My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Royal Wedding
Honorable Mentions:

Astral Media, Inc - Sofia the First  Series Launchf
Cartoon Network - Adventure Time: Season 4 Campaign Launch
Nickelodeon - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
PBS - Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

Marketing/PR Campaign for TV Special/TV Movie
Winner: Nickelodeon - Dora Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure Campaign
Honorable Mentions:

Disney - Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess
Nickelodeon - Peter Rabbit’s Christmas Tale
Nickelodeon - Turtles Vs Foot Campaign for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at ComicCon 2102
PBS - PBS Kids’ The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas! Campaign

New Series
Winner: American Greetings - Care Bears: Welcome To Care-A-Lot
Honorable Mentions:

Disney - Dog With A Blog
Litton Entertainment - Recipe Rehab
Litton Entertainment - Sea Rescue with Sam Champion
Loma Media/EA Sports - EA Sports Game Time
Nickelodeon - NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians

Preschool Series
Winner: The Fred Rogers Company - Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Honorable Mentions:

Awol - Kioka
DHX Media - Yo Gabba Gabba!
Little Airplane - The Small Potatoes
NELVANA Ltd. / Corus Entertainment - Mike the Knight
Portfolio Entertainment - The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!

Preschool Special
Winner: Corus Entertainment - Handy Manny and the Seven Tools
Honorable Mentions:

Brown Bag Films - Doc McStuffins Boo Hoo To You Halloween Special
Nickelodeon - Peter Rabbit’s Christmas Tale
Portfolio Entertainment - The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas

Promotional Campaign
Winner: Disney  Disney Media - Subway
Honorable Mentions:

Cartoon Network - Cartoon Network @ Atlantis 2012
Disney - Disney Media Invisilign Teen
Sprout - The Chica Show Launch Campaign

Pro-social Campaign
Winner: Disney Channels Worldwide - Disney Friends for Change
Honorable Mentions:

Disney - Make Your Mark
Nickelodeon - The Big Help  Let’s Move Event in London w Michelle Obama
Saban Brands - Power Rangers Super Samurai emPOWER Halloween Safety Campaign
Sprout - Sprout’s Kindness Counts Be Kind To Yourself Campaign

Social Media Campaign
Winner: Cartoon Network - Cartoon Network’s 20th Birthday
Honorable Mentions:

Bully Movie, Grassroots Twitter Campaign
Child’s Play Communications - Peppa Pig, Social Media Campaign
Lionsgate - Hunger Games, Social Media Campaign
Nickelodeon - Kids’ Choice Awards

Song for a TV Series/Special/Movie
Winner: Sprout - The Chica Show Theme Song
Honorable Mentions:

DHX Media Ltd - UMIGO
Portfolio Entertainment - The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas!
Saban Brands - Power Rangers Song
Smithsonian Network -The Titanoboa Song

Sweepstakes/Contest Campaign
Winner: Threadless & Disney - Design a t-shirt inspired by Disney Villains
Honorable Mentions:

Cartoon Network - Mattel Hot Wheels 20th Anniversary Sweepstakes
Disney Media - Nintendo (Wii U Campaign)
Hub Network - The Hub’s Pup-ularity Contest
Radio Disney - The Next Big Thing (N.B.T.)
Sprout - The Chica Show Sweepstakes

TV Series Based on Books
Winner: Hub Network - R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: The Series
Honorable Mentions:

Big Bad Boo - 1001 Nights
Hallmark Channel - Jingle & Bell’s Christmas Star
NELVANA Ltd. / Corus Entertainment - Scaredy Squirrel
NELVANA Ltd. / TeamTO - Babar and the Adventures of Babou
Portfolio Entertainment Inc. - The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!

