Global Kids Island Newsletter - July 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.

As usual, if you're an educator or parent that would like to get your teen students involved in GK programs on the teen grid, feel free to mail me off-list. 

best,

Rafi

_________________________________________________

Rafi Santo
Virtual Community Manager
Online Leadership Program
Global Kids

http://www.globalkids.org/?id=5
http://olp.globalkids.org

Sign-up for the Global Kids' Virtual Worlds Update Newsletter:

http://groups.google.com/group/GKVirtualWorldUpdate

=== Global Kids Newsletter ===

July, 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 Bhikku Beeks on the main grid if you have any questions).

This month, learn about:
   

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

++ D.I.D.I. Summer Camp in Full Force! ++

This week saw the beginning of the second week of Camp D.I.D.I. 2008, which finds the campers beginning their action plans, and we expect everyone to launch by the end of the summer.  Follow the campers on their summer adventure on Holymeatballs.org, where embodied reporter Daniel Voyager is reporting daily!

His post from the end of last week:
http://tinyurl.com/627rjl

Follow the full camp posts here:

http://www.holymeatballs.org/second_life/didi_initiative/

++ Fireside Workshop: The Low Down on Darfur ++

With special guest speaker from the United Nations, Dr. Francis Deng

Join us on Monday, July 21st at 11 am SL time for the latest Fireside Workshop to learn more about the crisis in Sudan, The Genocide Convention, and The Responsibility to Protect.  Immediately following this week's Fireside, we will be joined (via audio stream) by Dr. Francis Deng, UN Secretary General's Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide. Dr. Deng will be speaking with GK teens at the Council on Foreign Relations and will be available to answer your questions from SL as well!

++ The Tech Museum Exhibit Open on Eye4You Alliance ++

The Tech Museum's launching an exhibition on Eye4You through July 31 called UCanTu which will highlight sixteen technologies that benefit humanity. Teens will create an interactive exhibit around these technologies that can be replicated at the real life museum. The exhibition is also running on main grid.

Teens are welcome to come to Eye4You, and choose a booth to begin their project. 1 million L is awarded per team if their project is chosen as well as a teen grid only award.

For more info, visit the Tech's site here: http://thetechvirtual.org/project/ucantu.

++ July Fireside Workshops! ++

Look for new firesides coming your way during the month of June!  We have event set already (see above), about the crisis in the Sudan, to take place on Monday June 12 at 11 am PDT.  Do you want to see a particular issue addressed during a fireside this month?  If so, IM Rafi Gkid with your idea! 

++ Eye4You Authors Series this Month ++

Young adult authors Jacqueline Woodson (July 18 at 2pm slt) Jack Gantos (July 24 at 4pm slt) and Meg Cabot (August 8 at 1p slt) will be visiting Eye4You interacting with teens about the writing process and talking about some of their newly published books.

++++RECENT EVENTS++++

++ Virtual Video Project Releases Year End Film, "Race to Equality" ++

June 26th saw the premier of the latest machinima that was entirely shot within Teen Second Life and produced by the teens from the Global Kids' Virtual Video Program (VVP). The title of the machinima is "Race to Equality" and it focuses on the challenges faced by youth around the world in the pursuit of equal accessibility of education for all. The film exposes how racism relates to equal access to education.

Watch the teens talking about the film and their experience in VVP here:
http://tinyurl.com/58wvou

And, of course, watch "The Race to Equality" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW7ZeXVKsnQ

++ Torch Relay for Darfur! ++

As the culminating event of GK's Deconstructing Darfur project, the Torch Relay for Darfur was a smashing success, bringing together TSL residents from across the grid to show their support for the Darfur issue, and raise their awareness about what China *does* to keep the crisis going in the Sudan.

Read the event here:
http://tinyurl.com/5p4jgd

++ "I Dig Tanzania" a Big Success! ++

From June 28 to July 2, seven GK teen leaders and nine teens in Chicago gathered in Teen Second Life for the "I Dig Tanzania" intensive summer camp. For four jam-packed days, the teens worked together to go on a virtual fossil dig, which involved exploring Tanzanian culture and society, digging up virtual fossils, and learning about evolution, paleontology and scientific research.  

Meanwhile, the teens got to communicate every day with a team of real life fossil hunters in Tanzania via satellite phone.  The program will conclude with the team of scientists and teens from both cities meeting in Chicago at the Field Museum from July 25-26 to present their "finds" to each other, using video, photos and personal anecdotes.

You can check out photos from the project here:
http://tinyurl.com/69tpjq

And student and staff blog posts here:
http://www.holymeatballs.org/second_life/i_dig_tanzania/

++ Fireside Workshop: Confronting Homophobia ++

We held a great June fireside on the issue of homophobia, with some incredible role plays from TSL residents, and lots of great ideas about how to deal with homophobia both globally and within our own communities.

Read about the workshop here:

http://tinyurl.com/5n6aj3

++++ANNOUNCEMENTS++++

++ D.I.D.I. to Support Socially Responsible Businesses ++

If you currently own or support a business in TSL, D.I.D.I. wants to help support you with funding to promote socially responsible business practices. IM Meghan or Amira Gkid to learn how D.I.D.I. can support your business.

++ GK Teen Grid Internship Program hits its Year's End ++

We had a great year of fireside workshops and GK Intern events, and are already looking forward to accepting new interns come the Fall!  You can read a wrap up of this year's program over at Holymeatballs.org here:

http://www.holymeatballs.org/2008/06/tslleadership_power_of_citizen.html

++ Global Kids Staff are Officially "Reflective" ++

Thoughts are abound here at GK, so check out this month's staff reflections from the Online Leadership Program team: http://www.holymeatballs.org/staff_reflections/

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, and view our calendar of events here, http://tinyurl.com/3czcjn or IM Bhikku Beeks.