Amazing Kids!

Ryan Traynor Top FUNdraiser for Week 1 of Competition!

2011-06-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

Amazing Kids! sends a BIG "thank you!" and congrats to Ryan Traynor! Ryan was our top FUNdraiser for last week's kick off week for our Spring FUNdraiser. Who will be this week's winner? Stay tuned and visit the FUNdraiser info page to make your donation this week at: http://bit.ly/amazkidsFUNraiser

Amazing Kids! Kicks Off Spring FUN Raiser!

2011-05-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

Amazing Kids! is excited to announce the kick-off of our spring FUN raiser! Anyone can participate for the opportunity to win some awesome prizes. One sponsor-donated prize book will be given to each of the top 3 weekly fundraisers, and FUN raisers who have raised a total of $100 or more by July 1st will be entered into a drawing to receive one of two grand prizes: either an American Girl Doll or an iPod Shuffle and a book. Read more about the contest and how to submit your donations here. So don't delay, start raising today!

Alyse Rome Selected as National Finalist in Energizer Keep Going® Hall of Fame Competition

2011-04-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Amazing Kids! is delighted to announce that its founder and president Alyse Rome has been selected as a national finalist in the Energizer Keep Going® Hall of Fame Competition!

Voting for the contest continues until May 13, 2011, so please be sure to visit the Energizer Hall of Fame website to vote for Alyse daily!

See the full press release here.

Voting Begins Today for the Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame Contest!

2011-03-18T07:35:00.001-07:00

Voting begins today for the Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame Contest! Please be sure to vote for Alyse Rome, founder and president of Amazing Kids! here, now through March 25th. To vote, click "like" next to Alyse's bio. The person with the most "likes" next to their bio will be one of the 10 finalists! Amazing Kids! greatly appreciates your votes and wishes Alyse the best of luck in the selection process!

Alyse Rome Selected as Semifinalist in Energizer Keep Going® Hall of Fame Contest!

2011-03-09T21:15:00.000-08:00

Exciting news everyone! Amazing Kids! founder and president Alyse Rome has been selected as a semifinalist for the Energizer Keep Going® Hall of Fame Contest (http://www.energizerkeepgoinghalloffame.com/)! Voting begins soon, so please stay tuned for further details. Congrats, Alyse!

Amazing Kids! Perrific Oscar Picks Contest Winners Announced March 1!

2011-02-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all who entered the Amazing Kids! Perrific Oscar Picks contest, sponsored by Disney Pixar and DreamWorks!

Check back on March 1 to find out who the lucky winners will be!

2o Winners will receive one of the following:
Toy Story 3
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist

One lucky winner will receive all three DVDS!!!

Good luck!

The Amazing Kids! Team

Perry Chen's "Kid on the Street" Video

2011-02-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

Check out the fun "Kid on the Street" video of our Amazing Kid! Reporter and Movie Critic, Perry Chen, as he interviews kids on the street about who they think will win the Best Animated Feature award at the upcoming Academy Awards on Feb. 27! See the video here!

And don't forget to invite the kids you know to enter our Amazing Kids! Perrific Oscar Picks Contest by Feb. 26th for their chance to win a DVD of one of the Oscar-nominated animation films! Enter here. 20 prizes will be awarded!!!

Calling All Amazing Kids!

2011-02-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

Do you know an Amazing Kid? Amazing Kids! is accepting nominations for our Amazing Kids! of the Month award. Winners are featured monthly on our website and in the Amazing Kids! Magazine (http://mag.amazing-kids.org). Nominate a kid today using our nomination form: http://amazing-kids.kintera.org/nominations.

Amazing Kids! Partners with Raising CEO Kids

2011-02-15T16:29:00.001-08:00

Amazing Kids! is pleased to announce our partnership with Raising CEO Kids (http://raisingceokids.com), a company which helps parents teach entrepreneurial and business skills to their children. Amazing Kids! will be featuring some of their amazing young entrepreneurs as future Amazing Kids! of the Month in our magazine. Raising CEO Kids is also looking for stories of young entrepreneurs to feature on their website, so if you know any amazing budding young entrepreneurs, please let us both know! To learn more, or to submit a nomination to Raising CEO Kids, visit their website at: http://raisingceokids.com

Adora Svitak, September 2010 Amazing Kid! of the Month, receives NEA Foundation Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education!

2011-02-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

Amazing Kids! is excited to congratulate Adora Svitak. Adora, September 2010 Amazing Kid! of the Month, has received an award from the National Education Association for her Outstanding Service to Public Education. Now that's amazing! We are so proud of you, Adora!

Amazing Kids! Joseph Machado and Jordan Romero on a Charity Bike Ride!

2011-02-10T08:58:00.001-08:00

Amazing Kids! Joseph Machado and Jordan Romero are on a mission! Join Joseph, founder of Biking for America, and Jordan Romero, the youngest person to climb Mt. Everest, as they bike for a cause! The charity bike ride will be held on April 9th, 2011 in Southern California. For more information and to register for this amazing event, please visit Biking for America.

Also, be sure to check out Joseph's Amazing Kid of the Month feature for this past October!

Amazing Kid! Remmi Featured on GirlsHealth.gov this Month!

2011-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Amazing Kids! Cook Nook Columnist Remmi Smith, age 10, is featured on GirlsHealth.gov this month! Remmi talks about her kids cooking show, "Cook Time with Remmi", her experience as a kid chef, her website, and more here. You can also view some of Remmi's latest recipes in the Amazing Kids! Cook Nook column here. Congrats, Remmi!

News from Amazing Kids!

2011-02-09T19:59:00.001-08:00

Amazing Kids! is so proud to share two exciting news stories with you!

First, we'd like to congratulate the Amazing Kids! Pink Polka Dots, who are featured on DoSomething.org's website today! Way to go, girls! View the article here, and see their Amazing Kids! of the Month feature here!

Founding members of the Pink Polka Dots Guild, whose goal is to find a cure for brain cancer.

Second, we'd love for you to check out Amazing Kids! Film Critic Perry Chen's blog about his wonderful experience at the Annie Awards in LA! See his blog here, and view some of Perry's recent movie reviews for Amazing Kids! here.

How to Train Your Dragon co-directors Dean DeBlois (L), Chris Sanders (R), producer Bonnie Arnold (M) with Perry Chen at Annie Awards red carpet (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry Chen with How to Train Your Dragon director Dean DeBlois and his "Toothless" drawing for Perry at Annie Awards (photo by Zhu Shen)

New Columnist Perry Chen Reviews Animated Feature 'Tangled'

2011-01-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

Amazing Kids! movie reviewer Perry Chen is featured in the December/January 2011 issue of the Amazing Kids! Magazine with his review of the hit new animated feature Tangled.

Perry calls Tangled "a spectacular film filled with rich and colorful characters, each with a different personality." The young movie critic chronicles the events of the film and describes key attributes of the most important characters in the film. Perry concludes by recommending the film for those ages 7+ and gives his starfish rating (out of five stars). Curious to know how many starfish Tangled received? See Perry's full length review and starfish rating here!

9-year old Isabella Taylor chosen as January Amazing Kid! of the Month

2011-01-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

Amazing Kids! is proud to announce Isabella Taylor as January's Amazing Kid! of the Month. 9-year old Isabella, a dedicated staff member for the Amazing Kids! Magazine, has accomplished more than most could imagine. As an artist, writer, and award-winner, she tells kid dreamers everywhere to “[...] Just go for it. Put your ideas to work and never give up.”

Read, comment, and tell us what you think: Amazing Kid! of the Month Isabella Taylor

Amazing Kids! would also like to wish each and every one of our followers a Happy New Year, and we wish you all the best of luck and health in the year ahead.

Happy Holidays from Amazing Kids!

2010-12-24T10:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

Amazing Kids! would like to take this opportunity to send out a warm thank you to all of our followers. We are so appreciative of your unending support in 2010, and we look forward to an even more amazing 2011!

- The Amazing Kids! Team

Amazing Kids! Adora Svitak Interviewed on Weekday on KUOW, Seattle, about tomorrow's TEDx Redmond event

2010-09-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

It's almost here...TEDx Redmond is tomorrow! Listen to Amazing Kids! Reporter and September Amazing Kid! of the Month Adora Svitak, the event organizer, speaking on KUOW, the NPR affiliate radio station in Seattle! She was interviewed this morning by Weekday show host Steve Sher, along with several other amazing kids who will be speaking at the event.

