Gustavo Gutierrez Peinado, Spain

The KIDS-93 Newsletter
A Global Dialog for Children 10-15 Years

Issue number 2, October 11, 1992

1. "I like to help people"

The goal of KIDS-93 is to get as many 10-to-15-year-old children as possible involved in a GLOBAL dialog continuing until May 8th 1993. All participating children are required to answer these questions: 1) Who am I? 2) What do I want to be when I grow up? 3) How do I want the world to be better when I grow up? 4) What can I do now to make this happen?
Here are some recent responses:

** From Bangkok, Thailand **
My name is SUKHWAN SOONTRAVANICH . I live in Bangkok (is capital of Thailand) it is the center of everything. I like to make friends with all of you. OK. I will introduce myself to you.
I lives with my parents,a younger daughter she study in satit chula likes me (she is in grade 4.) ,my father is a teacher in Chulalongkorn University ,he wear glasses likes me, my mother is a nurse in American Embassy she loves children,to cook and plants likes me. I loves to sing a song and loves to see the concerts. I can swimming, playing tennis,basketball,etc. I loves animals,so that I has two dogs, I likes them very much. Do you have any dogs? I am studying in Satit Chula in grade 11 in science ,and in the future I think I will be a doctor or scientist because I like to help people ,I wish I will help you ,if I would be a doctor,OK.
I think you know that today the world has the more worse than the past, so that we should help the world together eg. not to damage river sea forest, not to kill the animals, not to use the DDT. ,CFC.,etc. If we can do all that or some other, the world will be better than today. Do you think like me?

** From Guilford, U.S.A. ***
1. My name is Melissa. I am a 12 year old girl (turning 13 on November 17). I have 1 cat and 8 dogs. I am from Giulford, Connecticut U.S.A. I collect stamps and coins. I like to read, draw, and play on the computer. I play the piano and like to do many sports. I speak little spanish, but am learning quickly.
2. When I grow up I want to be a pediatrition. I would like to help out the little children in Somalia. I would also like to help out the children that donUt have enough money in our own country.
3. I want the world to have less pollution. I want the hunger to stop. I want There to be less violance and no drugs. I also would like the hole in the ozone fill back in. I want there to be laws against animal cruelty and testing. Also I want there to be more recycling.
4. I can recycle and not litter. I can buy products that are cfc free. I can get petitions signed to stop animal testing.

2. ** Important reorganization **

On August 20, following a lengthy debate in KIDPLAN, the KIDS-93 discussion list was closed down and replaced by two new discussion lists:

KIDLINK - Service for official announcements

All participants, of all ages, are requested to subscribe to this read-only service. Here, the newsletters are being published. Here, you can read media reports, celebration plans, and other kinds of general announcements.
If you don't subscribe to the KIDLINK list, then you won't know what is going on.

KIDLEADR - Forum for teachers and adult coordinators

KIDLEADR is a forum for teachers, coordinators, parents, social workers, and others interested in KIDS-93. It is open to everybody, but members are expected to subscribe to the KIDLINK announcement list.
KIDLEADR is an informal meeting place for those involved in KIDLINK. It is a forum for networking on a personal level, exchange of curriculum ideas, requests for help, teacher introductions, invitations to joint class projects, and much more.
Talking about personal introductions, the four KIDLINK questions have prompted many KIDLEADeRs to answer the following four "adult" questions: 1) Who are you? 2) What are you, now that you are grown up? 3) What is your hope or vision for the future? 4) How are you involved in KIDLINK?
This is one of the responses:

Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 23:55:16 -0500
From: Dan Wheeler <Dan.Wheeler@UC.Edu>
Subject: Introduction: Dan Wheeler

I do practice what I preach. Here is my introduction:

1) Who are you?

I'm Dan Wheeler. In addition to my interests in computers and telecommunications, I'm interested in art, cooking, and cryptography. I have just had a sun room added onto my house and I'm trying to make Japanese-style shoji screens for the trapezoid-shaped glass panels that other kinds of shades won't fit. I'm also working on the design for remodeling the kitchen.

2) What are you, now that you are grown up?

I'm a cognitive psychologist by training and a faculty member at the College of Education, University of Cincinnati. I teach psychology, statistics, and research methods--mostly at the graduate level.

3) What is your hope or vision for the future?

I find it hard to understand why some people want to hurt and kill other people. I hope for a future in which hurting and killing is unacceptable. I have no illusions about how idealistic this is; all of the worlds major problems will have to be solved so that everyone has a satisfying life.

4) How are you involved in KIDLINK (or planning to be involved)?

My major roles are as KIDCAFE list helper and as curator of the KIDLINK Gallery of Computer Art. I also do a lot of the technical stuff maintaining our mailing lists at NoDak.

