KIDS FIRST! News

Calling all ARTHUR fans! Do you have an idea for a new friend for Arthur, D.W. or Buster? Well, here’s your chance to create a character for Elwood City. ARTHUR, the award-winning PBS KIDS GO! television series, and CVS Caremark All Kids Can, a program dedicated to making life easier for kids with disabilities, are teaming up to announce the “ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search”!Beginning February 1, 2009, the “ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search” invites children ages 6-12 to send in their ideas for a new character for Arthur. And not just any character–one who can show that having a unique ability, character trait, or disability might make life a little bit different, but not any less fun. Kids can mail in their entries, with a drawing of their character and a description of what makes them special, starting February 1, 2009. The child with the selected idea, along with their character, will be featured in a live-action segment on the ARTHUR show. In addition, he or she will receive a visit from ARTHUR creator and author Marc Brown at the child’s school, local library, or PBS member station.The character search is designed to educate children about the importance of inclusion and how children of all abilities can play together. It also encourages parents and children to think about what life is like for someone they know who has a disability.”We’re looking for an exciting new character, who can show the gang in Elwood City that children come in all shapes, sizes and abilities,” said ARTHUR Senior Producer Jacqui Deegan. “Over the years, ARTHUR has helped children to embrace other kids’ unique characteristics as well as their own, and this new character will continue that tradition.”CVS Caremark All Kids Can supports programs and services that help children with disabilities learn, play, and succeed in life. For over 11 years, ARTHUR has celebrated the importance of friendship and the value of accepting and including kids with different abilities from all walks of life. For instance, Buster shows that kids with asthma can do just about anything, Marina shows her friends what it’s like to be blind, George succeeds as a student with dyslexia, and Carl–in an upcoming season–will share what it’s like to have autism.”We’re thrilled to partner with ARTHUR,” said Eileen Howard Dunn, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Relations at CVS Caremark. “For years, we’ve watched the series become a trusted resource for kids to learn valuable life lessons, by relating to its vibrant, loveable characters. This is a perfect way to further our mission of helping kids develop an understanding and acceptance of disabilities.”The selected character will be chosen by a panel of judges including the producers of the ARTHUR show, and colleagues from CVS Caremark All Kids Can. The panel includes Tolon Brown from Marc Brown Studios; Terri Mauro, About.com’s Guide to Parenting Special Needs; Matt Cavedon from Boundless Playgrounds; Katy Beh Neas, Vice President of Government Relations for Easter Seals; and Susan Kane, Editor-in-Chief of Parenting magazine’s “School Years” edition. Nine additional finalists will receive prize packages including CVS gift cards and ARTHUR merchandise.Fans can visit pbskidsgo.org/arthur/allkidscan to download the entry form beginning February 1, 2009. Entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2009.Funding for the “ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search” is provided by CVS Caremark All Kids Can. 

PBS KIDS GO! and WNED-TV Buffalo/Toronto are partnering to launch the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, a national-local contest designed to promote the advancement of children’s reading skills through hands-on, active learning.  The Contest encourages children in grades K-3 in communities across the country, to celebrate the power of creating stories and illustrations by submitting their own original pieces.

Beginning on January 27, 2010, PBS stations throughout the country will be active partners in the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, and will work with schools, public libraries and other literacy organizations to implement the Contest in their communities. Children will be encouraged to write and illustrate stories and submit them to their local stations, which will select winners and award prizes.  Local winners will be entered into the national level of the Contest where a renowned panel of judges will identify the national winners.  Winners will be announced and national prizes, including laptops, digital cameras and MP3 players will be awarded in summer 2010.

In addition, a new PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest Web site at pbskids.org/read will launch in early 2010.  As the information hub of the Contest, it will include the winning stories in each of the Contest categories as well as a searchable archive of winning stories.

“We know from research that there is an important connection between writing and the development of early literacy skills, critical cornerstones for school readiness and achievement,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “PBS KIDS uses the power of media to open up the worlds of letters and words for all young children, encouraging them to explore ways to communicate more effectively and increasing their odds of success.”

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest extends the powerful tradition and annual success of the 15 year national “Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest,” originally created by WNED-TV Buffalo/Toronto and NET Nebraska.