Free seats still available for tomorrow's (Sat. Sept. 18) TEDxRedmond conference! Sign up on the event website! http://www.tedxredmond.com.

Check out the KUOW website to read about, and listen to the prerecorded Weekday interview with Adora and other amazing kids who will be appearing at tomorrow's TEDx Redmond:

Young People With Big Ideas

Looking forward to seeing you there! :-)

The Amazing Kids! Team

Amazing Kids! Named in ALA’s Top 25 Sites!

2010-09-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

The American Library Association (ALA) oversees all of the libraries in the United States. Library resources are not only limited to books, but include websites as well. And so, every year the ALA makes a list of the top websites for young people ranging from birth to 14 years old. These websites are outstanding in both concept and content.

We are pleased to announce that out of the many, many websites on the web, Amazing Kids! has been chosen as one of the 2010 Great Websites for Kids. We are extremely honored that the ALA has taken such notice of Amazing Kids! We are especially grateful to all of our Amazing Kids! supporters for continually spreading the word about our cause.

Not only have we been listed as a top site for kids (pre-k through middle school grades), but we also got a cool badge to show for it!

Thank you again for all of your support!

The Amazing Kids! Team

P.S. Check out the entire listing here: http://www.ala.org/greatsites/

Amazing Kids! Online Magazine September 2010 issue is live!

2010-09-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Back-to-School, everyone! We hope you all had a fun summer. Looking for some fall reading fun? Look no further than the September issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine, "News! Read All About It"!

Read fascinating interviews with professional journalists, and kids journalists alike. Check out the yummy kid-suggested recipes in our CookNook section, and view some stunning photography and artwork created by some amazing young artists. So much to see, we couldn't possibly cover it all in this blog, so you'll have to see for yourself: amazing-kids.org.

Do you have a favorite article from this issue? We'd love to hear from you! You can email Sean, our new Student editor, at: editor@amazing-kids.org. Enjoy!

Hollywood Bowl Giveaway Winner Announced!

2010-08-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, we announced that the Hollywood Bowl offered two tickets for the LA Philharmonic Tchaikovsky Fireworks Spectacula for an Amazing Kids! giveaway. Entrants in the sweepstakes contest had to answer the question: "Who are the two winners of the 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design Contest and what are their dreams that Amazing Kids! will be helping to launch in the coming weeks and months?"

Like most of you already know, the answer was-- 6-year-old Thalia Bernard of Lafayette, Lousiana whose dream is ‘Hope for Haiti’s Children” and 9-year-old Remmi Smith of Tulsa, Oklahoma whose dream is “Healthy Kids”!

We are pleased to announce that Aya Horiguchi has won our contest, and we hope that she enjoys the show!

The Amazing Kids Team

Amazing Kids! Reporter Adora Svitak to host TEDx Redmond Conference

2010-08-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

Past Amazing Kids! of the Month
Jordan Romero and Zach Veach Featured Speakers

Amazing Kids! is proud to announce that one of our very own Amazing Kids! Reporters, 12 year old Adora Svitak, is hosting TEDx Redmond, the first-ever all-kids TEDx conference on September 18 in Redmond, Washington! And if you're a kid or teen between the ages of 10 and 15, and will be in the Redmond, Washington area on September 18, you're invited to attend TEDx Redmond for FREE!

Adora is an internationally-acclaimed author, educator and speaker who has appeared on national news shows like CNN, and national talk shows like Oprah and Good Morning, America. Adora was the youngest person to speak at the annual TED conference in Long Beach, California (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-bjOJzB7LY)

TED conferences are amazing events that bring together the top luminaries and thinkers of the day to hold talks on a vast array of topics. You can view every TED speech ever given for FREE on the TED.com website!)

TEDx conferences like the one Adora is organizing are independently organized TED events. The exciting difference about this TEDx conference is that it will feature only kids and teens as the speakers!

Amazing Kids! has been helping Adora and her mother Joyce line up some of our past Amazing Kids! of the Month to join them as speakers, including now 14 year-old Jordan Romero, the youngest person ever to climb Mt. Everest (check out our interview with Jordan) and 15 year old Zach Veach, Oprah's spokeskid for her "No Phone Zone" and an Andretti Autosport race car driver (Zach was our July Amazing Kid! of the Month).

Simply visit the TEDx Redmond website and click on "Attend" to register: http://www.tedxredmond.com

If you can't attend, not to worry, as you will be able to visit the TEDx Redmond website after the event to watch videos of all of the talks from the event.

For more information, send an email to: info@tedxredmond.com.

Amazing Kids!' Hollywood Bowl Ticket Giveaway!

2010-08-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Calling all Southern Californians! Love music? Love fireworks? Then Amazing Kids! has a ticket giveaway for you!

We’re holding a sweepstakes contest for all of our So Cal music lovers who are able to answer the question below. Each individual that answers the question and e-mails it to us at info@amazing-kids.org will be entered in a drawing for an amazing prize: 2 tickets to see the world-famous Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. The LA Philharmonic will be performing their acclaimed Tchaikovsky Spectacular with fireworks, an annual Bowl tradition!

The question is:

"Who are the two winners of the 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design Contest and what are their dreams that Amazing Kids! will be helping to launch in the coming weeks and months?"

*Hint* We’ve been tweeting, blogging, and facebooking about these two amazing girls over the past couple of weeks!

Email us at: info@amazing-kids.org

Hurry and send us your answer! The Amazing Kids!' Hollywood Bowl Ticket Giveway ends on Wednesday August 18^th, at 5pm!

How to Purchase Tickets:

For families who still wish to see the show, but who don't win the tickets, you can purchase tickets for the August 20 and 21st performance on the Hollywood Bowl website at:

http://www.hollywoodbowl.com

Here are the details:

LA Phil Presents Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks

August 20-21, 8:30pm at the Hollywood Bowl

Featured Artists:

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Bramwell Tovey, conductor

Baiba Skride, violin

USC Trojan Marching Band, Dr. Arthur C. Bartner, director

Tchaikovsky and fireworks – a beloved Hollywood Bowl tradition! This year’s spectacular features the great Russian composer’s Violin Concerto, as well as the 1812 Overture complete with roaring cannon and blazing pyrotechnics.

For tickets and information, visit HollywoodBowl.com.

Good luck and happy listening!

The Amazing Kids! Team

P.S. If you’re a Southern Californian and you didn’t hear about this Giveaway via e-mail, that means you aren’t on our mailing list. Subscribe today by visiting http://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Contact/ContactUs.asp?ievent=215218&en=ewIVL9NOJaLSL8MQJhKWKjM2KfIXJeNTKlJ9ImM3KmIYLePZLkJSIbM4JAI!

Great NEWS!

2010-07-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

We have some fantastic news to announce! Amazing Kid! and winner of last year's Launch My Dream! Contest Katie Stagliano will be appearing on CNN tomorrow, July 22, for a live interview! Tune in to CNN at 2:30 EST to catch Katie's inspirational story.

Announcement: Winners of the 2nd Launch My Dream! Essay & T-Shirt Design Contest

2010-07-21T18:44:00.001-07:00

Amazing Kids! is delighted to announce the winners of our 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! Essay & T-Shirt Design Contest. We'd like to give a big thanks to this year's entrants - you all were fantastic!

Our first 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! contest winner is Thalia Bernard, a 6 year old from Lafayette, Louisiana. Thalia's dream is "Hope for Haiti's Children" and Thalia wants to "help put smiles back on the children's faces". With the help of her very own "Dream Team", Thalia will send toys & pen pal letters to Haitian children, many of whom were orphaned in the recent earthquake. We're excited to announce that Thalia's Dream Team already has the following members:

1. Ashlee's Toy Closet, an organization founded by a former Amazing Kid!, Ashlee Smith, who will help Thalia collect toy donations to send to the children.

2. Better Future International, an organization that helps orphans in Haiti and in other countries.

3. Amazing Kids! PenPals Program will match the children in Haiti with American children who are members of our PenPals program.