Tweens 9-14 Series
Winner: Litton Entertainment - Born to Explore With Richard Wiese
Honorable Mentions:

Bento Box Entertainment/20th Century Fox - Bob’s Burgers
Disney ABC Television Group - Phineas and Ferb
Hub Network - “Dan Vs.”
Litton Entertainment - Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin
Luke Nola & Friends - Let’s Get Inventin’ New Zealand
marblemedia - Spatalot

Tweens 9-14 Special/TV Movie
Winner: ABC Family - The Mistle-Tones
Honorable Mentions:

Disney Channels Worldwide - Disney Channel Original Movie, Radio Rebel
Nickelodeon - Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Kids Pick the President: The Candidates

Video Game for a TV Series/Special
Winner: Microsoft and Edelman - Kinect Sesame Street TV
Honorable Mentions:

Cartoon Network - Mutant Fridge Mayhem
CSE - NBAHoopTroop.com-Hoop Troop Escape
Microsoft and Edelman  - “Kinect Nat Geo TV”
Scholastic Media - The Magic School Bus: Oceans for Leapster Explorer

Website for TV Series/Special
Winner: WGBH Educational Foundation - Design Squad Nation
Honorable Mentions:

9 Story Entertainment & Kratt Brothers - Wild Kratts Website
Disney Channels Worldwide and Walt Disney Records - AustinAndAllyVideo.com/Vevo
Little Airplane/Disney - Meet the Small Potatoes Custom Potato Builder Website
Random House Children’s Books - PBS Kids The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
See the complete story at http://www.cynopsis.com/editions/kids/

Most people in TV go on vacation in the summer, but the PBS KIDS line-up is heating up this summer – with a host of special episodes and theme weeks, like Wild Kratts “Bug Week” (June 3), Sesame Street “Literacy Quest Week” (June 17) and Dinosaur Train “Dinosaurs A-Z” (July .

Starting Monday, June 3 (check local listings), PBS KIDS presents 10 weeks of themed programming to inspire children ages 2-8 to explore and learn. Each week will feature episodes from a different PBS KIDS series.

The line-up includes:

·         WILD KRATTS – “Bug Week,” starting June 3                       

·         SUPER WHY! – “Super You Week,” starting June 10

·         SESAME STREET – “Literacy Quest Week,” starting June 17           

·         MARTHA SPEAKS – “Puppy Week,” starting June 24           

·         CURIOUS GEORGE – “Creative George Week,” starting July 1                     

·         DINOSAUR TRAIN – “Dinosaurs A-Z,” starting July 8             

·         DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD – “Let’s Play Outside Week,” starting July 15                

·         THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! – “Let’s Get Wet Week,” starting July 22        

·         ARTHUR – “Sports Week,” starting July 29               

·         WORDGIRL – “What’s Up With WordGirl Week,” starting August 5

The film, the second original installment of the new weekly Walden Family Theater  franchise debuts this Friday (May 31) at 8:00 PM ET on Hallmark Channel. Space Warriors tells the story of six highly-skilled teenagers hand-picked to be part of a summer space camp competition at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The kids find themselves in a race against time when an urgent crisis aboard the International Space Station (some 200 miles above the Earth) leads them to utilize all their problem-solving skills to come up with a plan to save the lives of the American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts aboard. The all-star cast includes Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Lucas, Danny Glover  and Thomas Horn (who garnered positive attention as the son of Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close).

ARC Entertainment partnered with Walden Media and Hallmark Channel to produce the film for Walden Family Theater which is made possible through the sponsorship of  P&G and Walmart (which will exclusively sell the DVD at its stores). Those tuning into the Hallmark premiere will be given the opportunity for a  real-life family space camp vacation. Details here.

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/faithmediaandculture/2013/05/hallmark-channel-walden-media-and-arc-entertainment-chiefs-talk-about-space-warriors-and-their-commitment-family-tv.html#ixzz2UtvIlIjp

Win two tickets to see “After Earth” by telling us what you love about XPRIZE. (Click through here)

Calling all teens: Take part in the XPRIZE After Earth Challenge, an educational competition open to students ages 13-17 (with one adult captain).  In the first phase of the challenge, teams simply upload a video to http://xprizeafterearth.com discussing how they are promoting environmental sustainability in their communities (to avoid an After Earth like scenario where we are forced to evacuate the planet) and describing the mission they would design to send an unmanned rover to explore a potential site for humanity’s next settlement.

