Granny Ranny's Coming Attractions

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.

Here’s a cool way to Celebrate Earth Day with a film screening at your local theater. Host a family-friendly, KIDS FIRST! recommended film at a theater of your choice and watch it with your friends and community.

KIDS FIRST! has partnered with Tugg.com to bring you this opportunity. Follow this link to the KIDS FIRST! portal to find out more.

This is a great, no risk way to generate revenue for your nonprofit. For every screening you promote, your group will receive 5% of the ticket sales.  You have 14 films to choose from in this Earth Day Collection – all award-winning family films with an environmental message.
How cool is that?! We plan to offer this once a month with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Independence Day selections next.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announced today a public service announcement (PSA) campaign to raise awareness for wild tiger conservation in conjunction with the home entertainment release of the Academy® Award winning film Life of Pi. Fox Home Entertainment will give a portion of the proceeds from the Life of Pi Blu-ray™ and DVD to WWF’s tiger conservation efforts. The partnership will run from March 12 to June 30, 2013.

Wild tigers face a number of threats, including habitat loss from human activities such as clear cutting for agriculture and road development, climate change and poaching. Every part of the tiger – from whisker to tail – is traded in illegal wildlife markets. Illegal wildlife trade has reached unprecedented levels that WWF has not seen in its 50 year history and is jeopardizing the future for wild tigers on this planet.

“Tigers are the world’s most beloved species, yet they face an uncertain future,” said Barney Long, WWF’s Asian species expert. “With fewer than 3,200 left in the wild, WWF hopes to double the number of tigers by the year 2022. Joining together with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, we will reach new audiences, educate more people, and build support to secure a future for wild tigers.”

“Life of Pi linked the fates of one boy and one tiger together mesmerizing millions of people around the world,’’ said Mary Daily, President of Worldwide Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. “Our partnership with WWF creates new opportunities for us to protect the fates of an entire population of wild tigers, while at the same time celebrating at home the riveting movie experience that took our breath away.’’

“Stories like Life of Pi are inspired by nature and its magnificent wild species,” said Ang Lee, Academy® Award winning Director of the film. “While film has the power to make us believe in the unbelievable and beautifully capture a tiger’s graceful presence, in reality, the tiger’s world is far from magical. Their true story is one of fighting for survival. Losing tigers would be a tragic loss for the arts, which at its core, is about interpreting life in its grandest form. Partnering with WWF allows us to align around a shared passion – ensuring wild tigers have a permanent home so we can all continue to appreciate these animals, not only on the big screen, but in the wild where they will hopefully remain for generations to come.”

Life of Pi follows Pi Patel, a young man on a fateful voyage who, after a spectacular disaster, is marooned on a lifeboat with the only other survivor, a fearsome 450lb Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery, Pi and his majestic companion make an amazing and unexpected connection.

Visit worldwildlife.org/lifeofpi to learn more.

Calling all aspiring inventors!  It’s time to channel your inner Iron Man/Tony Stark and let your inventing imagination go wild.  Discovery Science Center, Broadcom Foundation and Marvel Studios, along with Visa Signature and the famous El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, are proud to team up to sponsor a nationwide Marvel’s IRON MAN 3:  INVENTOR and INNOVATOR FAIR in conjunction with the May 3rd release of Marvel’s “Iron Man 3,” starring Robert Downey Jr.

The 12 finalists of the Marvel’s IRON MAN 3: Inventor and InnovatOR Fair will win a trip to Southern California, provided by Visa Signature. The trip includes a behind-the-scenes tour of Disney Studios, a meeting with Disney Imagineers, a trip to Disneyland, a visit to Discovery Science Center, and more!  Inventor and InnovatOR Fair finalists will also have their projects on display at the famous El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, from May 3rd – June 20th.  The competition concludes at the El Capitan Theatre on May 3rd when four Grand Prize winners will accept their awards at a special ceremony, on stage prior to the showing of Marvel’s “Iron Man 3.”

Sixth through ninth-grade girls and boys across the nation are invited to participate, including those who have competed in Broadcom MASTERS®, a program of Society for Science & the Public (SSP).  For more information, rules and how to apply, visit www.discoverycube.org/ironman3.

