Youth speak out after 40 years

2014 is the first year in its 40 year history that the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) has invited youth to present at the annual conference, held in North Carolina this month. ASTC's Annual Conference is the largest and most important  event for nearly 2,000 museum and science centre decision makers globally.

Magnificent Kid, Avalon Theisen presented her organisation Conserve It Forward, as did a number of other youth who are just as passionate about making a difference. 

Straight from the horses mouth, Avalon says:

"I had a GREAT time being part of this group! This was the first time in their 40 year history, that the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) included the voice of youth at their international conference. I had only met Molly Paul from Raleigh Aquatic Turtle Adoption in NC once before, when we both spoke at the Action for Nature International Eco Hero event in San Francisco 2 years ago. Madi and Rhiannon are from Project ORANGS (palm oil), Casey is from Love a Sea Turtle, Help them L.A.S.T., and Cole convinced the McDonald's Corporation to use post-consumer recycled finer in their packaging. We are all part of different groups and projects that are spread around the world, so it was really great to get to be together in person. Peace & love, Avalon"



Well done to Avalon and the other youth presenters for caring so much about the future, and well done to the ASTC for recognising and supporting the magnificence in the younger generation.

If we can make a difference - why wouldn't we?

www.magnificentkids.com.au

Book launch success

On Friday night, 19th September Planet Perspective Events hosted the 'Magnificent Kids!' book launch at Kindness House in Fitzroy, Melbourne. It was a fantastic night and very well supported by people who really do believe in a better world.

Apart from sharing how the book came about, the door prizes, count the jelly bean competition, and the amazing array of vegan food, the highlight of the night was Skyping with Avalon Theisen from Conserve It Forward, and Carter & Olivia Ries from One More Generation.

The audience had the opportunity to personally ask the kids questions about their projects, while the kids shared why they believe we need to make change now if we want to take care of the planet.

Sadly we learned that due to poaching, a rhino is killed every 8 hours and 100,000 elephants have experienced the same fate in the past 3 years. Further to that we learned that based on current practices, the ocean will be dead by 2048. These facts are devastating! It is critical we act now to bring about positive change.

'Magnificent Kids!' showcases Avalon and Carter & Olivia, along with 20 other amazing young people who really are changing the world. We were reminded at the launch that if we don't support the next generation to make thoughtful choices, we may not even have a planet left to save - and we all know there is no Planet B!

Here are a couple of pics from the launch, but you can see the entire album here.

Visit  Avalon: 

Conserve It Forward

Facebook

Visit Carter & Olivia: 

One More Generation

Facebook

www.magnificentkids.com.au

Magnificent Kids - Facebook

Avalon meets Dr. Jane Goodall

Wow!!!!! Avalon not only got to meet Dr Jane Goodall and have a chat with her, she also got to HUG her! I can't stop saying wow! Dr Jane Goodall is one of the most inspiring people on the planet and who wouldn't want to meet her and be inspired by her.

But the even cooler things is, not only did Avalon get to meet her once, she also led the Dove of Peace walk right in front of Dr. Goodall at her presentation to thousands in Florida! Wow!

You know it really does prove that if your intentions are good and you care beyond yourself, amazing things happen around you.

Avalon please keep spreading your words and actions of love, kindness and peace, so that the world might become a better place. I can see you stepping into Dr. Goodall's footsteps one day! Well done!

 

www.magnificentkids.com.au

Magnificent Kids Book Launch

The official launch for 'Magnificent Kids!' will be held on the 19th September 2014, at Kindness House in Fitzroy (Melbourne). What a spectacular night this will be. Kerryn will be inspiring the audience with why we need to take action to create a better world, as well we will be skyping with some of the kids in the book. This is your chance to chat face to face with these amazing superheroes and ask those questions you have about making a difference.

There will also be other wonderful speakers, refreshments, door prizes and above all... great company! We hope to see you there, and if you RSVP (yes, no or maybe) you will be in the draw to win a copy of 'Magnificent Kids!'.

RSVP here

In Nick's shoes...

Magnificent Kid, Nicholas Lowinger certainly knows how it feels to have the shoe on the other foot. Nick has been supplying new shoes to homeless kids since he was 11 and has changed the lives of over 15,000 children in more than 30 states across America. Wow!!