The top ten teams will receive a LEGO MINDSTORMS kit to use for their mission and a Full HD Sony Handycam to document their experience.  The grand prize winner, as determined by a panel of judges, will be featured on the Blu-ray release of After Earth. Registration for Phase One will remain open until June 7th.

Win a LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics kit, a Sony Handycam, and a chance to appear on the DVD of the Will Smith & Jaden Smith film, After Earth!

My mom came  from a completely different world than I grew up in. She grew up during the great Depression and became a wife and mother during World War II. I’m a Baby Boomer. I grew up in a pretty stable world, all things considered. I had a much easier childhood than my Mother and a more optimistic outlook on life. She gave me the courage to try things my Mother would never have considered doing herself. I was fortunate to have such a secure childhood that, as a parent, I explored new ideas in raising my own children. My children were invited to be part of the decision making process rather than simply being told what to do. I lived through the civil rights movement, the assassinations of John Kennedy, his brother, Bobby and Martin Luther King Jr., through Watergate and the Vietnam War. I remember the Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, watching American Bandstand every week, trying communal living and being a vegetarian for 20 years.

My mom thought that doctors were God! I look for herbal remedies before heading to the doctor’s office. My mother was a smoker and I remember how her car reeked of cigarette smoke. Thanks to her, I never took up smoking. My mom was an avid pianist and sang in the church choir. I played the clarinet, saxophone and twirled the baton and swam with the synchronized swim team. I avoided the church choir. My mom was a reader. Her down time was usually spent reading a book of some sort, even if it was the Readers’ Digest Condensed Book-of-the-Month. My mom didn’t disagree. Instead, she held in her anger and every once in a while, exploded like a volcano. My siblings and I would all run to our rooms to hide until the lava cooled. My mom aged gracefully. She was a beautiful young woman and just as beautiful as she aged. My sister gave her a “Glamor photo shoot” for her 65th birthday and she is stunning in that photo.

My Mom was frugal. Oh, was she frugal. Even though my father was a successful businessman, my mother made every penny count. She would buy us flannel pajamas in July when they were on sale and wonder why we didn’t wear them until December. My father held my mother on a pedestal; rarely have I known someone to love anyone more. I once cussed at my mother and my dad picked me up and threw me against the wall, reminding me that “I would never speak that way to my mother again.” My mom wasn’t a terrible cook but she was English. Vegetables from her kitchen came out of a can and were reheated until they were steamy and soggy. The only fresh vegetables she ever served were fresh tomatoes and those Michigan tomatoes were so sweet that we would suck the juice right out of them. They also made the best darn BLTs you ever tasted.

My mom passed away 10 years ago and I still think about her almost every day. I loved my mom and appreciate her complete commitment to mothering. The things we shared in common were teaching our children to be inquisitive learners, to be resilient and to love our children unconditionally.Thanks Mom, for everything! 

PBS Distribution today announced it is releasing “FRONTLINE: THE ECONOMIC MELTDOWN” on DVD. This DVD set includes five fascinating FRONTLINE programs about one of the worst economic crises in America’s history. From what caused the meltdown to the government’s plan to stabilize and fix the economy, these programs offer compelling behind-the-scenes insights. “THE ECONOMIC MELTDOWN” will be available on DVD beginning June 4, 2013. The combined run time of all five programs is 300 minutes. The programs come on two discs. The programs included in this collection are detailed below.

“Inside the Meltdown” - FRONTLINE investigates how the economy went so bad, so fast, and what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson didn’t see, couldn’t stop, and weren’t able to fix.

“Ten Trillion and Counting” - All of the measures by the feds to stem the tide in the financial meltdown have added hundreds of billions of dollars to our national debt. FRONTLINE tracks the politics behind America’s mountain of debt.

“Breaking the Bank” - FRONTLINE draws on high-profile interviews with key players to reveal the story of two banks (Merrill Lynch and Bank of America) at the heart of the financial crisis.

“The Warning” - In the aftermath of the economic meltdown, FRONTLINE looks for clues about why it happened and examines moments when it might have gone much differently.

“Cliffhanger” - FRONTLINE goes inside the epic political battle responsible for America’s fiscal cliff and debt ceiling crisis.

Disney announced the 12 finalists in the Marvel’s IRON MAN 3: Inventor and InnovatOR Fair, a nationwide science competition held in conjunction with the release of “Iron Man 3”, sponsored by Discovery Science Center, Broadcom Foundation and Marvel Studios, along with Visa Signature and the famous El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood., On the evening of May 3rd, at the 4:30pm screening of Marvel’s “Iron Man 3,” Grand Prize winners will receive their awards in a special ceremony onstage at the El Capitan Theatre, hosted by Asa Kalama,  a Walt Disney Imagineer. All 12 Inventor and InnovatOR Fair finalists will have their projects on display at the El Capitan from May 3rd – June 19th.

Like Iron Man’s alter ego, Tony Stark, these young geniuses are discovering and creating the world for tomorrow.  And getting to be a finalist hasn’t been easy.  Sixth through ninth-grade girls and boys across the nation were invited to participate in MARVEL’S IRON MAN 3: INVENTOR and INNOVATOR FAIR and asked to produce innovative, inventive projects based on STEM themes from “Iron Man 3” — STEM: (science, technology, engineering and math).   The competition encouraged students to submit projects that aligned with the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) Grand Challenges for Engineering™.

Earlier this month, after judges reviewed over 300 science projects from all over the country, 30 semi-finalists were chosen. From the 30 semi-finalists, the panel of judges chose 12 finalists, who will compete for the grand prize awards.

Following are the 12 finalists and their winning projects:

Anin Sayana, Cupertino, Calif.  – “A Novel Configuration of Carbon Nanotubes to Inhibit ABCG2 and Selectively Target Chemotherapy-Resistant Cancer Stem Cells
Arjun Dhawan, Newburgh, Ind. – “Walking with Sensors”
Audrey Harris, Nokomis, Fla. – “Opening New Opportunities”
Cassie Drury, Louisville, Ky. – “Exploring Cell Signaling in Wound Healing”
Chase Lewis, Chapel Hill, N.C. – “Rescue Travois- Saving Lives”
Emma Christensen, Greenville, N.C. – “Saved by the Bug”
Galen Lee, Cottondale, Ala. – “Solar Funnel Cooler”
Justin Abrahim – Pittsburgh, Pa. – “Ouch! Helmets and Concussions”
Maya Patel, The Woodlands, Texas – “Gauging Inferno Sprawl”
Megan Swintosky, Hatfield, Pa. – “Novel Mutations in the FLCN Gene in Cases of Familial Spontaneous Pneumothoraces”
Shixuan Justin Li, Lynn Haven, Fla. – “No Mo Squites”
Stephen Coyne, Knoxville, Md. – “Robotic Prosthetics: A Hand Prototype”

Grand Prize judges for the Marvel’s IRON MAN 3: Inventor and InnovatOR Fair will be Dr. Henry Samueli, Chairman of the Board, Broadcom Corporation; Joe Adams, President, Discovery Science Center; Janet Yamaguchi, Vice President of Education, Discovery Science Center; Dr. Yannis Yortsos, Dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California; and Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Chairman and CEO, NantWorks, LLC.

The 12 finalists of the Marvel’s IRON MAN 3: Inventor and InnovatOR Fair won a trip to Southern California, provided by Visa Signature. The trip includes a meeting with Disney Imagineers, a trip to Disneyland, a visit to Discovery Science Center, a special experience at Broadcom Foundation, and more.