“WNED is proud to continue its leadership role in literacy for public television through the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest,” said WNED President and CEO Donald K. Boswell.  “Building on the important legacy of “Reading Rainbow,” this new contest ushers the powerful mission of our programs directly into the homes and classrooms of the community, motivating young students to create and imagine.”

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest is a part of PBS KIDS Raising Readers, a national initiative which uses the power of public media to build the reading skills of children ages 2-to-8, with an emphasis on children from low-income families.  The effort is funded by a Ready To Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education, part of a cooperative agreement with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS and The Ready To Learn Partnership.

If you voted in the KIDS FIRST! Top 100 survey last spring, your voice is getting heard. Over the next few months, look for mentions of your favorite flicks in numerous magazines across the nation as they highlight the KIDS FIRST! Top 100 list. These magazines reach a wide variety of readers. A partial list of the magazines to look for includes:

Grand Magazine, which will run the list in their September/October issue.

Parent Guide, which will run the list in its Sept/Oct. issue

Dominion Publications, which will run partial list in September issue and feature the full list online.

Moving Pictures, which will run the list in its Fourth Quarter Issue

Bare Essentials, which will run the list in a future issue.

Family Circle, which will feature the Top 100 in November or December.

New Jersey Family, which already ran mention of list.

The first five readers who go to http://www.kidsfirst.org/contact-us/ and tell us what they love about the “Kenny the Shark Series” will receive their very own copy of “Kenny the Shark: Catch a Wave!” Make sure you include your email address so we can let you know you won.Hang ten with Discovery Kids¹ human-friendly shark when “Kenny the Shark: Catch a Wave” splashes onto DVD June 3rd from Genius Productsand Discovery Kids. This is the 3rd volume of the “Kenny the Shark” series, which continues to attract fans on the Discovery KidsChannel. A two-time Environmental Media Award Nominee for Children¹sAnimated Series in 2004 and 2005, “Kenny the Shark” allows kids toabsorb a wealth of fun fish facts by sinking their teeth into thedaily adventures of a loveable Tiger Shark. In “Kenny the Shark: Catch a Wave,” Kenny and his human friend Kat make waves in and out of the water as they learn how to surf, create home movies and discover special talents. There¹s no telling what exciting things will happen when these two friends get together for some summer fun, with 77 minutes of summer-themed episodes including Kenny¹s Home Movie: Attack of the Flying Sharks featuring real-life shark footage from Discovery¹s³Shark Week² and a special bonus episode of “Growing Up Creepie.” The“Kenny the Shark: Catch a Wave” DVD will be available for thesuggested retail price of $12.95.

Let 3 million parents hear about your product!

The National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) has announced a call for entries for the 10th Annual NAPPA Parenting Resources competition, now through Jan. 15, 2008. NAPPA is a juried competition that helps parents make the best buying choices for their families.

Winning a NAPPA Award provides exposure for parenting DVDs in front of 3 million parents, expectant mothers and families with children. DVDs eligible for entry span such topics as:

• child development
• pregnancy
• child-raising
• education
• nutrition
• fitness and
• safety, to name just a few

“NAPPA is an awards program that I always strongly urge my clients to enter. The potential of winning and the resulting exposure through the family of regional parenting magazines is so strong that I view it as a major opportunity,” said Lisa Orman, president and founder of KidStuff Public Relations.

NAPPA’s editorial partners—a network of 30 regional parenting publications stretching from coast to coast—will announce the NAPPA Gold winners in their June 2008 publications. Gold and Honors winners also will be featured for a full year and then archived on Parenthood.com, the nation’s leading resource for parenting information.

In addition to timely nationwide publicity, NAPPA Gold and Honor Award winners receive an awards certificate and the right to display the NAPPA seal on their product.

Both Gold and Honors winners are featured for a year and beyond on Parenthood.com. Check out the winners for 2007 there.

To learn how to enter the 2008 NAPPA Parenting Resources competition and to see a complete list of 2007 winning products visit www.NAPPA.Parenthood.com < http://www.parenthood.com/articles.html?article_id=10920> . For more information, call Barbara Smith Decker at 617-522-1515 ext. 25 or e-mail [email protected]