Now Nick's achievements have been recognised as being 'UPWORTHY' and rightly so. It really doesn't take much to make another person happy and Nick does it effortlessly day in day out. You can see Nick in the Upworthy link, and it's no wonder he won the Peace First Prize. Well done Nick!

Upworthy video

www.magnificentkids.com.au

Camping out for Inclusion

Magnificent Kid, Dani Bowman helps out every year at Joey Travolta's Inclusion Films summer camp.  Inclusion Films teaches film making to people with disabilities. Dani teachers the students how to create animations, and no doubt some of the guys she teaches will become huge film makers. Dani owns and operates Powerlight Animation Studios and has produced many award winning films, AND she started at just 11years old! Wow!!

They finished off the camp with Dani being interviewed by Joey and doesn't she just look like she's made for the job? Katie Couric watch out - Dani might be in your seat before you know it! Good on you Dani - keep rocking' the world!

www.magnificentkids.com.au

Amphibians are something to write about!

Magnificent Kid, Avalon Theisen the founder of Conserve It Forward, is now an editor for Frog Log Jr magazine issued by Amphibian Survival Alliance. Wow!!! It seems once you recognise you can be successful with one thing, other successes follow. Seriously folks - put your best foot forward and amazing things happen!

Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA) also featured 'Magnificent Kids!' in their Blog so have a click on the links to check it out. Spend some time over at ASA and Conserve It Forward learning a bit about amphibians, and like Avalon says "They are just non-human people". Enjoy!!!

Here are the links to make it easier:

Conserve It Forward

Amphibian Survival Alliance

Frog Log Jr Magazine

Blog post featuring Avalon and 'Magnificent Kids!'

Let's do lunch!

In western countries kids go to school to learn, but in some places kids go to school just to get lunch. Often it is the only meal they get. In Kenya there is a school in a slum where that happens. Sewerage even flows throughout their classroom. Magnificent Kid, Luca Berardi has already donated his first hard earned $2000 to make sure the children could be fed for over a month, and now he's helping out again. This time he's collecting books for the school in the hope that the kids will also be motivated to learn as well as eat.

When we live in countries where education is seen as a right, we complain about the stupidest things (called 1st world problems) but really we need to be a whole lot more connected to our brothers and sisters in other places who are struggling to literally stay alive each day. Thank you Luca for all that you do. You are an amazing superhero!

Does autism make you magnificent?

I train people to understand autism and I often hear about the extremely gifted people with autism. There are some incredible people with autism who have tapped into that brilliant part of their mind and excel in one or some areas. There is a beautiful story of an autistic man who took a 20 minute helicopter ride over New York then drew (in pen) the entire city scape perfectly. Wow!!!

I'm not convinced that we need to put pressure on our autistic friends to be extremely gifted and to expect them to live up to that pressure. But what I do know is that autism does not need to be a deficit or be seen as a deficit. It really is just different. What does bother me is when people impose expectations on autistic people to 'fit in'. I wish people would realise how hard it is for a person with autism to 'fit in'.

Imagine a world where we accept that a man's brain and a woman's brain are completely different and in addition to those two we have a third brain - the autistic brain. Wow!! Imagine what we could all learn from each other?

Magnificent Kid, Dani Bowman not only started and runs an animation company employing people with autism, but she is also an artist. Her detail is impeccable. Magnificent Kid, Avalon Theisen also has autism and she too is an artist.

Look at these pics, admire them, and never let anybody tell you that autism is less. As Temple Grandin says... different not less.

So does autism make you magnificent? No, because EVERYBODY is magnificent!

Love and blessings,
Kerryn

Welcome!

Welcome to the Magnificent Kids! blog. As new and exciting things unfold I will be posting them here. I hope you are enjoying the website and all of the cool pages. I also hope you will be inspired by the amazing kids who contributed to the book, but also be inspired by the contributors to the Superhero Headquarters page. It is so true that anybody can make a difference and if we can, why wouldn't we?
I have a firm belief that innately people want to do great things to help the planet, but often don't know where to start as the problems seem too big. Stick with us and we'll try to unpack things in a simple, down to earth way.

Kerryn :)