A million thank yous go out to every one of our donors to this campaign which supports our highly successful KIDS FIRST! Film Critics program and provide you, our readers, with access to reviews created by our youth film critics who review all the latest films rated PG-13 and younger.
Our goal was to raise $30,000 in 150 days and we raised $32,565! This program engages youth, teaches them invaluable writing and oral communication skills and gives them a voice. Our youth critics’ film reviews are seen by more than 20 million people a month through our TV, radio, print and online partners.
Parents have told us how much their kids have gotten out of the program. “With the KIDS FIRST! thorough training, our daughter now has real tools to help her formulate her opinions, communicate her thoughts and inspire others to evaluate what they are being offered in the medium,” says one parent. Another added, “This experience has definitely helped my daughter with her confidence level and has enhanced her critical thinking skills.”
Help us help kids. No couch potatoes on our watch; these kids are active media users.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics is a project of the 21-year-old national nonprofit, Coalition for Quality Children’s Media - a 501-c-3 organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

On Saturday, April 27th, just in time for the warm weather, Variety of Colorado will donate 130 bicycles to students at Eagleton Elementary School. Each student in the 3rd and 4th grade will receive a brand new Schwinn bicycle, helmet, bike lock, tee shirt, and a personalized license plate.

Since its inception six years ago, Variety of Colorado has donated more than 600 bikes to Denver-area schools. Eagleton Elementary, this year’s winner, was chosen after submitting a plan explaining how they’d incorporate bikes into their school community. Their plan includes adding bike racks and a tire station, as well as having student council sell water bottles to pay it forward to next year’s recipients. All students were also required to write an essay on one of three topics: “I am Unique because…”, “I Keep Healthy By…”, or “I Can Show Respect By…”

Lee Rains Thomas, Assistant Principal at Eagleton Elementary is thankful for the opportunity and believes, “…Variety is an amazing organization that pulls community resources together to provide an incredible opportunity for under-privileged children. We are very honored to have been selected to receive the bikes.”

Students have been invited to pick up their bikes on Saturday, April 27 between the hours of 1:00pm– 3:00pm. They will receive their equipment, have their bikes and helmets fitted as well as participate in  bike safety training.

Families and community members can also enjoy a “Community Showcase,” hosted by Eagleton Elementary School during that time. The showcase will highlight organizations that are committed to promoting health and education in the community. Groups in attendance will include: SNAP into Health, Comcast’s low-cost internet and computer program, Trips for Kids and local rec and library summer programs. For the fourth year in a row, DJ services will be donated by Steve Robertson.

Almost one-hundred volunteers will give their time to help assemble and prep bicycles for distribution as well as ensure the entire day is a success. ViaSat Communications is providing almost two dozen volunteers and making a donation. As the corporate support of this program for the second year, ViaSat Communications has enabled Variety of Colorado to improve the quality of the bikes given to the students along with Schwinn and Campus Cycles, who provided the bicycles at cost. Comcast is also supplying sixty volunteers via its national day of service, Comcast Cares Day. They are also furnishing the bike locks, volunteer food and making a donation to Variety on behalf of their employee volunteers.

Executive Director of Variety, Anne Tengler explains the importance of the event, “Kids on the Go is about giving these children the experience of philanthropy. So many members of the community have come together make this day possible. We want the kids to know they always have enough to give back.”

Variety of Colorado was established in 1951 by a group of motion picture exhibitors. Today, VOC continues the important mission established by those pioneers: providing children, including those with disabilities, the resources to overcome their challenges, helping them reach their potential to live full, active lives. Over the years, Variety of Colorado fundraisers have raised more than $2 million for Colorado’s children. Variety of Colorado is proud of its 60-year history of serving Children in the Rocky Mountain region.

Visit http://www.varietycolorado.org  for more information.