Digital Story Telling with Homeless Students
Posted on 02. Jan, 2010 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Power of Vision, TEL.A.VISION Stories
Lanise Block enjoyed using TEL.A.VISION in her classroom and decided to use it in a “Digital Story Telling” project with the homeless. She was surprised by how well the project was accepted by her students.
Research points to the importance of instilling hope and optimism in youth
Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Power of Vision
University of Minnesota Medical School researcher Iris Borowsky, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues found that one in seven adolescents believe that it is highly likely that they will die before age 35, and this belief predicted that the adolescents’ would engage in risky behaviors.
“While conventional wisdom says that teens engage in risky behaviors because they feel invulnerable to harm, this study suggests that in some cases, teens may take risks because they overestimate their vulnerability, specifically their risk of dying,” Borowsky said. “These youth may take risks because they feel hopeless and figure that not much is at stake.”
This fatalistic view varied notably across social groups with significant differences by sex, race/ethnicity, family structure, and receipt of public assistance. More than 29 percent of American-Indian, 26 percent of African-American, 21 percent of Hispanic, and 15 percent of Asian youth reported believing they would die young—compared with 10 percent of their Caucasian peers. Nearly 25 percent of youth living in households that received public assistance also shared this belief.
“Our findings reinforce the importance of instilling a sense of hope and optimism in youth,” Borowsky said. “Strong connections with parents, families, and schools, as well as positive media messages, are likely important factors in developing an optimistic outlook for young people.”
Native Americans, blacks and low-income teens – kids who are disproportionately exposed to violence and hardship – were much more likely than whites to believe they’d die young.
“We know some things about how to promote optimism and hope in youth,” Borowsky explained. “Parents matter — involved, caring, connected parents,” she said. “Schools matter — school connectedness, creating a climate where students feel a part of their school and safe at school, and media matters — given the power of media to convey both positive and negative messages to a large audience of young people.”
Vision – Awakening Your Potential to Create a Better World
Posted on 27. May, 2009 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Power of Vision
If you’ve found your way to the TEL.A.VISION blog you must be interested in vision. Our friend, Dr. Peter Benson, from the SEARCH Institute has just written a book called “Vision – Awakening Your Potential to Create a Better World”. It is available here from the Templeton Press.
I’ve read the book and believe it is the perfect compliment to creating a vision video. Our hope is to create a curriculum on vision that would include reading the book and creating a TEL.A.VISION video.
Here are the publishers comments from the book’s order page:
According to Peter L. Benson, the capacity to generate vision is among life’s most beautiful and unheralded gifts. To him, a vision is more than just a goal, more than just a dream of what could be—it is a summons, a pull towards the future, an inspired call to make real that which should be. In Vision: Awakening Your Potential to Create a Better World Benson takes readers on an uplifting exploration of this powerful concept.
Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down. I’m sure you will enjoy it also.
TEL.A.VISION Adopted by all Youth
Posted on 24. Apr, 2009 by Ringmaster in All Posts, How to Help!, Vision Videos
We started piloting TEL.A.VISION by working with 120 5th graders at a suburban school. The students and teachers readily adopted it. One Teacher said,”I can think of nothing I could have done to get to know my students better.”
Next we took TEL.A.VISION to a Junior High and 350 7th graders completed TEL.A.VISIONs. The students were near unanimous in calling the project their favorite homework assignment of the year. One girl, who hadn’t completed an assignment all year finished her video and in her diary said “Its about time someone asked us what we wanted.”
We created a Vision for an alternative School in Switzerland and the teacher said ” This is the best behaved I have ever seen our children.”
A class of slow learners did TEL.A.VISION videos. The teacher said ” These are kids who don’t read, don’t right and don’t participate. We were blown away with what they accomplished.” ( One of there videos is shown below.)
Recently a group of teenage girls of color, the Divas, completed beautiful TEL.A.VISION videos. They did a beautiful job and the teachers are already using the videos as a way to reinforce studying habits and appropriate behavior.
