Kids Eyewitness News

Branch Brook Elementary School Named a 2018 KWN New Vision Award Winning School!


Panasonic and the KWN staff have selected Branch Brook Elementary School as one of three 2018 KWN New Vision Award Winning Schools for their “SM & Internet Safety for Kids” in the Eco-Effect Best PSA of the Year category!

This is a wonderful achievement for our students and we are very proud of them.

Students will attend a private awards luncheon and student exchange on Friday, May 11th at Panasonic HQ in Newark, NJ. As part of the weekend activities, students will also visit Glassroots.

Primary Schools – Human Interest Winners

  • Branch Brook School (Newark, NJ) – “SM & Internet Safety for Kids”
  • Marcus Garvey School (Chicago, IL) – “Overcome your Challenge”
  • Rancho Minerva Middle School (Vista, CA) – “Nurtured by Nature”

3 NPS Schools Named Finalists in Panasonics Kid Witness News Video Contest!

The first round of judging for the Panasonic National Human Interest Stories has been completed! Technology High School video students have place in the top ten for the second year in a row 2017-2018.

These videos were viewed by a panel of judges from the City University of New York, Bronx Community College, Media and Digital Film Production Program – Bronx, NY. They have chosen the top 10 videos from each grade and video category – Human Interest and Eco PSA – that are now being judged by a select group of VIP judges that work within the industry.

The VIP judges will select the top 3 New Vision Award (Human Interest) winning videos from each grade category and the “Best PSA of the Year” Eco Effect winning video. An independent judge will then choose the Human Interest “Best Video of the Year” for Primary and Secondary School.

Top 10 Human Interest – Primary Schools (in alphabetical order):

  • Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School, Charleston, SC – “Why Our City Flooding”
  • Branch Brook School, Newark, NJ – “SM & I’net Safety for Kids”
  • Edwards T. Bowser Elementary School, East Orange, NJ – “Immigrants Impact School”
  • Marcus Garvey School, Chicago, IL – “Overcome Your Challenge”
  • New Roberto Clemente Middle School, Paterson, NJ – “1 LovePeace for Paterson Project”
  • Prairie View Elementary School, Enid, OK – “A Voice for Meredi”
  • Rancho Minerva Middle School, Vista, CA – “Nurtured by Nature”
  • Sheridan JR High School, Sheridan, WY – “Which Door Will You Choose”
  • Travis Ranch School, Yorba Linda, CA – “Efx of Social Media on Teens”
  • Vista Academy Middle School, Denver, CO – “Girl Boss”

Top 10 Human Interest – Secondary Schools (in alphabetical order):

  • Eastlake High School, Chula Vista, CA – “Family is Always First”
  • Gardiner High School, Gardiner, ME – “Library Compliments”
  • HCST County Prep High School, Jersey City, NJ – “Women’s Rights”
  • Kauai High School, Lihue, HI – “A Piece of Home”
  • Maui High School, Kahului, HI – “Just for Show”
  • Maury High School, Norfolk, VA – “Stress: A Monster You Can Manage”
  • Mooresville High School, Mooresville, NC – “Equal Rights”
  • Piscataway High School, Piscataway, NJ – “Snap Judgement”
  • Technology High School, Newark, NJ – “Women’s March”
  • Val Verde High School, Perris, CA – “Stitched Love”

Top 10 Eco PSA – Secondary Schools (in alphabetical order):

  • East Side High School, Newark, NJ – “Urban Gardening”
  • Eastlake High School, Chula Vista, CA – “Trash to Cash”
  • HCST County Prep High School, Jersey City, NJ – “How to Stay Green in 4 Easy Steps”
  • Kauai High School, Lihue, HI – “Global Warming”
  • Maui High School, Kahului, HI – “Our House”
  • Maury High School, Norfolk, VA – “Save the Living Earth”
  • Piscataway High School, Piscataway, NJ – “Destroy all Bacteria”
  • South Plainfield High School, South Plainfield, NJ – “Litter Say What”
  • Val Verde High School, Perris, CA – “Litter-ly Stalked”
  • Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, Staunton, VA – “The Last Supper”

Congratulations to the Finalists!!!

