Become a KIDS FIRST! Juror – Sign up in March
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Our March dates have been announced. Several trainees have joined us for our newly formatted course in January and February. Now it’s your chance to get involved!
March classes will be held on two consecutive weeks, offering both day and evening options. Thursday, March 19 and Thursday, March 26. This is a two-part course which will prepare you for becoming an official KIDS FIRST! Juror and to facilitate a Children’s Jury. To complete the course, you must be available for one of the sessions on both of these March dates. To become an active juror, you will need access to at least five kids in a particular age group. However, you are welcome to take the course just because it interests you.
You will complete this course from the comfort of your own home or office. All you need is access to a computer, the internet, email, and either a phone or headset. You will need at least one child (under 18) to help you complete the second portion of the training.
For information about the jury program, a downloadable pdf registration form, and the course fees (refundable to anyone who becomes an active KIDS FIRST! Juror), visit the Jury Page on our website. You can also email the Jury Manager with questions or if you would like to take the course but are not available at those times.
Hope to see you there!
Missed the February Jury Training class? Don’t panic, we will be offering another class the second week of March.
The next FREE jury training course will be held on February 12, with follow up on February 17, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time (you choose day or evening classes.) Dates and times are subject to change.
KIDS FIRST! needs your help to roll out it’s new juror training program. Part web-based, part interactive seminar, it can all be done from your home. For the first 50 people who sign up for these trial classes, the $40 training fee will be waived. The training is open to everyone, but you will need access to a group of at least 5 children in a particular age group to become an active KIDS FIRST! Juror. 
Are you concerned about what kids watch on TV? At the movies? On DVD? In videogames? You can help kids become more media savvy and better communicators, while having lots of fun, by starting your own Junior Film Critics Club at your school, youth group or at home. 
Everyone is exposed to stereotyping and bias, so much so, that it is often overlooked. Setting a good example in our home, with your family and friends, is the best way to help your kids grow up to be open-minded individuals. However, stereotyping in media, on videogames, TV, movies, DVDs and radio, should not be ignored. One of KIDS FIRST! Baseline Criteria is “NO bias in terms of race, gender, culture or religion.” Bias, or preconceived opinions about others can often be used to justify an unfair act against another, and seeks to limit, keep out or control people of differing races, genders, abilities, or other cultural or socioeconomic groups.
Even in 2008, with a former Presidential candidate and Vice Presidential candidate who are women, and all of the equal rights women have fought for for decades, the media our children watch is still fraught with gender bias. Recently, a media analysis of 24 countries worldwide was conducted and found that there are twice as many male characters than female characters.
interested in volunteering for future events, send your contact information to me at 
Our 9th Annual KIDS FIRST! Best Day and Awards Celebration is less than a month away. As always, students are winning lots of awards! Elementary, Middle, High and College students all submit films to our KIDS FIRST! Film Festival and, annually we recognize the “best of the best.” It has been my pleasure to work with all these young producers year round and I look forward to seeing them recognized as much as anyone. Among the nominees are Middle School students from the Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood, CA and Peter Gundling, now in Middle School, who has been the recipient of our highest award for
One of KIDS FIRST!’s baseline criteria is “no gratuitous violence or abuse.” But what is gratuitous violence, and how can parents and kids recognize it?
