Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - CFK Articles, Media

Looking for Balance in Foster Care Views

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:45:54 -0500

When you learn that a teen is in foster care, what is your reaction? Empathy? Curiosity? Apprehension? News stories and popular media portrayals of young people involved with the child welfare system, paired with selective statistics about how this population is faring, can feed apprehension at the expense of a more positive view of the strength that can come from overcoming adversity. La Terra Cole, an intern with Connect For Kids, reflects on some recent "mainstream media" portrayals of foster care.

Young Writers Finding a Powerful Voice

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:34:45 -0500

Youth Communication, the non-profit founded by Keith Hefner in New York City to give young people a voice on the things that matter to them, is now 25 years old—a notable milestone in the notoriously under-funded world of youth media. Lisa R. Rhodes, a former Youth Communication writer herself, looks at how Hefner's organization has grown and thrived, transforming young lives along the way.

Teens Help Teens Stay Safe Online

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:03:32 -0500

While parents worry about potential dangers to their children lurking in our web-surfing, IM-ing, text-messaging culture, their efforts to help can be hampered by their own lack of knowledge. The Teenangels program—which trains young people to protect their peers online—is one way around that problem. Tamekia Reece takes a look.

Not Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Anymore

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:58:11 -0500

Increased competition from kid-oriented cable networks like Nickelodeon and uncertainty about continued levels of public funding make these difficult times for the producers of children's programming at PBS. Rob Capriccioso spoke with some media experts about the challenge PBS faces, and how it can continue to provide top-notch educational programming.

Chinese Kids & American-Style Journalism

Mon, 08 Aug 2005 16:05:53 -0500

While leading a series of journalism workshops in Beijing, for kids aged 7 to 18, Cliff Hahn was reminded of some global truths about kids.

For Teens, A Tangled Web

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:34:20 -0500

While teens use the Internet day in and day out, new research indicates that many struggle to find their way through the Web's vast stores of information. Rob Capriccioso reports on how educators and Web designers can help create a more teen-friendly Internet.

Radio Grandma

Mon, 21 Mar 2005 10:32:53 -0600

Picture books on the radio? It sounds strange, but expert grandmother Nancy Pekarek thought it could be a great imagination workout for video-saturated 4-to-6 year olds, and she�s made it a reality, thanks to the low-power FM radio station WVLP in the Chicago suburb of Valparaiso, Indiana.

First Things First

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 10:46:38 -0600

Are today's teenagers indifferent to such keystone First Amendment rights as freedom of speech and freedom of the press? A recent report from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation raised concerns that they might be. Caitlin Johnson, however, isn't so sure.

Don't Touch That Dial...

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:49:03 -0500

How can you give illiterate or limited-English parents the information they need on children's health and development? Julieta Santana reports on how local radio fills a critical informational need in immigrant communities. This article originally appeared in the May-June 2004 issue of the Children's Advocate, published by Action Alliance for Children.

Talktime: Media Matters

Sat, 12 Feb 2005 21:47:27 -0600

On March 24, Connect for Kids hosted its second interactive Talktime on-line discussion, fielding questions from non-profits around the country about how to generate good publicity for their good works. Here�s a summary and a transcript.

Pop Culture Politics

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 13:21:20 -0500

Wrestlers are putting out issue papers. Hip-hop coalitions are holding ?get out the vote? rallies. MTV stars are urging young fans to vote. Is pop culture a good tool to increase political participation among teens and young adults? To explore the issue, Connect for Kids enlisted help from five Children's PressLine New York correspondents.

Nine Steps to Media Coverage

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 14:12:23 -0600

Step One: Save the Date

Send out a �Save the Date� note to all of your local media outlets, announcing events that your organization will pursue in the coming year. Do this at the beginning of the year (or school year) to get your event onto calendars of future events. If you don�t already have an existing list of reporters, editors and producers who cover education, parenting or families in your area, this is a good time to create one. Make a list of all the TV and radio stations (including college and university-affiliated stations), local newspapers (including weeklies) and magazines and Web sites. Then call and ask for the name of the editor, reporter or producer who covers education, parenting or family issues. Also get telephone, fax and, if possible, e-mail addresses.

Hip-Hop Power

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:11:57 -0500

Rap-inspired math, spelling and science lessons are fast becoming music to the ears of kids in both urban and suburban settings. Superheroes like Grammar Man and CDs like De-U Records' "Multiplication Hip-Hop" aim to be the Schoolhouse Rock for a new generation. Join Rob Capriccioso as he takes a look behind the music.

Talk Back: Readers Respond

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 14:54:16 -0600

Our year-end round up of reader�s comments covers a lot of territory, from TV watching habits to bilingual education. Find out which stories sparked a response from our visitors. As always, we love to hear from you!

Tuned-in Toddlers

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:02:54 -0500

Will "Baby Einstein" videos help your baby's brain develop? Or will staring at the flickering screen sedate your squirming toddler and interfere with his or her development? We don't know the answers--but a new national study indicates that for good or ill, the current crop of babies and toddlers is swimming in a sea of media.