The 20 videos from each grade and video category will be posted on the KWN website in the coming weeks. The top 3 winning schools will be announced by Friday, March 30, 2018. If your school did not make the top 20 videos, please don’t feel discouraged. Everyone did a great job and we are very proud of all your students!

Newark East Side High School Student’s Cyber Bullying Video Top Finalist in Panasonic New Vision Awards Competition

Public service announcement confronts life-threatening impact of online teen harassment, progresses to contest finals in Social Issues category

EastSideAntiBullyingPhoto

[Newark NJ, April 2, 2014] Newark Public Schools student Eric Arce is a national finalist in Panasonic Corporation’s 2014 Kid Witness News (KWN) New Visions Awards for his public service announcement video titled Cyber Bullying. The powerful short piece has been named one of four finalists in the contest’s “Social Issues” category and will now compete for top national billing as the “Best Video of the Year,” to be announced on May 9. Contest judges from the City University of New York Media and Digital Film Production Program (Bronx, NY) selected Arce’s video, first as a “top 10” out of 48 submissions and ultimately as one of four finalists. The “Best of the Year” winner will represent the U.S. in Panasonic’s KWN Global Competition, competing against top winners from more than 620 schools worldwide.

“This piece has shone the spotlight on Eric and East Side High School’s New Media Studies team, not just for their videography skills, but for their outstanding peer leadership as well,” said Newark Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Brad Haggerty. ”In less than 2 1/2 minutes, Eric’s video conveys the enormous pain and desperation experienced by victims of cyber bullying, which affects approximately 43% of our youth. Offering a peek into the potentially destructive power of online interactions, the hard-hitting message is clearly expressed, urging young viewers to ‘think twice before sending that message’ of harassment. We’re extremely proud to have Eric as a video ambassador for the Newark Public Schools.“As an award-winner, Eric, his New Media Studies teacher Thomas R. Wolverton and members of the East Side High School team will receive a trophy, a banner to display in their school and recognition on the KWN website. Along with the three other finalist teams — from Enid, Oklahoma Ft. Piece, Florida and Denver, Colorado — the Newark Public Schools representatives will attend the May 9 “Winners Weekend,” which happens to be held in Newark, NJ, Panasonic’s North American Headquarters. The school that wins the “Best Video of the Year” award will represent the United States in the KWN global competition.

Kid Witness News, a part of Panasonic’s bigger New Vision Awards, is a hands-on international video education program for grades 4-12 that encourages students to develop valuable cognitive, communication and organizational skills through the use of state-of-the-art video technology. Panasonic provides students with equipment so that they can communicate stories that are important to them and their communities. According to Marilyn Joseph, Panasonic’s Vice President of Community Relations and Corporate Outreach Programs, while from schools across the country and around the world, the messages in participating students’ videos have common themes that reflect the world they live in and affect their everyday lives.

NJTV News: Newark Student’s PSA Draws Attention to Cyber Bullying
By: Michelle Sartor Lang |April 28, 2014

Cyber bullying has become a major issue at schools with the popularity of social media sites among students. One student at East Side High School in Newark has created a public service announcement to raise awareness about cyber bullying through a powerful video.

NJ.COM:Newark student’s anti-bullying video selected as finalist in national contest
By: Peggy McGlone/For The Star-Ledger | April 7, 2014

East Side High School student Eric Arce is one of four finalists in Panasonic’s national Kid Witness News 2014 video awards for his two-minute video about cyber-bullying.

NEWARK, NJ: Ironbound: Newark East Side High student’s cyber bullying video finalist in Panasonic New Vision Awards
By: Luso Americano | March 20, 2014

The national finalists for Panasonic’s annual New Vision Awards will be announced on March 25. Highlighting excellence in student videography, the international contest features entries from across the world. This year, Newark Public School’s East Side High student Eric Arce has made it to the United States finals in the “Social Issues” category, and is a contender to win a spot in the international competition for his powerful short piece Cyber Bullying. The video takes a hard look at this national epidemic and confronts the dire, life threatening impact that online bullying and digital harassment can have.

East Side Student’s Cyber Bullying Video a Finalist in Panasonic New Vision Awards

By: East Side High School | March 12, 2014

A powerful depiction of how cyberbullying can affect our youth. Cyberbullying affects 43% of students. Bullying is not just physical. Think twice before sending that message.