Sixteen Teen Advisory Team Members with Karen D. Clawson, Founder
at Kids Celebrate Reading! Book Fair, Barnes & Noble, Waterside Shops, Naples
Meet the Teen Advisory Team 2009-2010
Our second team proved they were up to the challenge: K is for Kids® Foundation’s 2009-10 Teen Advisory Team was brimming with energy and ideas, dreaming up ways to inspire younger children to read more books.
“I just wish we could offer more opportunities for these teens, said Karen D. Clawson, founder and executive director for K is for Kids® Foundation. “They’re so full of energy and inspiration. They’re important to our Foundation’s work, a driving force behind the scenes. We believe readers are leaders. We strive to place more books in the hands of all children in our community, to encourage them to read, to help them express the ideas they’ve learned and dreamed of. We also feel it’s important to help them communicate and share their ideas, after all, the most successful children in life are those that can communicate with others. It’s great having knowledge, but what do you do with it? Share it! Make your ideas happen. That’s why we emphasize leadership also. We want these kids to be able to stand up and share their voice, ” she pauses. “We are truly for the kids and by the kids. Our Teen Advisory Team is at the front end of our giving and we want to bring more teens into the mix.”
Clawson continued outlining how the young and growing organization’s hopes of reaching out to more teens throughout Collier County: “We have had students from many schools and this year we invited over 20,000 students throughout Naples, Immokalee, Everglades City and Marco Island to come join our cause, earn community service hours, have fun with other kids their age, and to share their time and talents for the community’s children. But we need more tools and resources to make this happen. Community members have been strong in their support of our mission so far, and we really need their bolstering now.”
In 2010-2011, the Foundation has many fun and educational activities lined up as they expand their Children’s Literacy Month to a county-wide initiative. “We’re taking our “Kids Celebrate Reading! Book Fair held during our Bring a Book, Bring a Friend® for Children’s Literacy Month and increasing the opportunities for children by holding multiple events around town and throughout the county. Partnerships are being formed now with other literacy groups, too. Oh, we have some great far-reaching fun that will really draw attention to this simple yet life impacting need: Kids need more books to read!!! And with the gift of just one book, one person can open up a new world for children. Teens, adults and children are all important in our mission of helping bring more books to our community’s children,” she said. “We can utilize talent of all ages. Our “poster child” was barely a toddler when she was photographer for our first book drive under the K is for Kids® banner.”
Next year, the Foundation hopes to have meeting rooms available for the teens and volunteers that can match what was donated in January. “Naples Bay Resort donated their state-of-the-art meeting room for our Teen Advisory Team’s first ‘meeting of the minds’ this year, in January. Phenomenal and world class says it all!” Clawson exclaimed. “The kids had plenty of room to spread out and exercise their talents. They worked together in small teams to come up with ideas for a PSA they were shooting that day. David Fralick with Alpha Media Inc. came in, giving a presentation on how to talk ‘on camera’, providing lots of tips and time savers, helping the kids to put on their ‘best face’ so their message could be heard loud and clear. Each team had one to three kids who volunteered to get in front of the camera — it was quite a learning experience and a first for many of them! It was our best gathering of young volunteers yet, with several parents pitching in also; very productive! Robert Boni with United Audio & Sound has just recently joined David to edit the first PSA from that shooting, you can see it on our website and on YouTube. Three of our teens, Cory, Erin and Haylee spoke about our mission, our literacy month as proclaimed by Mayor Bill, and our upcoming fun events for families. All the kids will be seen soon, when production is wrapped up. Robert also videotaped Cory, one of our spokespersons interviewing guest authors at our recent book fair at Barnes & Noble at Waterside Shops. These kids are not only learning a lot, exercising their talents, but putting good use to them for their cause: Bringing books to children everywhere!”
Note: Videos of the teens can be seen on this website as well as YouTube, from the very first PSA recorded on an Apple MacBook at the Clawsons home, to the video shot by Steven Joyce with the help of Sean Sype at Daniel Linehan’s Six Degrees Exhibitions, the art gallery in Tin City at the time of shooting, to the more recent videos being produced and uploaded.
Local students from the following schools have volunteered for our cause and/or been on our Teen Advisory Team:
High School Students:
Barron Collier
Gulf Coast
Naples
St. John Neuman
Middle School Students:
Cypress Palm
North Naples
Oak Ridge
Elementary School Students:
Laurel Oak
Pelican Marsh
The Village School