NO KIDDING!
July 16, 2011
It's wonderful and heartwarming when a reunion with dear ones fires up memories of times gone by when you shared fun, laughter, ideas...shared your lives with one another. Michael and I recently had the occasion to be part of a reunion to which a very dear young mother attended with her family...she was one of my original KID STUFF kids...Kristi!
KID STUFF was one of the first of Central New York's (if not THE first) television show for children...BY CHILDREN. I was a newbie in the world of producing television shows (just out of college for COMMUNICATIONS) and started KID STUFF as a public access show, produced with community resources at our local cable system offices. (I worked as a television producer for (eventually) TimeWarner Cable for about 25 years, producing social issue documentaries and short features...it was the BEST job EVER!!! The opportunity for learning was infinite.) The children were all locals...friends of my daughter, Michelle, (also a KID STUFF kid,)
children of family friends
as well as kids recommended by the local schools. There were 8 kids in all, ranging in age from 7 to 12...different schools, different interests...all loved television but had no TV experience. We all learned together!
The kids did some of the camera and audio work, idea-producing, writing as well as all the on air interviewing...)
We adjusted the lights (when in the studio and not shooting outside,) tested the microphones, focused the cameras...
and for several years during the 1980's, presented KID STUFF to audiences of children across the United States on cable television networks.
I must say that I had wonderful "big kids" working with me to keep the production going as it took many hours to plan, shoot, write then edit it all together in a segement to air...and each show had several segments (to hold the kids' interest.)
Michelle did all the segment introduction art...not necessarily by choice- she lived with the producer :o) ...
KID STUFF was truly a show FOR kids...BY kids. I'm proud of all we accomplished as a group...actually a few groups, as the 8 KID STUFF kids changed when they "aged out" through the years. All the participating kids were outstanding!
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| There's our second group with Cherie holding one of our Awards for Cable Excellence (ACE)...the equivalent of an Emmy in cable |
We always presented issues relevant to the kids. We covered local stories that had national implications and national stories that had local ones. We offered a kid's-eye view of the world by covering newsworthy events, human issues, visited landmarks and places of interest, reported on kids of outstanding achievement and reviewed current movies, books and music. The show was designed to inform and entertain ...not a fluff show at all. It was a tool to make kids more aware of as well as responsible to their individual surroundings both environmentally and personally. It made them comfortable with those different from them, ultimately discovering that they had the same feelings, interests...the same heart!
Amazingly, the television industry recognized KID STUFF early on and bestowed us with several national awards...comparable to an Emmy...in cable.
We were also recognized by the renown ACTION for CHILDREN'S TELEVISION national award out of Boston...the premiere organization for monitoring children's programming throughout the country. THAT was a biggie, too!
The awards were wonderful recognition for all our hard work...KID STUFF kids and "big kids" alike... and the dedication of the parents of KID STUFF kids too. But, I was most pleased by the strides made by the youngsters. When they started, several were timid standing in front of a camera or speaking into a microphone. But, after a short time, they developed a sense of poise and self-confidence that was noticeable and AWESOME. They could talk with anyone of any age in an almost adult manner! I must admit that I was amazed at what these kids accomplished! The parents often commented to me about the change in their child because of the show. Even today, I sometimes hear a comment from a parent of a KID STUFF kid about how the show helped their child in a way that has benefited them in their adult lives. What more could I have wished for?
I was a teacher for 4 years before I returned to college for COMMUNICATIONS. But, I've always been a teacher at heart. I thought KID STUFF would be a continuation of my teaching in a more fun format...but indeed, I ended up LEARNING!
A special thank you to Kristi for reminding me (unbeknownst to her, sitting there with her beautiful family) that she'd bring on this reminiscing about long ago and far away...and thanks ALWAYS and continuously to my own dear daughter, Michelle, (and her extraordinary family,) for being a constant reminder of what I would have wanted every Kid Stuff kid to become!
'Til the next...
xox
abbyj