We're delighted to announce that our second winner is 9-year Remmi Smith from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who was our February 2010 Amazing Kid! of the Month (http://www.amazing-kids.org/c72). Remmi's dream is "Healthy Kids" and encouraging them to be a "C.H.E.F." (Cook Healthy, Exercise Frequently), and to lead healthier lives. Amazing Kids! and Remmi's "Dream Team" will help her launch her "Be a C.H.E.F. Challenge", an exciting contest for kids! We're excited to announce that the initial members of Remmi's Dream Team include:

1. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (http://www.jdrf.org/), a leading type 1 diabetes research organization

2. Metro Appliances and More, an appliance dealer that currently sponsors Remmi’s Cook Time with Remmi healthy kids cooking show.

Throughout the coming months, we will be adding additional members to both Thalia and Remmi's Dream Teams, so stay tuned! If you'd like to be a part of their Dream Teams, or make a financial contribution or donation of toys or supplies or your time to support either Thalia's or Remmi's amazing dreams, please contact us at:

dreamteam@amazing-kids.org.

To see their winning t-shirt designs up close & to read more about our winners, visit the Launch My Dream! contest page on the Amazing Kids! website at: http://amazing-kids.org/contest_lmd09

Thalia and Remmi's winning t-shirts will be available in the coming weeks on Amazing Kids! new Zazzle.com store, so check back with us to learn how to purchase their shirts and support their beautiful dreams!

And be sure to stay tuned for more Amazing Kids! Contests coming soon!

Thank you from Amazing Kids!' Founder Alyse Rome

2010-06-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

A BIG HEARTFELT "THANK YOU!"

A personal note from Amazing Kids! Founder/President Alyse Rome

Dear Friends and Amazing Kids! Supporters,

I want to thank each and every one of you for your truly amazing support throughout the PEOPLE Magazine/Major League Baseball All Stars Among Us campaign. I really appreciated every single vote and all of the supportive messages I received!

As my first time being nominated for a competition like this, it gave me the opportunity to hear some amazingly supportive feedback from others, including some people I had never heard from before. It has been a truly humbling and inspiring experience.

Although I ultimately was not selected as the final winner, being chosen as one of the 90 finalists (and one of three regional finalists) out of the thousands of nominations they received was truly an honor. The experience was 100% positive! It has inspired me to continue to spread the word about Amazing Kids! and we'd love your help in doing so too!

Be sure to join our new Facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/amazingkids

and our new Causes page which supports our Launch My Dream! Initiative, helping kids in need launch their dreams:

http://www.causes.com/causes/398659

Finally, my congratulations to the Seattle Mariners' All Stars Among Us winner, Tim Hannah and his wife, founders of Jamie's Heart Foundation (http://www.jamiesheart.org/). Both have dedicated their life's work to helping support families whose children are undergoing medical treatment for congenital heart defects. My best wishes to them in their continued success helping families with a seriously ill child cope and get the financial support they need.

Congratulations also to my fellow finalist, Richard Gold. Though Richard was not the ultimate All Stars winner either, he is a winner in my eyes and in the eyes of the thousands of teens he has helped over the years through his organization Pongo Teen Writing. This very special organization helps teens with recovery from trauma in their lives through the magic of poetry. Check out Richard's website and be prepared to be inspired! http://www.pongoteenwriting.org/

HOW YOU CAN HELP AMAZING KIDS!

Thank you all again for your continued support! For those of you who have not yet become a supporter and made a donation to Amazing Kids!, I encourage you to do so now and join Amazing Kids! during this exciting time in our development!

We are growing rapidly, and as such, your much-needed support can help us grow in the most efficient and effective manner. Our goal is to take Amazing Kids! to the next level, from an all-volunteer, grassroots organization to a fully-funded organization with a paid staff. In doing so, so we can help many, many more kids in need launch their dreams in our communities across America!

If you haven't already, please consider becoming a donor today: http://amazingkids.kintera.org/amazing-kids

Thank you!

Please feel free to drop me a line with any questions: info@amazing-kids.org. I'd love to hear from you!

Wishing you and your family an Amazing summer!

Alyse Rome
Founder & President
Amazing Kids!

Complete! -Celebrate Our Earth with An Amazing Kids! Giveaway!

2010-05-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

Time's up! Congratulations to our winners, Ryan Traynor and Haley Bumbarner, age 11. Thanks to all who entered, and special thanks to our sponsors, National Geographic Kids and American Girl!

Calling all kids! Do you love the Earth and want to see it be even greener and cleaner? Join Amazing Kids! and tell your friends all of the cool things we’re doing to raise awareness on how to take care of our planet in a fun, practical way! Check out these awesome sites for kids! Learn about saving our planet through games, articles and blogs from leading kids’ organizations!

Learn all about kids who are getting involved in helping the environment grow and succeed at National Geographic Kids’ Green Scene blog -- http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/greenscene/

Play Recycle Roundup and Creek Cleanup for some good, green fun, or learn how to Start a Garden! or host a Camp Out! With National Geographic Kids’ fun tips! Also, get your mind moving with this kid-friendly article: Drinking Water: Bottled or From the Tap? .

Join Lanie, American Girl of the Year, for fun games that get you thinking about our planet, here!

Last, but certainly not least, Amazing Kids! is hosting a Love Our Earth Giveaway for the next week or so! Below are our partners, who have donated the awesome prizes!

American Girl has generously donated a Lanie Doll and Book Combo, value of $95.00!

National Geographic Kids has generously donated 2 subscriptions of their awesome-tastic magazine for kids! If you haven’t checked it out, yet, ask your parents to check it out, here!

Grand Prize Package: Boy

Grand Prize Package: Girl

Here’s how the Giveaway works:

Who Can Enter: Kids up to age 18

What: 2 Grand Prize Packages (1 Boy Package – includes a 1 year (10 issues) National Geographic Kids Magazine Subscription and 1 Super Soaker and 1 Girl Package – includes a 1 year (10 issues) National Geographic Kids Magazine Subscription and 1 Lanie Doll and Book)

TIME'S UP! (Deadline: May 30^th. All complete entries will be entered into a random drawing and two winners (one boy and one girl) will drawn at random and announced via this blog in early June.)

Important: If you’re under 13, please include your parent’s contact email and a sentence that says they give you permission to enter to the contest.

Send your:

Name (first and last!)

Gender (Boy or Girl)

Age

And the Answer to this Question:

In the NEW issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine, May: Kids Doing Good! (http://www.amazing-kids.org), what job does Dr. Ellen Letvin have (as described in our interview title)?

Send your entry to: info@amazing-kids.org to enter; if you’re under 13, please include your parent’s contact email and a sentence that says they give you permission to enter to the contest.

Time's Up! :) Congratulations to our winners!

13 Year old Amazing Kid! Jordan Romero Climbing Mt. Everest!

2010-04-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! Check out 13-year-old Amazing Kid! Jordan Romero as he attempts to become the youngest person ever to climb Mt. Everest!

Jordan was our Amazing Kid! of the Month way back in December of 2006 (http://www.amazing-kids.org/akom12-06.html), when he was just 10 years old!

All this time, he has kept his sights on his dream: scaling the top of all 7 of the world's highest summits! Now that Jordan has scaled the other 6 highest peaks, he is now on his way with his amazing parents and support team to the top of Mt. Everest!

All of us at Amazing Kids! wish Jordan a safe and amazing adventure up to the top of Everest! We are proud of you, Jordan and we're rooting for you! Go, Jordan!

Check out Jordan's blog with updates here: http://www.jordanromero.com/about

Check out Jordan's amazing photo stream on Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/teamjordanoneverest

What do you think about Jordan's attempt to scale Mt. Everest? Let us know! Leave a comment below. Thanks! :-)

NEW! Amazing Kids! Online Magazine April, 2010 Issue, Live!

2010-04-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

Is there a more wonderful way to welcome spring than by celebrating the great outdoors in our new April "Great Outdoors Adventure!" issue? Visit the issue here to find out! You'll find great articles written by kids just like you in our fiction, poetry, and non-fiction sections, as well as great tips for budding writers, interviews with amazing mentors, recipes, jokes, and more! Explore the great outdoors virtually and be sure to pass the good news on to your friends!