Peace, Dan

3. Dan Wheeler appointed Director of Educational Services

In October, Dan Wheeler was appointed Director of Educational Services. In the new role, he will give "prime time" attention to KIDLINK's services to participating teachers, an area which is getting increasingly important to the project.
Dan has been involved with KIDLINK since February 1991, and "involved" means many things:
He is the Curator of the KIDLINK Gallery of Computer Art. Together with Rich Naylor in New Zealand, he takes care of conference mail which fails to arrive at its destination (a BIG job!). He is the only adult, whose presence is felt in KIDCAFE (the "Helper"). He is also the "KIDLINK Master Helper," assisting the "helpers" of other KIDLINK forums with practical problems, and is involved in various other internal KIDLINK development projects.
He will gradually move some of his many responsibilities over on to other shoulders.

4. New forum for kids in the classroom

KIDFORUM is the name of KIDLINK's new discussion forum for kids due to start in November. It is set up to promote exchanges between classroom groups of students. Adult postings will not be allowed.
The forum's Charter describes it this way:

The KIDFORUM list exists to provide an outlet for works by kids on a series of topics specified in advance. It is designed to promote exchanges between classroom groups of students, although individual participants will certainly be welcome. KIDFORUM will build upon the KIDLINK themes as expressed in the four KIDLINK questions.

KIDFORUM has been created to make it easier for teachers to have whole classes participate in KIDLINK. A series of monthly topics will be announced ahead of time. This will allow teachers to prepare ahead of time for their class to participate on topics relevant to their curriculum.
The topics to be covered will be decided after discussion on the KIDLEADR list. Each topic will have a moderator, who will assist and coordinate the work of all the participating groups.
Lara Stefansdottir in Iceland has been appointed coordinator of KIDFORUM. Lara is an upper secondary school teacher with a computer scientist degree.
"My job is connecting schools in Reykjavik, Iceland area (where half the population is), take care of projects, assist teachers and so forth," tells Lara. "I work mainly at Islenska menntanetid (you could translate it as the Icelandic Educational Network)."
Those interested in helping organize and select topics for the new list, are invited to join the discussion in KIDLEADR. If you are just interested in having your classes participate, watch for the announcements on the KIDLINK list.

5. Business opportunity: Book about KIDLINK

A book about KIDLINK has just been written. What we need now, is a publisher who is interested in printing and publishing it. All royalties earned will go unabridged to support KIDLINK's global activities.
KIDLINK wants contact with publishers interested in discussing the distributing of the book to buyers all over the world. It has the following contents:

"KIDLINK: Global Networking for Youth 10-15"

by Odd de Presno

and participants of the KIDLINK project

Contents

0. PREFACE

1. From idea to global dialog
A midnight provocation gives birth to KIDS-91: A Global Online Dialog for children 10 - 15 years of age. Getting the kids online. Reaching out to the rest of the world. War in the Middle East. A children's United Nations? The KIDS-92 project. Growth pains. The teachers reach out. The KIDS-93 project.

2. What the children think about the future
All kids are required to answer four questions: Who am I? What do I want to be when I grow up? How do I want the world to be better when I grow up? What can I do now to make this happen? Sample answers from 45 participating countries.

3. KIDCAFE - the children's meeting place
When the kids have submitted their responses to the four questions, they are invited to join KIDCAFE, a lively exchange of ideas, opinions, advice, background information, and dreams. "Please write to me!" When they don't get any replies. Girl meets Boy. The "stars." Making closer ties. What do they get out of it? Integrated in school work. The kids' verdict.

4. From social chatting to action
Creative contributions through KIDCAFE and the KIDLINK Gallery of Computer Art. KIDPEACE and the War in the Middle East. KIDS-ACT. A global network to promote curriculum exchange in KIDPROJ. "We saw lot of smoke from the Kuwaiti Oil fields" Science and mathematics. The Shopping List project.

5. The media discovers the children
Giving the kids a voice. Full page in Washington Post. Kids in the news all over the place.

6. Two gigantic birthday parties
The KIDS-91 Celebration. Talking keyboard-to-keyboard. Using fax machines. Global videoconference. Talking through videophones. Behind the scene. The KIDS-92 Celebration. 3,100 kids in two days!

7. KIDLINK in the classroom
Teachers get involved in KIDLINK. Getting started. Helping the kids make friends. Giving the kids their mail. Using responses and mail in the classes. "Hello" messages. Teaming up with other teachers. The end result.

8. Behind the scenes
The story of the people who makes it all happen with notes about how to operate a large project by electronic mail.

9. Future perspectives

Appendices:

1. How to participate in the KIDLINK projects KIDART. Tips about global e-mail addressing.
2. Persons to contact for more information
3. Terms used in this book
4. List of sponsors
5. List of illustrations
6. Index

Please advice publishers, who you think may be interested. They can write Odd de Presno at opresno@extern.uio.no for more information.
Also, a synopsis of the book may be retrieved from the KIDLINK library. This document may help publishers assess the marketability of the book. To get a copy, send a message to the LISTSERV at LISTSERV@vm1.nodak.edu (or LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 on BITNET) with the following command in the TEXT of your message: GET KIDLINK SYNOPSIS

