Vision
  • To connect children in schools and homes around and facilitate their ability to contribute to the world they will inherit.
  • To inspire educators and parents to guide children (of all ages) in expressing their feeling for how to make this a happier, healthier, safer and more peaceful world.
  • To create a global network of kids in physical locations that connect in regularly schedualed live and cyberspace "broadcasts" on the Web.
  • To build a KidCast For Peace Web site and "Peace Place;" a repository for solutions contributing to a better world using the artistic expressions created by the "Kids".

    Mission:

  • Establish "KidCast For Peace; Solutions For A Better World" as a regular global event and part of local school curriculums.
  • To facilitate public awareness in both Cyber Space and in physical communities, of KidCast For Peace and the solutions offered by "children" of all ages to solve the problems of our time.
  • To provide affordable and/or free access and training to teachers and students in the use of state-of-the-art digital storytelling tools.
  • To facilitate and instigate participation by handicapped, geographically or economically challenged peoples.

    Objectives

  • To attract and develop teams to iniate and maintain funding, and production resources in local communities.
  • To transform KidCast For Peace from an unfunded grassroots effort to a fully supported international program that reaches mainstream media.
  • To create income streams from products produced from KidCast submissions and directing these "Royalties" to help support the continuation of the KidCast, and benefit each participating community, school, teacher, parent and student.

    Strategies

  • Produce KidCast#6; a Netcast on Earthday, April 22, 1998 using highly interactive Web technology, facilitated by Dr. Dave Warner; director of the Institute For Really Neat Research and cohort in planning the Siggraph KidCast (#7)..
  • The Earthday event will ignite a period of art creation to culminate in a gala KidCast event from the SigKids Exposition at next Summer's Siggraph in Orlando, Florida. Siggraph, is the world's premiere computer graphic technology and application conference. The long lead time before Siggraph will allow paper and press promotion to benefit sponsors and participants.

    What is a KidCast?

  • Children of all ages (focusing on K12 and youth) share their art live, and direct us to their pre-built ñKidCast For Peaceî web sites, VRML worlds, chat rooms, Interactive Music spaces, etc.. Depending on time zone, Children at each participating site...will respond to comments and questions from gathered local and cyber audiences.
  • Free CU-SeeMe Internet videoconference software enables realtime interaction visually as well as sonically. The video camera is focused on the child and art together, then zooms into the art. A KidCast Central (http://creativity.net/kidcast2.html) moderator instigates and encourages the other sites to respond to what they see evoking questions, feeling and impressions. A moderator at each site takes responsiblity for the following during their turn: 1- identifying the site, i.e., ñThis is John in Honolulu. We have a question from our audience.î 2- having a microphone available to provide a sound feed, (or typing which scrolls across the CU-SeeMe window...visible to all active participants, and "lurkers" who just watch and listen). 3- a local or KidCast Central moderator, or audience member (in order of preferance) introduces each artist asking the child to verbally explain his or her submission? These questions will catalyze KidCast community interaction.

    Plans

  • KidCast was conceived in June 1995. In-kind support for the KidCast has come from leading technology corporations, organizations and individuals believing in our mission. We hope to uplevel their participation with the next two KidCasts. We seek to deepen existing alliances and form new ones with organizations and corporations in alignment with this project. We are building on KidCast's proven success to secure grants and other capitalization. The process of participant identification for KidCast#6 in April '98 has begun.

    Why KidCast Exists?

    The world needs an infusion of new ideas and loving connections to defuse the downward spiral of destructive human interactions. This live and interactive global community forum enables children to suggest how "the adults" might heal our differences, hear our needs and feed our spirits. KidCast taps into the primal creative force so we might listen to possible solutions to personal and planatery problems offered by children from their more "untainted" point of view.

    Who Will Benefit

  • Local communities, kids of all ages, students, educators, parents, corporations seeking to penetrate the technophobic public, education and children's markets.
  • Digital and traditional artists and performers wanting to contribute to world peace and have a showcase for their talent.
  • Concerned global citizens wanting to make a difference.
  • Children in hospitals, homes, cyber cafes, orphaniges, in schools and electronic art centers.
  • Those who are physically challenged, economically and/or geographically disadvantaged or just curious about the communications revolution.

    Establishing Self Sufficiency

  • Education in the use of digital storytelling tools. Calendars, CD-ROMS, videotape and other electronic and print media derived from submitted art, websites and VRML Worlds that educate and entertain.
  • Sale and licensing of the above digital content to satellite networks, producers, consumers, etc., will provide royalty streams to support the KidCast program, content creators and marketing teams (Web usage tracked by digital watermarking). How Will Participants Find Us?
  • Aggressive marketing on the Internet, print, radio and TV, innovative community promotions, direct mail, community outreach projects, editorials and advertising in consumer, trade publications and other various media.

    What Resources Are Required?

  • Contributions of technology, financial support and physical space for ongoing KidCast web site development, office maintenance and building a "model" Creativity Lab to train teachers and students in the use of digital storytelling tools.
  • An infusion of $25,000 for evolving KidCast to the next level (salaried personnel) and evolution toward mainstream penetration and acceptance.

    Key Financial Data

  • We are actively seeking all forms of capitalization, strategic relationships with investors, corporations, individuals and organizations. Further information is available upon request. Contact: Peter H. Rosen via email: peter@creativity.net, or send a letter stating your interest to Visionary Artists Resources Including Other Unique Services, a non profit educational association. All donations are tax deductabile:

    V.A.R.I.O.U.S. Media 2263 Sacramento St., #2 San Francisco, CA 94115 415.776.0821 various@creativity.net

    Hawaii Office on Maui: 808-573-3943, 808 879-2485

  • INTRODUCTION: Introduction, Goals, Kindling Messages
  • CORPORATE INFO: Sponsors, Present Players, Becoming a Sponsor, Past Players
  • TECHNICAL: Technical Stuff, Updates
  • LINKS: KidCast Links
  • PARTICIPATING IN THE KIDCAST: Quick Instructions, Ways To Participate,
    KidCast Gallery, Creating Content
  • KidCast PR Central: KidCast Press Releases
  • CONTACTS: KidCast Contact info
  • WHO YOU ARE: KidCast Guestbook
    •
    Let the "kid" in *you* OUT!
    "KidCast For Peace" NetCast: November 17th, 1997
    Start NOW to offer your visions of peace for this ongoing event!
    Details: http://creativity.net/kidcast2.html

    a project of
    Visionary Artists' Resources Including Other Unique Services
    *********************************************************
    Facilitating the expression of artists...
    ...using technology for Humanity
    ************************************

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