We welcome feedback, fiction short stories, poetry, non-fiction, jokes, recipes, artwork, and photography from kids 18 and under; please email your writing/art with your name, age, and state/country to: editor@amazing-kids.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Amazing Kids! Special Announcement! Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Searching for an Amazing Kid and Family!

2010-04-01T14:29:00.001-07:00

Amazing Kids! is helping the producers of ABC’s Emmy award winning TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in their search for the next amazing family to be featured on their show!

The producers told Amazing Kids! they are looking for some...well, amazing kids who are doing amazing work to help others in their community or elsewhere, but whose families, for whatever reason, are in need of a new home.

According to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's producers: "We are in the process of finding families who are deserving and in need of a new home for our next season of the show, and we want to move that bus to some more inspirational families, nationwide!"

To be eligible, a family must own their own single family home or at least property on which a home can be built. Plus, they must be able to show producers how a makeover will make a huge difference in their lives. Nominations must include:

1) The names and ages of each member of the household

2) A description of the major challenges within the home

3) Explanation of why this family is deserving, or a positive role model in their community

4) If possible, photos of the family and their home

5) Contact information of the family

The deadline for family nominations is April 19, 2010. But don’t delay! Please send story submissions as soon as possible! The sooner they find some deserving families, the better! All nominations should be sent to: ExtremeMakeoverHomeEdition@gmail.com.

Please do not send nominations directly to Amazing Kids! Thank you! :-)

For more information on how to apply please visit the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition website at:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply

Get Wild! National Wildlife Week – March 15-21, 2010

2010-03-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

Ah...Spring is in the air, and what better time of the year to enjoy the great outdoors than now? Amazing Kids! welcomes you to celebrate Spring by checking out these noteworthy events/articles!

Meet Aitan, young, budding environmentalist, and Amazing Kid! Of the Month! Not only has he helped many other children around the world realize how important it is to save the environment, but he’s created a movement to do it! Read all about amazing Aitan.

National Wildlife Week – March 15-21 – is fast approaching! If you and your parents want to “Be Out There” with the National Wildlife Foundation this upcoming week, there are some great, family friendly activities for kids of all ages on: http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There/Events/National-Wildlife-Week/At-Play.aspx. Check it out!

New Great Outdoors Adventure! April Issue, coming soon! This April, be prepared to rollick down rapids with an amazing young kayaker, learn about the ways nature is both cool and wacky, and visit rocky slopes to barren oceans! Keep your eyes peeled...

American Girl Giveaway for Kids! Another exciting event is soon to take place here at Amazing Kids! – our Lanie Doll and Book giveaway, sponsored by American Girl! Check out the American Girl of the Year’s Site at: http://www.americangirl.com/fun/goty/2010Lanie/, then check back often for the giveaway of an official Lanie Doll and book for kids on our site (and an interview with the author of Lanie, Jane Kurtz!).

Have a great spring! Go do something amazing! :)

ENDED: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Giveaway! Kids, Enter Today!

2010-03-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you for everyone who participated in our book giveaway. The giveaway is now over, as we have selected our 5 winners. Congratulations to our winners! Stay tuned for another fun book giveaway, starting soon!

If you’re in the mood to add a classic Children’s Book to your stock of reads, then enter the Amazing Kids! Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Giveaway, today! Simon & Schuster has generously donated 5 copies of this classic title as the sponsors of this giveaway. The first 5 kids or teens (up to age 18) to send us an email and answer the question correctly, will receive a copy of the book! Send the information, below to: info@amazing-kids.org to enter; if you’re under 13, please include your parent’s contact email and a sentence that says they give you permission to enter to the contest.

NEW! March Issue Online

2010-03-10T13:12:00.001-08:00

Dear Amazing Kids!,

Come visit our 35th issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine, our “Games, Gadgets, and Gizmos” issue, at http://www.amazing-kids.org/! Special thanks to our amazing staff of volunteers who worked hard to put this issue together: Braxton, Sean, Natalie and the rest of our Staff Writers and Editors! We are pleased to announce a new youth staff member: Brad, co-columnist for our newest column: Sci-Tech Kids!, a column dedicated to bringing you bits of info. on science and technology for kids! Sci-Tech Kids! debuts in this issue; if you would like to contribute as a writer to this column, please send an email to: editor@amazing-kids.org

Welcome into the world of gadgets, gizmos, and games: a universe where the strength of technology, advancing information, and fun, interesting games have changed the lives of millions of people around the globe. Every time you turn on a light, plug in the toaster, or ride in a car, train, or airplane, you are enjoying all of the great, fun uses technology brings. Some masterminds have invented or will invent incredible technology in the past, present, and future; some of these masterminds are kids, just like you! Be sure to catch our exclusive interview with Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, himself! Then read all about a kid who invented something amazing in an article by Natalie, age 13!

Games have changed the world, too. Strategy games, like Chess, have been around for centuries and were used to build war skills, while more modern, family games, like Monopoly, have given families and kids all over the globe a great reason to spend time together and develop special money, thinking, and communication skills. In this issue, you can read our interview with Brian Goldner, the CEO of Hasbro, one of the largest toy-making companies in the world, by Sean, age 14!

Gizmos like pocket game systems may be all fun, yet gizmos have always had a very special place in warfare technology and keeping people safe. Some futuristic gizmos, like a dog collar that can tell you what your pooch is thinking, are amusing and inspiring. Other gizmos, like robotic surgical systems, can help save lives. Feel free to enjoy our interview with a retired CIA agent, by Natalie, age 13!

No matter which way you look at it, games, gadgets, and gizmos play an important role in our daily lives. Let’s embrace technology and use it for good, and perhaps even invent the future in technology, ourselves, someday!

Enjoy this issue, and have a marvelous March!

Sincerely,
Brittany
Student Editor-in-Chief
The Amazing Kids! Online Magazine – http://www.amazing-kids.org/

A Mouthwatering Bite: Amazing Kids! Online Magazine’s February Issue!

2010-02-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the mastermind of our Jr. Asst. Editor, Natalie, our hard working team, and the help of many friends, the 34^th issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine is now LIVE!, and boy, is it a delicious treat! How so? There’s interviews with the author of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, an award-winning chef and restaurant owner, kitchen tips for kids who are beginner cooks, recipes, and much, much more! Be sure to jump in on the action before our Contests end in May, and keep your eyes peeled for a new contest and giveaway, coming very soon!

Also, Amazing Kids! is expanding, and if you’re a kid, teen, or adult with web developing experience and are interested in a volunteer staff position with Amazing Kids!, send your name and information to: info@amazing-kids.org; we look forward to hearing from you!

(Pic: Aaron Logan)

Bill Gates Offers Advice to Kids on Amazing Kids! website

2010-01-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

Amazing Kids! has just issued a press release about our interview with Bill Gates for the January issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine.

We are honored to have the participation of Mr. Gates, the founder of Microsoft Corporation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a former "amazing kid" himself, in an "Amazing Mentors! Spotlight" interview for our January issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine.

Read our press release about it here: http://tinyurl.com/yl766wo

Read the Amazing Kids! interview with Bill Gates here: http://amazing-kids.org/c64. Be prepared to be inspired!

Thanks again for your support, Mr. Gates! :-)

Message from Amazing Kids! - Haiti Needs Our Help: Ways to Fund the Effort

2010-01-23T06:35:00.000-08:00

Recently, there has been a tragic earthquake in Haiti resulting in much loss. Many countries are doing all they can to fund the relief effort. Here’s what you can do to help…

For adults:
Parents, USA Today has published a list of reliable charities donating to the relief fund at the link, below. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/kindness/post/2010/01/how-to-help-victims-of-the-haiti-earthquake/1

For kids:
You are never too young to do good for others! A bake sale or fundraiser at your school is a great way to raise funds for this cause. Be sure to ask your parents for their permission and get the support of trusted adults, and have fun!

NEW Issue, Now Live: Books Galore, Jan. 2010 and Amazing Kids! Contests’ Deadlines Extended

2010-01-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Kids! Online Magazine’s newest Issue, Books Galore, Jan. 2010, is now live! Enjoy our interviews, reviews, and stories and poems by kids like you at: http://www.amazing-kids.org/. Don’t forget to catch our super-special, sneak peek, exclusive interview with Bill Gates, Technology Mastermind and Billionaire!

