Kids Speak Out About Environmental Issues and Going Green

The Kids’ Environmental Report Card is part of the Science Explorations program, a collaboration of Scholastic’s classroom magazines, SuperScience® (grades 3–6) and Science World®(grades 6–10), and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). In addition to sharing their views through the poll, kids can pose questions about the environment to be answered by scientists at AMNH each month. Each of the questions will be supplemented by multimedia content from Scholastic and AMNH, including interviews with the Museum’s scientists and curators, photographs, artifacts, and much more. Students and teachers can explore a range of topics such as ecotourism, preserving biodiversity, and reducing pollution.

“Kids have a lot to say about the job we’re doing as stewards of the environment, and the Kids’ Environmental Report Card gives them a chance to express themselves about these important topics,” said David Goddy, Vice President of Education at e-Scholastic. “With AMNH, we can provide students and educators with a hands-on way to investigate ecological issues, learn about careers in science, and expand their knowledge of the world around them.”

This marks the fourth year that Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, and the American Museum of Natural History, one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions, have joined together to promote science literacy among students in grades 3 through 10.

“Interest in the natural world and passion for conserving it is key to the mission of AMNH,” said Rosamond Kinzler, Senior Director of the National Center for Science Literacy, Education, and Technology at AMNH. “Partnering with Scholastic is a powerful way for us to share this mission with kids across the country, in classrooms and on the Web.”

To learn more about the Kids’ Environmental Report Card or Science Explorations, go to www.scholastic.com/scienceexplorations.

For more information about the American Museum of Natural History, please visit www.amnh.org.

Orrin Hudson - working to help 1 million kids

Orrin Hudson of BeSomeone, Inc has blazed the trails throughout America teaching youth to “be someone.”  He has been a source of inspiration for many and has also used chess as a stimulus for children to believe in their own ideas and to learn from the decisions they make in life.  A chess champion, U.S. Air Force veteran, and former Alabama State Trooper and entrepeneur, Hudsom points to his own life as proof that every move counts and that winning is a choice.

Orrin was interviewd by Spark Plug Radio in Atlanta about his philosophy and work with kids.  Listen to that here:

Readers Digest Foundation to donate $100,000 to The LEAGUE

Nonprofit Teaches Young People Importance of Working for Common Good

The Reader’s Digest Foundation (RDF) announced that it will donate $100,000 to The LEAGUE, a national school and web-based youth service organization that teaches young people how to make a positive difference in their communities and world. The LEAGUE empowers young people to take action in their community by providing more than 1,300 K-12 lessons and educational resources, free of charge, to schools. These tools teach kids about philanthropy and civic responsibility and lead to hands-on volunteer activities, encouraging kids to give their time and talent to make the world a better place.

This grant, the fifth in the Foundation’s $1 million Make it Matter program, was inspired by the amazing accomplishments of 14-year-old Carly Zalenski from Canton, Ohio, who epitomizes the power of young people to change the world. Carly, with the support of her family, raised more than $50,000 over a two-year period, beginning when she was 12, to build a school in Vietnam. Making fundraising pitches and collecting checks from Rotary clubs and churches all across the state, Carly eventually met her $50,000 goal, which was then matched by the Vietnam Children’s Fund. In March, Carly and her family traveled to Vietnam for a dedication ceremony at the Hoa Lac School in the Mekong Delta – the school Carly helped build. Carly’s story is featured in the August issue of Reader’s Digest.

“We are delighted to offer our support to The LEAGUE,” said Susan Fraysse Russ, executive director, Reader’s Digest Foundation. “As Carly Zalenski proves, compassion and the desire to help others are not restricted by age. The LEAGUE is guiding students to create a better world for people of all ages and we are proud to be part of that.”

“We are incredibly grateful to the Reader’s Digest Foundation for choosing The LEAGUE as a grant recipient,” says Mindy Propper, Chief Operating Officer for The LEAGUE.”We too are inspired by the work of Carly Zalenski and know that there are so many more young people just like her. The LEAGUE is all about providing these students with the resources they need to truly make a difference. Thanks to the support of Reader’s Digest Foundation, we can extend our programming to more schools in more communities nationwide.”

Reader’s Digest magazine is lending its support to the Foundation’s program by highlighting the stories of selected individuals in its monthly “Make it Matter” column. Many of the submissions, including those that do not lead to a grant, will be featured on http://www.readersdigest.com.

Submissions for Make it Matter will be accepted by the Foundation on a rolling basis throughout 2008.

More information on the Readers Digest Foundation can be found here.

Source: CSRWire