| Join MAGPI for our FIRST Kids Are Heroes Day!
Date: February 2, 2011
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM EST
Target Audience: Grades 3-8 Cost: Free! Requirements for Participation: - There are 10 spaces available for MAGPI Member Institutions with H.323 Videoconference Capabilities.
- There are 5 spaces available for non-MAGPI Members. Sites must have H.323 videoconference capabilities and be connected to a research and education network.
- This program will be WEBSTREAMED LIVE. Please check back for more details.
More Information/Registration: http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Kids-Are-Heroes  Kids Are Heroes is an organization founded by a then 9-year-old girl named Mary Margaret. The Kids Are Heros website empowers children to give back to their communities by showcasing those who are changing the world. The organization’s goal is to have volunteerism become an everyday activity in the lives of children. It’s not just about doing good; we have discovered that this activity builds self esteem and shapes these youngsters into the leaders of tomorrow.
This program will feature several heros from the Kids Are Heroes website who will each tell participants about their unique projects and the work they are doing in their community. Participants will also hear from Mary Margaret, the founder of Kids Are Heros, and the president of the organization today, Gabe O'Neill. Videoconference Outline: Introduction and Overview by Mary Margaret and Gabe O'Neill
Presentations by Heroes - Calista and Austin Pierce (Erie, Pennsylvani)
- Gail Poulin (Southampton, Massachusetts)
- Wes Prankard (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)
- Adele Taylor (Gloucester County, New Jersey)
- JT Robertson (Cuba, New York)
- Neha Gupta (Bucks County, Pennsylvania)
- Dylan Mahalingham (Rockingham, New Hampshire)
Heroes' Biographies Austin Pierce: Austin has been collecting pledges for Crawford County Special Olympics' annual Bowl-A-Thons to raise money for the program. To date, he has raised over $3,000.00 by asking anyone who would listen if they would sponsor him. Calista Pierce: Austin's sister Calista has been making and selling ceramics, jewelry and crafts, helping to wrap and label homemade suckers, holding bake sales, running a lemonade stand and holding raffles to raise much needed funds. In just over 2 years, Calista has raised nearly $5,000.00 and has volunteered over 1,250 hours for Special Olympics through her fundraising and volunteering for the program. Wes Prankard: Wes camped out in the cold for 24 hours during March break. His goal was to raise $2400.00 and awareness for the conditions in Attawapiskat, Ontario; a First Nation reserve on James Bay in which 1,000 of the 1,300 residents are said to be homeless. Wes raised over $5,800.00! Adele Taylor: Founder of Adele's Literacy Library, a nonprofit organization with the mission to instill and empower that reading is not just fundamental but the key ingredient to success and through reading ALL things are possible. Since Adele founded Adele's Literacy Library in December of 2008, she has successfully given away hundreds of brand new books and books marks to schools, hospitals, libraries and organizations. She hosts Storytelling with Adele, where she reads to children promoting literacy by interacting with the listeners about the book and the importance of reading. JT Robertson: JT Robertson collects cans and returnables. He then uses the deposit money from those returnables to buy tickets for less fortunate children on the Arcade and Attica Railroad for a trip on Make A Difference Day every October. When JT first started, there was a problem with boarding the train for children with disabilities - especially wheelchairs. So JT continued to collect returnables to fund the trips but also started to raise awareness of the problem. He made a video and asked for letters of support for an Extreme Train Makeover. Neha Gupta: Neha's mission is to address the evils associated with orphans/abandoned children and underprivileged children, by motivating individuals to translate empathy into action. To achieve this mission, she has started a non-profit organization called "Empower Orphans." Neha has been helping create self-sufficiency by supplying the orphaned and underprivileged children with the tools to gain a basic education and technical skills to enable a sustainable livelihood, leading to productive and positive contributions to society. In addition to education, she provides food, clothing, healthcare and medical supplies to establish an effective learning environment. Dylan Mahalingham: Dylan Mahalingam is the founder and CEO of Lil' MDGs, a unique international development and youth empowerment organization. Dylan is 14 years old and resides in Derry, New Hampshire. Dylan founded Lil' MDGs, a non-profit based in New Hampshire, when he was 9 years old; Lil' MDGs mission is to leverage the power of the Internet to educate, engage, empower, and inspire children in all corners of the world to help meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Pre-Videoconference Activities: Required: Have the students see the website and spend a good deal of time reading the stories of the heroes out loud in class. This might be done by having student volunteers select a hero, read their story and then say why they picked that particular hero. Suggested: We also suggest that the student have a parent sit down with them at home and look over the stories. This might just spark a real activity that can be carried out with the support of the parent. Are you following MAGPI on Facebook and Twitter? Find out about MAGPI news, programs and events before they hit our list servs! | 