The Amazing Kids! Contest Deadlines have been extended! Check them out at: http://www.amazing-kids.org/contests to enter today!

NEW December Issue in the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine is LIVE

2009-12-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

There’s a whole slew of exciting new articles in our latest December, 2009 issue: Christmas South of the Equator! Did you know that kids south of the equator celebrate Christmas in the summer? Instead of donning snowsuits, they throw on a pair of flip flops and head to the beach to celebrate yuletide by the well…tide!

Find out the great mystery of how this all comes togeather and how children celebrate Chrismtas around the world in our December issue! Special thanks to our amazing staff who made this issue possible! Below is a slew of articles from the new issue; check em’ out, and have a wonderful winter and a Merry Christmas!

Also, Amazing Kids! has MOVED! Checke out our new address:
Amazing Kids!20126 Ballinger Way Suite 239 NEShoreline, WA 98155

Why stay up north when the weather heads south?
Hit the Bahamas in our travel review: The Caribbean Waters

Make these Holly Jolly treats
Right in time for Christmas!

Rudolph wants YOU…
To take our CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE, that is.

2 NEW Contests: 2nd Annual Launch My Dream T-Shirt Design and Essay Contest AND Through the Lens of Amazing Kids! Photography Contest

2009-11-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

They’re live! Amazing Kids! has two new contests for kids, and the prizes are AWESOME. Check em’ out!

The 2nd Annual LMD T-Shirt Design Contest

Sponsored by All Children’s Furniture, has just begun! Winning prize is a Razr Pro Model Scooter. AND the winning design will be sold on t-shirts in our Zazzle Store, with a percentage of the sales going to help the winner launch their amazing dream! Check out last year’s winning tee designed by Katie Stagliano, and then Enter the Contest! We look forward to seeing what your beautiful designs and dreams!

Through the Lens of Amazing Kids! Photography Contest, 2009

Capture a moment of a charitable cause or event you’ve been involved in via camera!
What is your ‘mighty cause’? Take a photo and let us know! Winners will get a copy of “Change the Way You See Things, for Teens”, by world renown co-author and Emmy Award-winning producer, Hank Wasaik. Be sure to include a paragraph or two about the picture, and then enter today!

Tips on Getting Published, by Sylvan Dell Publishing Editor-in-Chief, Donna German

2009-11-11T09:05:00.001-08:00

We'd like to welcome Donna German, Editor-in-Chief of Sylvan Dell Publishing (http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com) to do a special guest blog for us and all of our readers on getting published. Please enjoy, and thank you, Mrs. German, and all the folks at Sylvan Dell, for making so many amazing books!

*****************************
First, let me say that I have been on the author side of submissions, and I vividly recall the 27 rejections that I received prior to my first “yes!” I know that you have written a manuscript that is near and dear to your heart. I also know that you can “see” it in published form and that there is a frustration with the whole submission process – not only to Sylvan Dell but to other publishers as well. Hopefully this will help you to understand what editors/publishers need/look for in submissions.

Please understand that the submission process is overwhelming for editors, too. I receive more submissions in a single day (seven days a week) than we publish in a year! I can’t imagine what editors at the large publishing houses receive! Also, please understand that reading submissions and selecting the list is just one of the many jobs that an editor does.

I try to read all submissions within a few days, and I either reject or tend to hold those which have some possibilities. As the year progresses, I try to keep the number down and will periodically cull the list.

This is a very bizarre business, and if you are still waiting for your first break, I recommend that you start reading books about how to market your book. That might help you in understanding what it is that editors/publishers are looking for when they select manuscripts. Don't forget that this is a business – not just your art of writing. The authors who survive (and thrive) in this business are the ones that truly understand that and commit to doing what it takes.
**************************

ABOUT DONNA GERMAN: Like many women, Donna German wears and has worn many hats during her life: Navy wife, mother, NY Times bestselling cookbook author, children’s book author, editor and co-owner of Sylvan Dell, stock broker, and even historic Charleston carriage driver. While her husband, Lee, who is retired from the Navy, constantly complained that she didn’t need to bring the Library of Congress along with them on their boat, she often did. The boat may have sat lower in the water because of it, but everyone always had something to read! Now that Donna’s 2 daughters are grown, she shares her passion with other families through Sylvan Dell books. Visit their site: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com

Amazing Kids! - Amazing Evan Ducker on Doritos Bags and Jonas Brothers Website!!!

2009-11-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Amazing Kid! Evan Ducker, age 15 (our November 2008 Amazing Kid! of the Month)!
www.amazing-kids.org/akom11-08.html

Evan Ducker, along with his "International Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read-Along for Tolerance and Awareness" project and book, is currently featured on 44 million Doritos bags, available NOW in grocery stores across the country!!!

The promotion is part of the "Do Something" campaign -- which named Evan one of the "Top 12 Youth World Changers" in 2009!

The Jonas Brothers feature Evan Ducker and Buddy Booby's Birthmark on their charity website, Change for the Children here: www.changeforthechildren.org/view_change.php?id=64

Congratulations again, Evan! We think you're amazing! :-)

Your friends at Amazing Kids!

Good News! Former Amazing Kid! of the Month Gets Grant and Needs Your Help!

2009-10-26T11:35:00.001-07:00

Former Amazing Kid! of the Month, Ashlee Smith, Founder of "Ashlee's Toy Closet", has been selected as a World of Children Honoree for 2009. She's being given a $15,000.00 grant. She's been been challenged by the World of Children ask others to match the funds. She want to take this money and make it grow into a sure way to take her organization to higher levels and reach children world wide. Any little bit helps and will be used 100% for toys. Ashlee is working on helping all of the homeless children in America and around the world. Please visit her website for more information! www.ashleestoycloset.org

Amazing Kids! Congratulates Amazing Kid! Katie Stagliano, now in People Magazine!

2009-10-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

Pick up a copy of the current issue of People (Oct. 26, pg. 87) and get inspired by Katie's story! Katie was the winner of Amazing Kids!' 1st Annual Launch My Dream Contest, as well as our March 2009 Amazing Kid! of the Month (http://www.amazing-kids.org/akom3-09.html#top)

Then join Katie's Launch My Dream Team on her Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48567540431

...and help support her dream, ending childhood hunger and be sure to tell your friends and family! You can purchase her Launch My Dream! t-shirt or hoodie, which she designed as part of Amazing Kids!' 1st Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design and Essay Contest! (Read about last year's contest here: http://www.amazing-kids.org/lmdtcontest08.html) Get your shirt and take a picture of yourself wearing it and post it on Katie's Facebook page to show your support!

Buy Katie's Launch My Dream! shirt today at: http://shop.verymeri.com/collections/fundraising-tees/products/launch-my-dream-no-hungry-children

To learn more about Amazing Katie and Amazing Kids!' Launch My Dream! initiative, which is helping kids like Katie launch their dreams, go to: http://www.amazing-kids.org/launchmydream.html

If you are a kid or teen, you are invited to enter Amazing Kids!' 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design and Essay Contest, kicking off this week! The winner will get their dream printed on their very own Launch My Dream! T-Shirt and will get help creating their very own Launch My Dream! Team to help them launch their dream for their amazing future!Learn more here: http://www.amazing-kids.org/contests

Thanks for supporting such an Amazing Kid! Go, Katie! We're incredibly proud of you! :-)

Alyse Rome

Founder/President

Amazing Kids!

http://www.amazing-kids.org/

Calling Southern California Kids and Teens: Enter to win Amazing Kids!' two ticket giveaway to Cirque du Soleil in Santa Monica!

2009-10-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

TICKET GIVEAWAY TO SEE KOOZA, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S LATEST SHOW FOR FAMILIES!

Are you a kid or teen who lives in Southern California, or are planning a visit to Southern California on Thursday, October 22?

Here's your chance to win 2 tickets to Kooza, the new Cirque du Soleil's show for families at the Santa Monica Pier on October 22, a value of over $100!!!

Be the first kid or teen, up to age 17, to answer the following two questions correctly by sending us an email to: info@amazing-kids.org, and you will be the winner of the tickets! (You must answer both questions correctly to win.)

