Reporters' day out on World Heritage Day

Can an email get the young reporters out in the Sun to capture the heritage of the city?

It does at YOCee. 

A few groups have planned heritage walks and bicycle rides in the city this week end to mark World Heritage Day. We thought the cub reporters would also love to do a round capturing images of places of interest and of those that have history behind them. And they picked up the idea and went around shooting places in their neighbouthood.

We have laid out all the photos we received in a photo gallery on the website.

It was good to see Dhurai A N, who writes often on sports came up with a panoramic image of the 400 year old Somanathaswamy temple in Kolathur this time.

A few reporters who are holidaying have also mailed pictures from wherever they are. Sandhya Varadharajan is now spending her vacation in Srirangam and she mailed a picture of the Chitra therottam (tem[ple car procession) at Srirangam.

Here is the photo gallery for you!

 

Student Reporter Programme for this year is now open

It was the Summer of 2007, YOCee launched its first Student Reporter Programme. But it was a big surprise for Team YOCee when we looked at our inbox and saw more than a hundred applications.

We had to restrict our focus on a small number to run the programme effectively. And we selected 25 students from various parts of the city, studying in different schools.

From then on, around three dozen children train in reporting and writing. The number now includes the new set of students applying for the programme every year and those who continue from the past years.

The exercise has been a very enjoyable experience for us. Along with the kids, we too learnt a lot in working in the field, especially when the reporters are young and still in schools.

We have just published the details and the online application form for this year's programme. As in the past, many query us if this is an ongoing or weekend course. And we repeat our answer, "No."
The programme encourages the young people to gather news and to come up with their own story ideas. We too sometimes, find and suggest news for them to report. We guide them on how to go about with these stories. When they file their reports, we try and get those unanswered questions and gaps in their reports by them. We do not want to just edit and publish.

One thing we are clear about is, we do not want to push and pressurise the children. Their interest in writing should not become a burden on them with too many things to do in their list.

Children make documentary films

For the first time in the nine years, YOCee hosted a summer camp in documentary film making this year from March 25 to April 1, 2015. Ramya Vasudevan, a VisCom expert gamely worked with young people indoors and on the filed and made two films.
The films were screened on the last day of the camp.

Some pictures from the camp:

Cub reporters for the eight year at YOCee

Can't believe it is eight years since YOCee launched its Student Reporters Programme.
The records show that about 100 students from class 6 and above apply for the programme every year. But we would like to take focus on a smaller batch and train them well.

This year too we received four short of 100 entries. Most of them from the crucial years in school - class 10, 11 and 12! This is a little strange, as we have not received many from students of these classes.
A few of them have expressed interest in taking writing and reporting as a career. It is good to see young people looking at other options than the traditional science and arts apart from the crowded engineering courses.

But, we do not advocate any specific course for the young minds. We believe in taking up things of their choice. But, we do make them believe that writing is one thing which can be pursued irrespective of any career choice. Yes, many children, who trained with YOCee as Student Reporters have proven this.

Here is a list pf 35 young people who are going to keep the website alive for the year beginning June. http://yocee.in/2014/05/list-of-student-reporters-selected-for-2014-15/

Do read their report and encourage them. Your feedback is important for the young writers.

A directory for kids and parents - Chennai Kids Directory

This is the fifth year YOCee has brought out this little directory.
A directory of where you can find the resources for pursuing your passion.
Your interests in hobbies need to nurtured. You deserve a holistic childhood, don't you?

So, this is what we thought of and tried putting the information relating to all the places you could pursue your hobbies.

Broadly classified under the categories Aeromodelling, Art and Crafts, Computer and Technology, Dance, Language, Maths, Music, Playschools, Science, Self defence, Spoken English, Sports, Storytelling, Theatre, Yoga, the directory is a 144 page handy booklet.

Is the directory priced?
No, the directory comes for FREE! But, the information provided in the directory is priceless!

You could pick up a copy from the points mentioned here.

If you find this book useful, do spread word.
Drop us a line too. It will encourage Team YOCee a lot!

Shakespearean English? We use it daily!

For goodness sake, don't use all this flowery English with me! I am not that good in language.

Do you hear people saying this?
Not many, these days, because, many of the words and phrases that Shakespeare used 400 years ago have come to stay in daily use of English.
Surprising?
The words such as 'rant', 'fashionable' are among many words he coined.
"Haven't you slept one wink during examination time?" Shakespeare did it first.

Here is an article written on the occasion of William Shakespeare's 450th birthday.
Read it. Interesting!

Know your country, election and manifesto

If you think that elections are only for those above 18 and could cast their votes, think again.
Today's young people in schools are tomorrow's voters. The schools also conduct elections for Head boy and Head girl these days. Many Model United Nations (MUN) sessions are held in schools. All these introduce the young people to the administration of  countries, the ministers and their portfolios ...

When this is the season of elections in the country, we came across a website that has come up with information regarding elections for children.

The website http://smartur.com/elections/ has fun facts, info graphics and invites manifesto from children. There are some Bhangra, Lungi dance for the top contestants!
Check this and know all about elections the fun way.