“Marvel’s Iron Man 3: Inventor and Innovator Fair participants are the next generation of forward thinkers and innovators that will lead us into the future with scientific breakthroughs, engineering feats and technological advances. They are the real-life Tony Starks of tomorrow!” said Mike Pasciullo, Marvel’s SVP, Brand Planning & Communications.

Participating students are being asked to produce innovative, inventive projects based on themes from Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” —science, technology, engineering and math-related concepts and practices. Marvel’s IRON MAN 3: INVENTOR and INNOVATOR FAIR competition is encouraging students to submit projects that align with the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) Grand Challenges for Engineering™.

Some of the themes of the NAE Grand Challenges related to Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” are: (1) Develop Carbon Sequestration Methods, including projects involving themes of eco-friendly car development; (2) Engineer Better Medicines, with projects that focus on global disease prevention, limb regeneration and the study of body armor that protects injured body parts such as the heart; (3) Secure Cyberspace, inspiring projects that can lead to the development of new technologies that can redefine innovative security measures; and (4) Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery, in fields such as micro-technology, aeronautics or robotics.

About the Movie
Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

According to  a new international study by ResearchNow and K&A Brand Research, with respondents aged 12 – 17 years old from the US, Poland, Germany and the UK, teenagers in all four markets enjoy unlimited and unsupervised access to the internet. Respondents reported that they are able to go online as long and as often as they wish, they do not need to ask for parental permission.

62% of the young people surveyed report that they go online every single day. Age does not make a big difference when comparing the amount of time teens spend on the net. There is no sudden explosion in internet use at the age of 16, but rather a gradual increase in the amount of time spent online as children age. Of those who go online several times a day, 11% are 12 years old and 21% are 17 years old. Teenagers in the UK and Poland use the internet 20% more often than their counterparts in Germany and America.

The top reason why teens go online is to find out information, ‘looking up things I don’t know.’ The second most popular activity is finding out about events and what’s happening. Next, young people use the internet to research public transport and window shop. Pnly 35% of teens say they actually purchase items online. After ‘window shopping,’ the most popular activity is playing games.

Top 5 Things Teens Search For Online

Music
Online games
Clothes
Shoes
Books
For more information from ResearchNow, please visit here.

Read Across America Day on March 1, 2013, is the largest celebration of reading in the country and a reminder that reading never goes out of style. Reading is an adventure that begins early in a child’s life and should extend beyond the classroom.

Hard copy books are now being replaced by reading apps and tablets. The form is changing. E-books and tablets are increasingly popular but the benefit is the same: reading continues to be a source of knowledge, happiness and success in school and life. Reading offers context, exposure to the art of the written word, and increases true learning.
Not sure where to start, or how to get your child involved?

In celebration of the National Education Association’s Read Across America program, Sylvan Learning is offering five simple tips to jump-start reading in your family and inspire children to develop a lifelong friendship with the written word.

Make it A Habit
Depending on your family’s schedule, reading time might be in the morning, afternoon or before bed. Whatever time you choose, stick to it! Consistency is key to building good habits.

Don’t Leave Home Without It
Bring reading tools with you wherever you go. Having a book, e-book or tablet handy at all times will help your child fit in reading at every chance he gets.

Change Screen Time to Reading Time
Prioritize reading as a free-time activity on a tablet instead of playing a video game or watching TV. Download an audio book or a series of e-books for your child’s leisure reading.

Share the Joy of Reading
Reading doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a fun activity. When children are pressured they may read only to please their parents. It is important to help your child find books at the appropriate reading level on subjects that interest them. Once you find books that can pique your child’s interest, you may find her reading ahead on her own.

Spice It Up
Any subject, no matter how interested your child is in that subject, can begin to feel dry if you focus all of your attention upon it. Offering a variety of texts is especially helpful: read non-fiction, stories, fables, mysteries and also newspapers, e-books and magazines. There are lots of free online reading resources and websites for kids’ book choices.  Book Adventure, for example, has motivated almost two million kids to read for over a decade.

“Encouraging children to read helps transform reading from a chore to a treat. Then, this basic skill becomes a learned behavior and an intellectual habit. Among reading’s benefits, many research studies have found that children who are read to or who read on their own at home do better in school,” says Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., senior vice president of education outreach for Sylvan Learning.

To join a Sylvan Learning center for a RAA reading event, please call 1-800-31-SUCCESS, or visit on the web at www.sylvanlearning.com.