QUESTIONS:

1. Amazing Kids! has a literacy-based, traditional letter writing pen pals program called Amazing Kids! PenPals. What was the year that Amazing Kids! started their Amazing kids! PenPals program?

2. What was the reason that Amazing Kids! started the program?

Hint: Visit the Amazing Kids! PenPals information page on the Amazing Kids! website to learn more:

www.amazing-kids.org/penpals

Got the answers? Send us an email to: info@amazing-kids.org. If you're the first kid or teen to send us the correct answer, you win!

Good luck! :-)

PURCHASING TICKETS TO KOOZA

Cirque du Soleil is offering a special discount to Southern California residents, so if you don't win our ticket giveaway, your family can still take advantage of the opportunity to purchase discount tickets.

Here is more information:

To celebrate Cirque du Soleil's return to Southern California, you can now access this exclusive limited-time offer: 25% off on select performances & tickets to KOOZA!

Details at:

www.cirquedusoleil.com/SoCalPromo

KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil

Opens October 16, 2009

Under the Grand Chapiteau at the Santa Monica Pier

Opens January 8, 2010

Under the Grand Chapiteau at the Orange County Great Park

To learn more about the show, visit the Cirque du Soleil website:
www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/tickets/santa-monica.aspx?d=37

Good luck, everyone!

Your friends at Amazing Kids!

Welcome our new Amazing Kids! Staff Writers!

2009-10-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

Give a warm welcome to our newest Staff Writers joining the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine! We are so excited to have them on board and you can look forward to their wonderful writing beginning this December, and as it appears in many issues to come!

We know you’ll enjoy their fun personalities shining through the amazing articles they write; from Amazing Kids! to Amazing Kids :-), a hearty welcome to our newest Staff additions! Thank you for all of your hard work! We look forward to working with you all.

(From left: Celine, age 13, Amruth, 4th grade, and Isabella, age 8)

Enjoy Our First-Ever Podcast/Video Interviews!

2009-10-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

This past issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine, Kent Healy and Hank Wasiak, two amazing authors and mentors who have accomplished amazing things, were interviewed by two Amazing Kids! Writers, Andrew Sibner and Alex Paulk! Watch the whole shebang on the Amazing Kids! YouTube account: http://www.youtube.com/amazingkids1

Let us know what you think, and thank you to Mr. Healy, Mr. Wasiak, Alex, Andrew, and Braxton for your special, special help in making these amazing interviews possible! We couldn’t have done it without you. Happy fall, everyone!

Our interview with Hank Wasiak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShEWlHIC0N8

Our interview with Kent Healy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev9y5DHogoE

NEW! Check out our October 09’ Amazing Kids! of the Month!

2009-10-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Hungry to read something inspiring and fresh; something that’ll get your game on? Check out our new October Amazing Kids! of the Month: the young FUNDaFIELD Directors. These Amazing Kids wouldn’t stop at what others called Impossible; instead, they pitched in together and made a difference for hundreds of kids all accros Africa. Want to learn more? Read the new AKOM!

Are You a Kid Genius?

2009-09-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Calling all kid geniuses! Mark Burnett Productions is casting a new game show featuring kid geniuses. If you, or a kid you know, has exceptional knowledge in a particular area, check out the casting notice on the Amazing Kids!' website here:

http://www.amazing-kids.org/KidGeniusCstng.pdf

Please do not contact Amazing Kids! with questions, as we are not casting the show. We are only helping distribute the information about the casting opportunity.

Thank you! And as they say in show biz, "Break a leg!"

3...2...1...Liftoff!

2009-08-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Wonders of Space are endless and miles away from our humble abodes. Dancing planets and star-studded nebulae laugh playfully so very close, thanks to the research of the brave, inquisitive dreamers we call astronauts and scientists, but yet so very far…millions of miles away, to be exact. But the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine has just brought the boundaries of space just a little closer to home in our 31st, Fall issue: To Space and Beyond! Check it out to see everything and anything about outer space, as well as wonderful and fantastically cool writing, art, and poems by kids just like you!

We hope you enjoy discovering the endless boundaries of space in our NEW issue: To Space and Beyond! If you do, let us know by writing: editor@amazing-kids.org! Special thanks to the Amazing Kids! Youth Online Magazine Staff who made this issue possible, and Ms. Rome, our adult advisor, for encouraging and inspiring us! BIG THANK YOU’s to our writers and wonderful staff: You guys are “Out of This World!”

Do Something Good before September 1st

2009-08-28T05:14:00.001-07:00

Cincinnati Innovates, a prestigious award with multiple categories, including a student inventor division, and right now, the online voting for each and every age category is about to come to a close, this September.

Why is Amazing Kids! excited about this event? Our very own Jr. Asst. Editor, Natalie, is among the contestants! Vote for her now! What’s at stake? Only a few thousand dollars! And time is counting down quickly; vote for Natalie as soon as possible, before September 1st! Go Natalie!

Be sure to keep an eye out for our two new contests, coming soon, and our new Fall issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine!

You Never Thought You'd Travel Here and Be Back in Time for Dinner...Until Now!

2009-08-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

(Left) Llamas in Peru, overlooking Machu Picchu, one of the rare wonders of South America! Photo by Jerry Daykin

Summer is almost over for most of the kids across America, but as back-to-school sweeps the land, we hope you’ll find some time to do a little armchair-traveling! Don’t worry: While the author of the articles had to endure a long trip, plane rides, and perilous adventures, for you, adventure’s only a click away!

In the soaring, sky-high mountains of Brazil, South America, there lays a deserted city, enshrouded in mystery and historical wonder: Machu Picchu. Perhaps even more wonderful than this ancient city is the tales of the travels there…all through a kids’ eye-view! Feel the rush, adventure, and awe of traveling to a treasure of the ancient remains of a civilization, lost in the pages of history, in Brazil. Experience the culture, and read up on some pretty neat (and perilous!) journeys through the chronicled adventures of a kid who got to see it all…and sent back the photographs for everyone to enjoy! Read all about it on National Geographic Kids’ blog, and enjoy the adventure from the comfort of your home! Who knows? Maybe you’ll need the tips, especially if you go there yourself, someday!

Speaking of photography, keep your cameras on (as long as they don’t run out of battery juice! :-)); Amazing Kids! will soon be hosting a photography contest for kids who do amazing things next month! Check back soon for the details!

Special Thanks from Amazing Kid! Katie Stagliano!

2009-08-06T11:27:00.001-07:00

We just received this "Thank You!" from Katie Stagliano, age 10!

Katie was our March 2009 Amazing Kid! of the Month and the winner of our First Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design Contest.

It's so exciting and such an honor for us to know that our Amazing Kids! of the Month and Launch My Dream! kids like Katie are getting the recognition and support they so richly deserve! Together, we can help many more kids like Katie launch their amazing dreams!

Thanks for sharing your story, Katie! :-)

"My name is Katie Stagliano. I’m 10 years old and have a dream of no hungry children. I am making my dream a reality by starting vegetable gardens and donating the harvest to local soup kitchen and homeless shelters to help feed people in need.

I was the winner of the first ever Amazing Kids! Launch my Dream t-shirt design contest.

My winning design was:
My Dream…..No Hungry Children (front of shirt)

It will only take a seedling! (back of shirt)

Katie wearing her Launch My Dream! T-Shirt and Hoodie

Amazing Kids! has really helped me promote my dream and make it a reality. It has been really wonderful to see my friends and family in their Very Meri shirts that I designed!!!!

Since I won the contest I have received numerous awards and honors such as:

1) Being selected as a ‘Build-A-Bear Huggable Hero’

Katie with her gift bears
from Build-A-Bear
(check out the cute mini
Launch My Dream! T-shirt they made
for her bear on the right!) ;-)

I went to St. Louis, Missouri and met the other amazing 11 kids, participate in a professional photo shoot, take part in a leadership program, paint a mural at Mason School, and make wonderful new friends. [Click here to watch a news video about it!]

2) I was a store finalist from Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship Program.

3) My dream received a Quaker Go Grant to start a new garden which will be located in my neighborhood.

4) I was featured on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams on the ‘Making a Difference’ segment. [Click here to watch the video!]

5) I went on a trip to Florida to be a guest at the NAED Convention with two other great Amazing girls, where I was recognized by Robroy Industries as being Extraordinary, the next generation,

6) This month [August] I am featured as a Zorbitz Karma Kid of the Month.