A few weeks ago I was at the Red Wing Juvenile Corrections Facility. The warden loves the idea of having the residents create TEL.A.VISION videos. I asked one resident if he would like to do one. He said he already knew what he would say in his:
- I make my mother proud
- I get my GED and graduate from High School
- I find a full time job
- I hang with friends that appreciate me
What we have seen is that all youth regardless of economic status, age, race or personal circumstances want the opportunity to dream of their futures of hope and possibility. Please help us spread the word.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/media/15/543d53632c849267/89952696a5a79e8c.flvDreamlist Radio Interview with TEL.A.VISION Founder
Posted on 10. Apr, 2009 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Supporters
TEL.A.VISION Founder George Johnson recently had a 30 minute conversation with Dreamlist Radio host Melissa Borghorst. The purpose of Dreamlist Media is to encourage people to follow their dreams. You can learn more about Dreamlist Media on their web site. You can listen to the interview by clicking the button below.
Wired for 2020 to Feature TEL.A.VISION and DIVAS
Posted on 02. Apr, 2009 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Supporters, TEL.A.VISION Stories
About Wired for 2020
TEL.A.VISION and Project Divas will be at the Wired for 2020 event at the Mall of America from 10-5 on Saturday April 18th. Come and learn how to make a TEL.A.VISION Video and than sit down at one of our interactive stations and make one yourself. Here is a link to a post about the Divas project.
Mentor and Youth Engagement
Wired for 2020 is the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota’s year long engagement campaign to get more mentors involved with youth in the state of Minnesota. It is our mission to interest caring adults in becoming mentors to youth. Caring adults who are willing to help young people spark their future career interests and expand their possibilities. Through the Wiredfor2020.com website and event at the Mall of America on April 18th, the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota hopes to provide youth and their mentors with resources, edutainment, and social media tools to engage them in conversations about their future opportunities.
The Wired for 2020 Event is at the Mall of America Event on Saturday 4.18.09 from 10am-5pm in the Best Buy Rotunda and the West Market and is open to the public.
Dr. Walsh Sees TEL.A.VISION Having a Worldwide Impact
Posted on 09. Mar, 2009 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Supporters
Dr. David Walsh the founder and CEO of the Institute for Media and the Family understands the positive and negative effects of television and computer usage better than anyone. He said “I am excited and pleased to support your work to make TEL.A.VISION available to children and youth everywhere. It is both an exciting technology and one capable of enriching the lives of millions.“
TEL.A.VISION is about youth telling their stories. Dr. Walsh continued, “I believe that whover tells the stories defines the culture. I am so excited about TelAVision because it combines powerful cutting edge technology with storytelling. The result will be a generation of children and youth who become creators of stories that will engage enlighten and give voice to their dreams for a better world.“
If you get a chance, catch Dr. Walsh’s latest book “No. Why Kids-of All Ages-Need It and Ways Parents Can Say It“
Click Continue Reading to read Dr. Walsh’s full letter of support for TEL.A.VISION. (more…)
TJ’s Vision
Posted on 18. Dec, 2008 by Ringmaster in All Posts, Power of Vision, Vision Videos
TJ’s vision is to play basketball at the University of Wisconsin. I first met him 2 years ago as a player on my son’s basketball team. His legs were so thin I used to worry that he would break them running down the court.
As part of his school’s involvement with TEL.A.VISION, he created his TEL.A.VISION and we had a parents night to show off all the student’s vision videos.
The day after parent’s night, I received an email from his mother who said that after watching his video, she realized what a disservice she had done to her son. She knew he wanted to play basketball at the University of Wisconsin but kept telling him exactly why that wouldn’t be possible. What she now realized is that it doesn’t matter if he plays basketball there at all, but instead that she support him in his dream.
This year TJ is on my son’s basketball team again. He has become the best player on the team. I asked him if he still had a vision of playing at the University of Wisconsin and he said, “You betcha.“
Quick word of advice: I wouldn’t bet against TJ and his dream.
Follow Us
Join Our Facebook Page
