President Bush's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal includes $2.8 billion in cuts to programs that impact children—a 3 percent drop from last year's federal budget. First Focus, a bipartisan children's advocacy organization, takes a reader-friendly look at the numbers and what they say about our nation's priorities.

The president's annual federal budget submission is as much about sending messages as setting spending goals. So what's the buzz this year—and where in the nation's priorities are kids, families, and communities? Jan Richter takes a look at the 2008 budget proposal.

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.

Pete Wright, an attorney with decades of experience in special education law—and his own memories of standing up before the U.S. Supreme Court to argue a case—attended oral arguments last week in the most recent special education case to reach the highest court. Wright shared his impressions with Connect for Kids Editor Susan Phillips.

We've all heard the pundits and politicians give their reviews of President Bush's State of the Union Speech delivered on January 31. Children's Press Line editor Emily Olfson, 17, offers a different take. She watched the speech and then talked about it with students from the United Nations International School in New York City.

As he prepares to deliver his State of the Union address on January 31, President Bush is talking about recent good news on job creation and economic growth. Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to vote on a new budget and new tax cuts. But in this column, Connect for Kids Advocacy Director Jan Richter says many ordinary families aren't benefiting from this recovery.

The ball dropped. The champagne flowed. But at least on Capitol Hill, 2005 is stubbornly hanging around. Republican leaders were unable to get the House and Senate to pass identical versions of the 2005 budget reconciliation bill, so the legislation faces a final vote. Meanwhile, Congress is contemplating more tax changes. Jan Richter assesses the situation and what it means for children and families.

Back when President George W. Bush was running for re-election in 2004, we asked the president to outline his stand on key issues, including education. At the start of year two of President Bush's second term, Connect for Kids' Sunny Xiang and Jan Richter took a look back at what candidate Bush had to say, and at where things stand today.

Are military recruiters really telling it like it is? What are the economic and social forces that might drive a not-very-patriotic teen to sign up for military sources? Kendra Hurley of the Open Society Institute's Youth Media Reporter looks at how young people are trying to make sense of the war through reporting and other media projects.

In 2004, Connect for Kids asked President Bush and candidate John Kerry a series of questions about their stands on critical children's issues. Now, one year into Bush's second term, we're taking a look back at his answers, and how they measure up against administration actions to date. Our first report is on health care.