Global Kids Island Newsletter - October 2008

[Rafi Santo]

Hi Everyone,

I've included below the Global Kids Island monthly newsletter, which we distribute in-world on the teen grid.  Hopefully this can give people a sense of things that are happening in that space, and make sure that what happens in the teen grid doesn't just stay in the teen grid.

I've highlight in RED anything that's particularly relevant to parents, educators or residents of the main grid.

Also, if you're an educator or parent that would like to get your teen students involved in GK programs on the teen grid, or have college age students we can work with in our main grid Second Life projects, feel free to mail me off-list. 

best,

Rafi

=== Global Kids Newsletter ===

October, 2008

    Welcome to the monthly Global Kids newsletter!  This is your chance to find out what's happening on the GK Islands and ways you can get involved!  Take a copy, and pass along to your friends. (IM Rafi GKid if you have any questions).

This month, learn about:
   

+++++UPCOMING EVENTS+++++

++ October Fireside Workshops! ++

Look for new firesides coming your way during the month of October!  One event in the works by Program Intern Victoria Hanfoi will be about Burma, a forgotten human rights crisis, and we're contemplating doing another debate watching party for the last presidential debate.

 Do you want to see a particular issue addressed during a fireside this month?  If so, IM Rafi Gkid with your idea!

___________________________________

++D.I.D.I. on the Main Grid!++

The D.I.D.I. Initiative has been working with young adults on the Main Grid this month, in addition to our existing projects in TSL.  There is still time to get involved! If you are under 25 years old and currently or soon to be a resident of Second Life's Main Grid, or if you *are* an educator working with young people on the Main Grid please contact Meg...@globalkids.org or IM Coreina Grace in SL to learn how you can get involved!

Get the flier here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/holymeatballs/2851288984/

And the blog post here:
http://www.holymeatballs.org/2008/09/didi_the_didi_initiative_comes_1.html

___________________________________

++++RECENT EVENTS++++

++Switchboard Connects Teen Grid to Africa via Cell Phone++
On September 15, a dozen teens on the Teen Grid participated in a historic conversation with Victoria, a 17-year old girl in Uganda. It was the first time that text messages were exchanged between open chat in Teen Second Life and a cell phone in Africa!  This was made possible by "Switchboard," a device commissioned by Global Kids to enable people on the other side of the Digital Divide to connect with people in Second Life using any standard cell phone.  *The* teens chatted for about 45 minutes about AIDS in Africa and what they can do to stop the deadly disease and help the victims.

You can read more about the event on the HolyMeatballs blog:  http://www.holymeatballs.org/2008/09/crossing_the_metaversal_divide.html

___________________________________

++ Fireside Event: Obama/McCain Presidential Debate Watching Party ++
In honor of the recent, and penultimate, presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama, we held a debate party by the fire.  It was a great time, with about 30 teens dropping in, and many staying to the end.  They had great thoughts and comments about the candidates' policies and position, and we were as usual very impressed with how sharp resident on the teen grid are. 

Big thanks to Mat Brocco for making candidate buttons for all six (yes, six!) *presidential candidates*.

Read more about the event, along with some great quotes from teens, here:
http://www.holymeatballs.org/2008/10/teen_grid_debate_watching_part.html

___________________________________

++ Fireside Workshop: Katrina: Three Years On ++

 "Katrina: Three Years After On" was an event/fireside *all* about Hurricane Katrina and how destructive it was. 

Participants played the game "Temptist in Cresant City", learned about the events that caused Katrina to be so destructive, about first response, and about how it affected people's lives in New Orleans.

Participants also learned about the after math of Katrina, the current condition of the city, and heard from Victoria Hanfoi, a TSL resident who has volunteered in New Orleans on multiple occasions since Katrina hit.  (Victoria also happened to be the facilitator of the event!) 

___________________________________

++++ANNOUNCEMENTS++++

++ Congratulations to the new group of GK Interns! ++

After a competitive application process, GK has a great group *of* new interns!  A hearty congratulations to this new team of teens that will be helping to make the teen grid a stronger community through events, workshops, classes and much more. 

The new group consists of:
Victoria Hafoi - Program Intern
Mat Brocco
Nicholas Kit
Animaster Dragonash
Lexius Coage
Nate Kongo
Emporer Spitteler
Lee Soothsayer
Grimreaper Kyomoon
Georgette Ashbourne
Daniel Voyager

If you see any of the new interns around the grid, be sure to let them know what kinds of events and projects you'd like to see happen!

___________________________________

++ GK Releases Second Life Curriculum, Jeremy Kemp starts extension project! ++

The Global Kids Second Life Curriculum has barely been available for a month (get your copy at RezEd.org), and already we're seeing incredible adaptation of it (yay creative commons!) by an SL education powerhouse by the *name* of Jeremy Kemp.  Jeremy wikified, PDFed with bookmarks, put chapters into word docs and even put the entire thing in-world on textures!  Go Jeremy!

You can get to the GK Curriculum Extension project and help out with the wiki version here:
http://www.simteach.com/gkcx/

And, of course, get the originals here:

http://www.rezed.org/group/GKslcurriculum

___________________________________

To keep up-to-date on Global Kids, join our group "Global Kids Allies" for free. You can also learn more at our blog, http://www.holymeatballs.org, subscribe to our Twitter feed at www.Twitter.com/Holymeatballs,  or IM Bhikku Beeks in-world.