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Monday, February 25th, 2013

Amazon_film_critic_banner.jpgKIDS FIRST! wants to hear from you!

Does your child love movies and love to talk about them? Do you love free stuff?

In our KIDS FIRST! Critics Go Local campaign, your child can be a film critic too. Send us your child’s video review of Chasing Mavericks, Life of Pi or Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon and you will receive free movie tickets or a free skin for your favorite mobile device from Zing Revolution (while supplies last) – just for sending us your review!

Chasing Mavericks and Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon are out on DVD and Blu-ray on February 26, 2013 and Life of Pi is available on DVD, Blu-ray, HD and 3D on March 12, 2013. You can purchase any of these movies on Amazon.com, or at your favorite retailer.

Click here to visit our KIDS FIRST! Critics Go Local website and see the details and instructions for participating. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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Introducing The New Faces of KIDS FIRST!

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Amazon_film_critic_banner.jpgKIDS FIRST! is so excited to announce our new KIDS FIRST! Film Critics for 2013! This group of 12 kids did such a wonderful job on their video review, written review and have already been fun to work with.

Drumroll please, in first name order, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… (hint, click on any of the winner’s names to see their video entry review):

The finalists that did not make the final 12 should be congratulated as well. The judges had a very hard time making this decision as every child that entered worked hard and showed that they had the potential to be great film critics. We encourage you to enter again when the contest is re-opened. With the experience and practice you have, your chances will be even greater next time.

KIDS FIRST! is very proud that many of our 2012 Film Critics will be continuing on with us. We welcome back: Raven Devanney, Morgan Bertsch, Cheyenne Nguyen, Camille Bajema, Anthony Aranda, Julianna Noone and Brianna Beaton. They will all continue to do reviews and work on the KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions radio show, and will also serve as advisors and mentors for our new critics.

It’s going to be a great year at KIDS FIRST!

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Announcing our 2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Finalists!

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

Amazon_film_critic_banner.jpgWe Proudly Announce Our Finalists for the 2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search. Twelve of these young people will become the face and voice of KIDS FIRST! for the next year. They will be doing video reviews, hosting our Voice America Kids radio show, KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions, attend pre-screenings, red carpet events and more.

The film critics program helps to support our mission of media literacy, proving that SMART KIDS MAKE SMART CONSUMERS. In order to keep our program alive, and make sure that these opportunities are open to all kids, we need your help. Please make your tax-deductible donation in support of these important programs aimed at kids, by kids. Any amount helps, click here now, or contact us to donate by check.

The 2013 Finalist are (in alphabetical order by first name):

  1. Adam Chernick

  2. Canela Roey

  3. Carson Boman

  4. Casey Holmes

  5. Cassandra Hsiao

  6. Charlee Boman

  7. Colin Davies

  8. Cordelia Holland Foist

  9. Gerry Orz

  10. Jaheem Toombs

  11. Jailene Arias

  12. Johntae Lipscomb

  13. Keefer C. Blakeslee

  14. Molly Jackson

  15. Morgaine Sapphire Hunter

  16. Patrick Nguyen

  17. Stacy-Love Belizaire

  18. Talin Polka

  19. Valdi-Agaelle Belizaire

To see the finalists entry videos, click here! Pick your favorites and check back on the KIDS FIRST! website on or around January 31 to see if who won!

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Enter, Vote and Support KIDS FIRST!

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012

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SUPPORT KIDS FIRST! We know that Holiday Time is the #1 time for making tax-deductible donations to your favorite nonprofits. Please keep us in mind in your annual giving and consider making a contribution to KIDS FIRST!

TIME TO ENTER AND VOTE! KIDS FIRST! needs your help to choose the next group of Film Critics. 2013 will be the third year we welcome new faces to represent KIDS FIRST! to review tons of new feature films, DVDs and old classics. Our youth critics also attend Red Carpet Events and host our very own radio show, KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions on Voice America Kids. We are so excited to welcome these new faces – but don’t worry, you will still see many of our 2011 and 2012 critics next year!

There is still time to enter. If you haven’t entered yet, there’s still plenty of time to do it. Auditions are being accepted from any child ages 7-14. To enter, you will need to watch one of our search titles: Big Top Scooby-Doo!, E.T. : The Extra-Terrestrial, 30th Anniversary, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Princess Bride, 25th Anniversary or Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups  (if you have a group that would like to have an event and enter, please contact us so we can help.)

Next, complete the entry form and submit your written review. After that, you will upload your review and get out the vote. For full rules, instructions and links to the entry form and upload information, visit the 2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critic landing page. There are also great tips and short online webinars to help to increase your chances of winning a Film Critic spot for next year.

Now it is time to vote! Whether you or one of your friends has auditioned, or if you just want to have a say about who will be the next KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, you will need to help get out the vote. Visit the 2013 Film Critic Search website and click on the tab “Browse & Vote Here.”  Scroll through the pages and watch the reviews. If you like a video, choose the star rating you think is appropriate and click on it (you will have to hover your mouse over the stars beneath the video to choose your rating.)

Vote for all your favorites, tell all your friends, post it to your social media sites and do it often. Voting closes on December 31, 2012 at midnight. Winners will be announced shortly after.

Please support of our Film Critics Program. Every little bit helps! Even if you can only contribute $5, we need your support. Your donation to KIDS FIRST! is always tax deductible, so help us to help kids. At KIDS FIRST! we believe that Smart Kids Make Smart Consumers. Please visit our fundraising page, or contact us directly, if you can help.

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Titles Announced for the 2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search

Saturday, October 6th, 2012

KF_FilmCritics_218x225.jpgKIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search competition for our 2013 youth film critics (ages 7 to 14) is now open. Check out the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search webpage forthe approved titles plus tips on how to submit, guidelines, official rules and a short video from our youth film critics sharing their experience.

Filmmakers love our program, too. Kenn Viselman, creator of recent release The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, and the film’s marketing professional Eileen Potrock, told us, “The KIDS FIRST! Film Critics came ot our junket and our premiere, and were among the most eloquent and informed reporters to attend. The training that KIDS FIRST! gives to these children provides not only professional skills, but poise and confidence as well. They are a great source of empowerment for young people and a wonderful outlet for anyone who works with children and families.”

And sharing her view of the experience from the parent’s perspective, the mother of one of our first KIDS FIRST! youth film critics, says, “My daughter’s experience with KIDS FIRST! has opened many doors for her within her own person, allowing her to strive for excellence in her written and oral presentations and to always ask the deeper questions about messages and meanings in media directed to children. Her confidence in public speaking has greatly increased as well as her feelings of value and worth of her own opinions and thoughts.” (Sarah Jane Geraldi, mother of Raven Devanney, a 2011 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search winner.)

The contest is open until midnight, Dec. 31, but the earlier you submit your entry, the better your chance to win. Entries are posted on a public website where friends, family and everyone interested can vote for their favorite review. The top 24 will be finalists, which we’ll announce the beginning of January, and the winning 12 will be chosen from among the finalists by a celebrity panel of judges. Winners will be announced the middle of January.

2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search titles:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
The Princess Bride
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Big Top Scooby-Doo!
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups