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A Free Paper for Free Kids |
by Amanda Vender
Kids are exposed to an average of 8 hours and 33 minutes of media content daily. How much of this media is current events news or critical reporting? According to experts, close to none. This is why IndyKids was started.
IndyKids is a new progressive current events newspaper for kids in grades 4 to 8. The eight-page paper was founded in October 2005 by a group of activists, parents and teachers with the help of New York City Indymedia.
The newspaper now has a circulation of 8,000. It is currently distributed five times a year to over 30 schools and community organizations, mostly in News York City where IndyKids started, but more and more to readers in other states.
IndyKids encourages kids at a young age to form their own opinions and to engage in politics. The paper challenges the notion that the real world is too scary for kids and works to build understanding and to foster action.
IndyKids has sections you might see in any adult newspaper. Adults and kids write the articles. The paper has covered the war in Iraq, the Military Commissions Act, military recruitment in schools, the immigration debate, kids’ opinions on violent toys and video games, science experiments, sports, movie and book reviews, puzzles and activities. A regular feature is profile of a child in another country, a little information about his or her country and a glossary of words in the child's language.
"My students look forward to IndyKids each month. They usually bug me about when the next issue will be out," said John Yanno, a 6th grade teacher at the Secondary School for Law in Brooklyn, NY. "I have been teaching current events for years, and always had to face the fact that 'regular' newspapers are difficult for 11 and 12 year olds to read. IndyKids has really made teaching current events a lot easier. The kids are finally motivated to read, and more importantly, to discuss and get active."
Contact: www.indykids.net
Kids are exposed to an average of 8 hours and 33 minutes of media content daily. How much of this media is current events news or critical reporting? According to experts, close to none. This is why IndyKids was started.
IndyKids is a new progressive current events newspaper for kids in grades 4 to 8. The eight-page paper was founded in October 2005 by a group of activists, parents and teachers with the help of New York City Indymedia.
The newspaper now has a circulation of 8,000. It is currently distributed five times a year to over 30 schools and community organizations, mostly in News York City where IndyKids started, but more and more to readers in other states.
IndyKids encourages kids at a young age to form their own opinions and to engage in politics. The paper challenges the notion that the real world is too scary for kids and works to build understanding and to foster action.
IndyKids has sections you might see in any adult newspaper. Adults and kids write the articles. The paper has covered the war in Iraq, the Military Commissions Act, military recruitment in schools, the immigration debate, kids’ opinions on violent toys and video games, science experiments, sports, movie and book reviews, puzzles and activities. A regular feature is profile of a child in another country, a little information about his or her country and a glossary of words in the child's language.
"My students look forward to IndyKids each month. They usually bug me about when the next issue will be out," said John Yanno, a 6th grade teacher at the Secondary School for Law in Brooklyn, NY. "I have been teaching current events for years, and always had to face the fact that 'regular' newspapers are difficult for 11 and 12 year olds to read. IndyKids has really made teaching current events a lot easier. The kids are finally motivated to read, and more importantly, to discuss and get active."
Contact: www.indykids.net
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