7) My story has been in many newspapers articles and I have made several television appearances locally.

Every bit of recognition has helped my cause. I now have actual funds to help with the gardens that help feed people in need in my community. Many people have read the articles or seen me on TV and offered to help my cause. I have grown and collected over 900 lbs. of healthy food that was donated to The Palmetto House, a homeless shelter in Summerville, South Carolina and Tri County Family Ministries, a soup kitchen in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Being the first winner of the Amazing Kids! Launch my Dream T-shirt Design Contest has been a real honor and I can’t thank Ms. Alyse from Amazing Kids! and Meri, from Very Meri enough!!!! I can honestly say that my dream has been launched!"

By: Katie Stagliano, age 10

Editor's Note:

You can help Amazing Kids! support Katie's dream of "No Hungry Children," by buying her Launch My Dream! t-shirt or hoodie here:
http://shop.verymeri.com/collections/fundraising-tees/products/launch-my-dream-no-hungry-children

Proceeds benefit hunger relief organizations and the Launch My Dream! Initiative, which is helping kids like Katie launch their dreams!

Thank you for your support!

The Amazing Kids! Team
www.amazing-kids.org

Amazing FREE End-of-Summer Reading from Sylvan Dell Publishing!

2009-07-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

If you’re looking for something to do during these last days of summer, why not stay cool inside and read?

Sylvan Dell Publishing is saving you a trip to the library, as they have just released a 90-day “free-for-all” of over 45 enriching and inspiring children’s titles available for free online in eBook format! Sylvan Dell’s e-books feature interactive educational stories for kids which you can read yourself right from your computer. You can also choose to have a narrated version of the books read to you (or if you’re a parent, to your child) in English or in Spanish!

Read our review of one award-winning Sylvan Dell book from a previous issue of the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine. Free access to Sylvan Dell’s online books expires 10/31/2009, so start reading today, here: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J

Read our review of Whistling Wings:
http://www.amazing-kids.org/ezine_27/review.ww.html

Read the Whistling Wings eBook:
http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J

Help Amazing Kids! Get the Word Out! Become the Next Amazing Kids! Volunteer Public Relations Director!

2009-07-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

Are you an adult who loves to write and inspire kids? Do you have a knack for news? Do you want to help Amazing Kids! get the word out about our amazing programs and articles?

Amazing Kids! is putting out our call for a Volunteer Public Relations Director who can manage and edit our current blogs and news sites, as well as manage press releases and coordinate publicity communications for us.

If you have good experience with the internet, are a good communicator, and wouldn’t mind volunteering for 5-10 hours a week, please contact info@amazing-kids.org and let us know that you’re interested, with:

Your Name

Your Age

Your State/Country

Your Experience as a Writer or PR Coordinator, if applicable

Why you want are interested in this position, and how you can help

Please let us know asap, and thanks for your support!

Cool Articles from the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine’s Summer Issue

2009-07-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

Our Jr. Asst. Editor, Natalie, stands in the bamboo cooler? Yup. That’s right. A fridge for panda food! Read Giants of Nature: Giant Pandas to find out why!

Did you know that Melina Bellows, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Kids Magazine wanted to design Hallmark Greeting Cards when she was a kid? Get more cool facts in our exclusive interview!

This picture was taken by a young, award-winning artist and photographer in Romania! If you like art and photography, then check out our NEW Amazing Artists Column to see pictures and art sent in by kids like you! Send your art to: editor@amazing-kids.org

Want to build a tall tower? You can build one just like this…if you have 500,000 Lego bricks lying around, and a few cranes to support it. Learn more about engineering marvels in Building Big, by Assistant Editor, Sean.

Like what you see? Write for Us, Subscribe, Donate, or spread the word to your friends and school to keep the Amazing Kids! Online Magazine full of amazing-ness, today!

Through the Storm: Amazing Kids! PenPals Fosters Lifelong Friends

2009-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

(LEFT) Amazing Young Hurricane Survivors from Estelle Elementary School,
in Louisiana, holding their letters to their Amazing Kids! PenPals
in California

What would you do if your friend was in trouble? Nearly 4 years ago, a Hurricane Katrina swept over Louisiana, ruining houses and buildings forever. Lots of kids who lived in Louisiana needed a good friend as the aftermath became clear, but all of the kids around them were equally as devastated by the hurricane, and needed a friend, too.

Amazing Kids! quickly went to work, and Alyse Rome, Founder and President began the Amazing Kids! PenPals Program, which has connected countless friends across the world and is still active, today, for any kid who wants to join!

“The Amazing Kids! PenPals for Hurricane Survivors Program is the lightening-rod that encouraged Estelle students to write their stories, in letter form, to share with a new pen pal friend,” said the teachers at Estelle Elementary School in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

It was a truly touching experience for everyone involved; kids who had been devastated now had a hope, a friend, and best of all, a kid their own age to share their feelings with. It clearly worked, and kids are still benefiting from their friendships with their Amazing Kids! PenPal, today! You can have a PenPal, too!

What do you think about friends? How would you help kids hurting from a hurricane? Do you think writing to other kids about your feelings would help you if you had gone through a disaster? Tell us what you think by commenting!

2nd Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Contest Kicks Off at Brentwood Market

2009-07-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who came to the verymeri booth at the Brentwood Market on Sunday to design their t-shirt for the kick-off of the 2nd Annual Amazing Kids! Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design Contest!

We had a great turnout, made some new friends, and met lots of terrific people and some truly amazing kids!

A special "thank you" to Meri (on the right of the photo) and Suzanne Gelfound (center of photo), both from verymeri, for hosting the event in their booth at the Brentwood Market. (That's me, Amazing Kids! Founder and President, Alyse Rome, in the blue dress, standing with Meri and Suzanne on the left of the photo.)

Calling all Creative Kids! If you're are a kid between the ages of 6 and 17, and have an amazing dream you want to launch, then stay tuned for our 2nd Annual Amazing Kids! "Launch My Dream!" T-Shirt Design Contest!

The contest rules should be up on the Amazing Kids! website (www.amazing-kids.org) in the next couple of days, so be sure to check back soon!

Good luck, everyone-- and have fun getting ready to launch your amazing dream!

Calling creative Southern California kids!

2009-07-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

Join Amazing Kids! (www.amazing-kids.org) and our charity t-shirt company partner Verymeri.com this Sunday, July 19, from 9 am-1 pm at the Brentwood Farmers Market!

We're kicking off the start of our 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design Contest, 2009! Kids and teens ages 5 to 17 can participate by creating a design that illustrates their dream for their amazing future.

Not in Southern California? No worries! The contest will run until October 1, so you don't have to live in Southern California, or be at the market this weekend to participate.

The 2nd Annual Launch My Dream! T-Shirt Design Contest rules will be posted on the Amazing Kids! website soon, so be sure to check back in the coming days! Good luck and see you at the Brentwood Market on Sunday!

A Message from Command Central

2009-07-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Amazing Kids! Online Magazine’s next theme (picked by our amazing Assistant Editor, Sean!) is To Space and Beyond! Of course, we are planning some super-cool articles from the volunteer youth staff, but if you’re a kid (ages 17 and under), we want to see your work, too! We accept:

Fiction Stories
Poems
Artwork
Jokes
Recipes
Non-Fiction articles
Reviews

If you don’t want to write or draw about space, that’s ok! We’ll review any material sent in by kids, as long as it’s kid-friendly. Send your writing and art to: editor@amazing-kids.org. If you want to send in a space-themed article, please send it before August 5th; this issue will be launched in September! Please let us know if you have any questions, and have a great Summer!

(photo courtesy NASA)

Amazing Kids! Gives Amazing Opportunity to Young, Aspiring Producer, Andrew Sibner

2009-07-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

By Andrew Sibner, age 14, California

What if you got the chance to observe and learn from the best producers in the industry? With the help of Amazing Kids!, I was given the incredible opportunity! Paired with animation producer, Helen Kalafatic, (best known for her work on Spongebob Squarepants, Maya and Miguel, and more!) we took to the panels of the “Produced by 2009” conference at Sony Pictures Studio. On arrival, Helen and I got our passes and continued to the lecture of our choice; "Who Does What? The Role of The Creative Producer".

