New to our BIG team is Ruby, age 13

Our BIG kids do such an amazing job. Some shine behind the scenes and others on the printed page. Ruby is our latest edition, and at age 13 has already made her mark in the BIG team with a published article in her school magazine (about BIG of course!) She is an intrepid reporter and a BIG thinker. We loved her thoughts on FRIENDSHIP and moving from primary school from high school:

Self portrait by Ruby, age 13.

This year I started at a very big, very busy place, this place is called high school. Coming from a school with 59 students I wasn't sure how a place with over 1000 students worked (especially ones who were so much bigger than me). There were only 5 year sixes whenI graduated primary. When I started high school I knew one person. Over thecourse of the year I have tried to find a 'best friend', I have made lotsof 'just friends' along the way. Turns out, my best friends are all still at my primary school. My best friends are both in year 5. I just really want kids everywhere to know that its ok not to have your best friend at school with you. Your best friend doesn't have to be the same age,same look, live in the same area. Nothing! Your best friend is the person who laughs with you, smiles with you and has a great time with you. One of the most important things to me is that kids everywhere know that its ok to be friends with whoever you like, regardless what other people think.

Bravery is...the courage to say what you think and letting nothing stop you from doing what you think is right.

Imagination is...seeing thinking nobody else would dream of.

Generosity is...helping people be brave and imaginative.

Sneak preview - Introducing our junior feature writer, Zali.

At last we are ready to share some sneak previews of what will be flying in the pages of BIG Kids Magazine. Hurrah! When Zali first answered our BIG invitation with a "Tee Hee!!" of excited response, we knew we had found our junior feature writer. Her enthusiasm is contagious and we are amazed at her efforts in writing her first 'feature' article. With a mission to write a tutorial to make it possible for our readers to make their own claymation animation, Zali has delivered a series of step-by-steps that will have BIG kids everywhere making mini-movies of their own (and is sure to get some bigger kids fired up about film-making too!). We hope you enjoy this BIG premiere of Zali's "Earnest and the Bird", made in response to our launch theme of "First Flight". Zali has made other claymations, including the gorgeous   Apple Tree, and has a wonderful artist-mother, Hailey Bartholomew, of the the 365 grateful project,  who took these fabulous photos for us.    

                                          Earnest and the bird. from behappyblythe on Vimeo.

Zali flying her bird for the BIG animation "Earnest and the Bird"

Earnest and clay Earnest

And here they are! The BIG Junior Editors.

A very BIG welcome to Pippa, Jonah and Molly who join Luca, BG and Barney as our official Junior BIG editors. Hurrah!

Molly, age 11, Perth, Western Australia

Bravery is...facing fears

Imagination is...creativity

Generosity is...giving to others

Molly

--------

Jonah, age 10,  Halls Gap, Victoria

  Bravery is... standing up for yourself and for what you believe  in.

Imagination is... letting your mind go wild.

Generosity is... helping and being nice.

Jonah, rock climbing

----

Pippa, age 9, Perth, Western Australia

Bravery is... when you do something you never thought you could do before.

Imagination is... what you think. If you think of something crazy or weird or funny or... pretty much anything then that's imagination!

Generosity is... when you do something to help someone else. If you give your money to the poor, it helps them so that's generosity. Putting dirty clothes in the wash is also generosity because it helps your parents and it also helps you!

Pippa

 --------
 Introductions of our Junior correspondents are still to come. Creative kids are everywhere and we are gathering quite a media circus of responses to help us on this BIG journey. Places are still open for BIG correspondents - so if you know a child who would like to respond to BIG things from time to time email us at bigkidsmagazine@gmail.com.

Introducing the BIG Junior Editors

Barney, age 8, (Sydney, NSW)

by Barney

by Barney

 

Bravery is closing my eyes in the dark

Imagination is my art

Generosity is putting my brothers smelly socks away

 Luca, age 8, Perth, Western Australia

Bravery is if you jump off a plank and save them

Imagination is when you think up something and just do it

Generosity is how you be to people

by Luca

BG, age 10, NSW

Bravery is doing what is right even though others think it is wrong.

Imagination is the space called creativity and also helps us to learn and solve problems phyisically mentally and emotnaliy in a postive and creative way(sic).

Genrosotiy is giving with out payment but with love no matter how great(sic).

by BG

These three spirited, brave, imaginative and generous kids have set the benchmark for BIG things. They were original contributors to Bird Call and now will directly participate in choosing content for BIG Kids Magazine. If you know a child who might like to come on board the BIG ship as an integral part of the crew,  we would love to hear from you. We have 2 final spots for the junior editorial team and some further 'positions' for kids who want to be on a list of 'BIG supporters' who just want to 'respond' to ideas, have their say or be a 'tester' of BIG things, when and if they feel like it. 

We are so excited to welcome Luca, BG and Barney and to hearing more from them in the lead up to launch day!