6. Around KIDLINK

There were not many participants in the KIDS-92 Creative Challenge. Coordinator Anne-Tove Vestfossen (Norway) says:
"Those who participated showed so different techniques, that we decided not to select a winner this year.
We do want to express our joy about receiving the wonderful paintings from Armenia and the Oldfield House School in England, the clever computer designed paperworks and even disk-based animation (Macintosh) from San Antonio, Texas, USA.
All the works were exhibited in connection with the Arendal Children's Cultural Week, in the site used for the KIDLINK Celebration."
At the end of August 1992, some members of the KIDLEADR list began "meeting" regularly using a program called Internet Relay Chat (or IRC). The IRC program, which was also used by many participants in the Kids-92 Celebration, allows real-time keyboard "chatting" between people in locations all over the world. One key needed to open this door is a direct Internet connection.
Coordinator Mark Hunnibell reports: "For the people who do have access to IRC, it has been very rewarding, with people checking in from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and USA. Most of the chats have been recorded in 'logs' and are available from the KIDLEADR archives."
If you want more information about this, please e-mail Mark Hunnibell at GUILFORD@Venus.YCC.Yale.Edu .
In November, Mark will represent KIDLINK at a U.S./China Joint Conference on Education in Beijing, China. One highlight of the trip will be the opening of the new Beijing node of the Institute for Global Communications (IGC). This new node means participation in KidLink will be much more accessible for the Chinese as well as cheaper.
There are a number of new works in the Kidlink Gallery of Computer Art.

7. New Documents and Files

These are some new or updated files that are available by e-mail from the KIDLINK archives:

General information:

GENERAL		What is KIDS-93?
NATIONS		Countries participating in KIDLINK
ATIK		Norway: access through Agderforskning (Norwegian)

KIDS-93 Project Information:

PROJECTS		KIDLINK Project Overview
PEOPLE		Kids-93 People

To get a list of all available files in the KIDLINK archives, send a message to LISTSERV@vm1.nodak.edu . In the TEXT of your message, write the command: GET KIDLINK MASTER
To get one of the files from the list above, write the command: GET KIDLINK <filename> as in "GET KIDLINK GENERAL". If you have problems retrieving files, please e-mail Odd de Presno (opresno@extern.uio.no).
New or updated files in the KIDLEADR archives:

IRCHELP1		'How to begin' guide about Internet Relay Chats
IRCHELP2		Definitions of IRC commands
CHAT01		Log of first Chat, 31 Aug 92

Other chat logs are in CHAT02, CHAT03, CHAT04, and CHAT05. To get files from the KIDLEADR library, write the command: GET KIDLEADR <filename> as in "GET KIDLEADR CHAT01".

8. More about KIDS-93

Most of the dialog between the kids is based on electronic mail. During the days 6 - 8 of May 1993, however, the children will be invited to "chat" with each other in a global electronic dialog.
While KIDLINK is an announcement service, our global online discussion forums, KIDLEADR, KIDPROJ, and KIDPLAN, are meeting places for teachers, parents and other persons involved with the KIDS-93 project. KINDEX and KINDEXW are special services set up to help participants cope with the volume of messages in our various conferences.
The project operates the following forums for the children themselves:

RESPONSE		where the children send their personal introductions (their responses to the four introductory questions)
KIDCAFE		where they can 'talk' about anything they like
KIDS-ACT		where they can discuss 'What we can do NOW to make   the world a better place to live'.
KIDFORUM		for exchanges between classroom groups of students.

To join KIDLINK through Internet/BITNET, send the command SUB KIDLINK Yourname to LISTSERV@vm1.NoDak.EDU (for example: SUB KIDLINK Ole Olsen). The command should be in the BODY of the text. The discussion forums are also available through several conferencing system and mail exploders around the world. Write us for more information.
All discussion forums are open for everybody, but only kids between 10 - 15 may write messages in KIDCAFE, KIDS-ACT and KIDFORUM.
A 130+ picture slide show about KIDS-93 is available (for MS- DOS computers with VGA color display). To get a copy, send a formated 1.4MB diskette, an envelope carrying your return address, plus US$10.00 to KIDLINK, 4815 Saltrod, Norway.
You can also get this slide show by Anonymous FTP. For details on how to do it, send a message to the LISTSERV containing the following command: GET KIDLINK KIDSHOW
The KIDS-93 newsletter is an information bulletin for teachers, participants, sponsors, mediators, promoters, and others. Suggestions and contributions are invited. But please don't wait until the next issue to plan activities in your community! Be sure to write us if you want to get on the mailing list for KIDS-93!! Onward!

Editor/Project director:		Odd de Presno, Saltrod, Norway.
Mail address: Telefax:		Saltrod, Norway (Europe). +47 41 27111
Online addresses: Internet: UUCP/EUnet: DASnet: Saltrød Horror Show BBS:		opresno@ulrik.uio.no uunet!ulrik.uio.no!opresno [DEZNDP]opresno SYSOP. Phone: +47 41 31378.

If you want to help out with KIDS-93, or participate, contact the editor, or one of our local contact persons around the world for more information.
For a list of contact persons, send a request to LISTSERV@vm1.nodak.edu (or LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 on BITNET) With the following commands in the TEXT of your message: GET KIDLINK CONTACTS
KIDS-93 has local representatives in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States.
You can also write to KIDLINK, 4815 Saltrod, Norway or just sign up.