We found some seats and listened to the three speaking producers. Lucy Fisher and Dough Wick, being two of the three, are Co-Heads of Red Wagon Entertainment and have produced such films as Memoirs of a Geisha and the Stuart Little films. The third speaker, Kathleen Kennedy, may be best known for her recent works in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. However, she also produced many famous classic movies! E.T., Back To The Future, Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List were all made possible by Ms. Kennedy. You can imagine the stories she has to share! While writing E.T., a film about a friendly alien, they had hit a wall in their creative process. How would NASA react if they discovered a creature from space? The studio had to send Kathleen Kennedy to go ask NASA themselves! Also, the speakers told a story about an action favorite called "The Fugitive". They had started production on the film, before they had an ending to the script! They considered it a miracle that the movie turned out as it did and with so much success!

Helen and I left the auditorium having learned a lot about producing! Helen was surprised by the similarities between live-action producing and animation producing, while I was surprised how last minute the process can be! We had such a great time and really learned a lot! Thank you, Amazing Kids! for making it all possible!

New Amazing Kids! Website Sparks Dreams and Inspires Children

2009-07-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

In celebration of its eleventh year helping kids worldwide realize their amazing potential, Amazing Kids! has re-launched its premier website for children: http://www.amazing-kids.org/ Easy-to-navigate and sporting a fresh new look, the redesigned website is not your typical redesign conceived and executed by adults; amazing-kids.org has in fact been recreated entirely by a dedicated team of kids.

Most noticeable in the new website is the integration of the Amazing Kids! literary e-magazine, the Amazing Kids! eZine, into the overall structure of the Amazing Kids! website, merging the two into one cohesive design.

A children’s educational non-profit organization formed in 1998 by its founder/president Alyse Rome, Amazing Kids! and its award-winning website have become known worldwide for their unique programs inspiring excellence and creativity in children. With initiatives such as Launch My Dream! and educational programs like the Amazing Kids! of the Month, the Amazing Kids! eZine, Amazing Kids! PenPals, and Amazing Mentors!, the organization gives kids a wide-range of positive, productive and fun options for spending their time.

To keep up with the unprecedented growth the organization experienced this past year, Alyse, as founder and publisher of the Amazing Kids! eZine, lead her team of student volunteers throughout the historic redesign, resulting in one of the most significant changes in the history of Amazing Kids!

The team included Amazing Kids!’ webmaster, Braxton, age 15, an Amazing Kids! volunteer for nearly 3 years, and his sister Brittany, age 17, the eZine Editor-in-Chief, a 3+ year volunteer. The two worked diligently to redesign the entire website, bringing their colorful concepts into reality. Volunteering for such an important cause inspired Braxton. The redesign showcases his impressive creative talents and technical know-how.

“I learned a lot,” Braxton says. “Patience is the key to getting to the finish line. At times it was hard, but we managed to get through as a team. This process has helped me realize my own amazing potential.”

Says Brittany: “We are so thankful for the help we received. It took hard work and dedication. That speaks for much of our dreams and goals in life: Those who are persistent, surrounding themselves with the right help are apt to gain the prize.”

Visit the new website amazing-kids.org, then let us know what you think by leaving your comments, here! :-)

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Amazing Kids!
Celebrating its 11th year anniversary, Amazing Kids! is an internationally-recognized children’s educational charity based in Southern California with a worldwide following through their award-winning website, amazing-kids.org. Their mission: helping kids realize their potential.

2009-04-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Amazing Kid! Katie Stagliano (Amazing Kid! of the Month, March 2008)!

Katie appeared on NBC Nightly News last night, April 22! If you missed it, you can watch it on the MSNBC.com website or on Hulu.com.

Katie (and her family!) did a wonderful job! We are so proud of Katie here at Amazing Kids! and we are continuing to help her launch her dream of "No Hungry Children" through our website and through the sales of her "No Hungry Children" t-shirt.

If you haven't purchased your t-shirt yet, there is still time! Verymeri.com is still taking orders until June 1, so hurry and get yours today! Katie will be donating her 1/2 of the proceeds to hunger relief organizations; the other half goes to supporting Amazing Kids!' Launch My Dream! initiative, so we can continue to help more kids like Katie launch their dreams for their amazing future!

Here's the link where you can buy Katie's shirt: http://shop.verymeri.com/collections/fundraising-tees/products/launch-my-dream-no-hungry-children

Thank you for supporting Katie's beautiful dream, No Hungry Children!

Make it an Amazing day!

Warmest wishes,

Alyse Rome
Founder/President
Amazing Kids! - Helping Kids! Realize Their Potential, One Kid at a Time(TM)
www.amazing-kids.org

Help Launch Katie's Dream: No Hungry Children

2009-04-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

One Truly Amazing Kid

Congratulations to 10-year-old Katie Stagliano of Summerville,
South Carolina!

Katie is the winner of the Amazing Kids! "Launch My Dream!" T-Shirt Design Contest and is the March 2009 Amazing Kid! of the Month on the Amazing Kids! website (www.amazing-kids.org)!

As part of our new "Launch My Dream!" initiative
(www.amazing-kids.org/launchmydream.html), Amazing Kids! is helping Katie launch her dream of "No Hungry Children."

12 Million Hungry Children in America

Did you know that in the United States alone, an estimated 12 million children go to bed hungry each night? And sadly, in these difficult economic times we face today, the number of hungry children both in the United States and internationally is increasing.

A 40-Pound Cabbage Feeds 275 People

Get inspired and read Katie's incredible story at: www.amazing-kids.org/akom3-09.html#top.

You'll learn about how she grew a tiny seedling into an amazing 40-pound cabbage in her backyard, and how she donated it to a local soup kitchen and fed 275 people!

Katie's amazing dream is to help feed hungry children, with the ultimate goal of ending childhood hunger. But to help her dream come true, she needs our help!

Katie's Launch My Dream! T-Shirt and Hoodie

Amazing Kids!, along with our charity apparel partner verymeri.com, is selling Katie's "No Hungry Children" t-shirt and hoodie (seen pictured here) to raise money to support her dream.

10% of the proceeds go to support Katie's dream and will be donated to hunger relief organizations. An additional 10% goes to support the Amazing Kids!' "Launch My Dream!" initiative, which is helping kids like Katie launch their dreams for their amazing future.

You can help support Katie's wonderful cause by purchasing a Launch My Dream! "No Hungry Children" shirt or hoodie on the verymeri website: http://verymeri.com/collections/fundraising/products/amazing-kids-no-hungry-children

Launch My Dream! - The Spirit of Collaboration

The goal of Amazing Kids!' "Launch My Dream!" initiative is to help gather the resources that kids like Katie need to launch their amazing dreams for their future.

As such, Amazing Kids! is working in a collaborative effort with other non-profits, businesses (like verymeri.com), corporations, foundations and individuals , to insure that our children's future is a bright one.

Want to learn how you can help, or become a partner or sponsor? Visit the Launch My Dream! information page at: http://www.amazing-kids.org/launchmydream.html, or email us for more information: info@amazing-kids.org.

We look forward to working with you!

Calling All Kids!

Katie wants to encourage kids everywhere to grow vegetable seedlings in their backyard, or in a window box, so they can donate the vegetables to help fight childhood hunger. In her Amazing Kid! of the Month story, you will learn how she was able to enlist her entire school in her effort, and they are now planting a huge empty lot at their school with vegetables to feed the hungry in their community and to help feed students at their own school.

Parents can contact Katie to get advice about how their kids can get started through her Facebook page which her mother Stacy has set up: www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=48567540431

Parents must sign up for Facebook in order to be able to add a comment to Katie's page.

Get Your Very Own "No Hungry Children" T-Shirt or Hoodie!

Help support Katie's dream by getting your very own "No Hungry Children" t-shirt or hoodie designed by Katie here:

verymeri.com/collections/fundraising/products/amazing-kids-no-hungry-children

Thank you for helping us make Katie's beautiful dream, helping feed hungry children, come true!

Until next time...

Go out and do something Amazing today!

Alyse Rome
Founder/President
Amazing Kids! - Helping Kids Realize Their Potential, One Kid at a Time(TM)
www.amazing-kids.org