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YouthNOISE: A Website for Kids by Kids
http://www.youthnoise.com/
by Cynthia Wetmiller
At the heart of service-learning is "youth-driven" or "student-driven" service. Students determine what needs that can be addressed with service-learning and find ways to meet those needs themselves. Such leadership is also at the heart of the YouthNOISE website, sponsored by Save the Children.
YouthNOISE challenges youth to explore world issues and take action. When I visited the site, the issues and actions were related to the war in Iraq and peace efforts. The site is comprised of several sections that would be perfect places for students to learn more about issues that can be explored and addressed via a service-learning project. Here is a little insight into several of the sections that I found to be very powerful in terms of youth voice:
1. Caught in the Crossfire: The focus of the Crossfire section is "Let Them Know You Care." There are two focuses: "Children of U.S. Troops" and "Kids in Iraq." Students can send a message to children in either of these catagories right from the website.
2. Global Spot: "Iraq 101" is the focus lesson. Students can get a better grasp of knowledge about the country of Iraq, its people and its political history.
3. Just One Click: "Click for Peace." Every time a site visitor clicks for peace in this section of the website, five cents is donated to a peace advocacy program called "Seeds of Peace." When I visited the site there were already 36,343 clicks registered for peace! After I added mine, it went up to 36,344!
4. Face Off: "War: Is the glass half full or half empty?" Kids post responses to a question or idea. Responders are called "NOISEmakers." Kids chime in about such issues as the President's approval rating, the anti-war protesting around the world and even the subject of "heroes."
5. In My Words: Kids can post reflections in this section of the site. Those who post, the "NOISEmakers," are provided an open forum in which they can speak their mind and get feedback from other kids. A profile of each NOISEmaker is provided and the profile includes who their heros are and what they want to do before they die. When I visited the site a 14 year old from Rhode Island had a profile that read "My Heros: Martin Luther King Jr., Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, William F. Buckley, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Rudy Guliani, Ulyssus S Grant, Pope John Paul II, Buddha, Jesus Christ, My parents. The one thing I want to do before I die is: Become president of the United States." This section of the website would be a great place to have your students reflect about a project that is germane to the issues being discussed on the website!
YouthNOISE has many other exciting areas to explore. I encourage you and your students to explore this website and possibly get involved by posting thoughts and dialoguing with students in a global forum.
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The Pennsylvania Service-Learning Alliance dissolved as of June 30, 2007. The website will stay posted for one more year, so please share the resources. We are sorry that we will not be able to answer any questions you may have. Good luck with all your future service-learning endeavors!