Happy Spring from KidNuz! It’s hard to believe that the school year is winding down and the lazy days of summer are right around the corner! We have an update on our June-July-August schedule plus some exciting feedback from our annual survey. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill it out. And a special bonus; an introduction to our roving reporter, Briggs!

Below, please find our top 5 KidNuz headlines for the spring of 2024.

01:
(Survey) Numbers Don't Lie!

In February, KidNuz conducted its 3rd Annual Listening Impact Survey, gathering valuable insights from its dedicated audience. The response rate was impressive, with more than 450 participants sharing their listening habits and experiences.

The results are testimony to the quality of our content and the loyalty of our listeners. On average, KidNuz fans tune in more than four days a week. And it’s a shared experience! Those who listen in schools do so in a class that averages 23 students. Outside the classroom, our young listeners typically tune in with siblings, parents and/or caregivers. 

By the numbers, the influence of fun, fresh current events is clearly transformative:

• Heightened Awareness: 94% report that KidNuz has increased children's awareness of world events 

• Piqued Curiosity: 90% say KidNuz has ignited children's curiosity about stories in the news

• Engaging Conversations: 89% noted that KidNuz has sparked interesting conversations, opening the door to differences of opinion and promoting open dialogue.

• Improved Listening Comprehension:  83% report KidNuz has enhanced listening comprehension, a vital skill for academic and personal growth.

The stats reflect an important reality: KidNuz is a trusted resource for unbiased information and a proven catalyst to get kids talking about the headlines, understanding events and realizing the power of their own voice and vote. 

02:
Return of the Summer Slump Busters

The KidNuz team will enjoy a brief summer hiatus, but we won't go  completely dark. For 8 weeks from June 17 through August 9, we’ll once again deliver our special "Summer Slump Busters." These abbreviated episodes will drop on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, each containing a classic KidNuz story followed by a critical thinking question or exercise designed to get kids looking at recent news from a different, more personal angle.  

Last year we had two generous sponsors for the summer series and are inviting anyone interested in supporting critical thinking opportunities for kids to reach out. We’ll return to our regular fun, fresh episodes on Monday, August 12th, just in time for the new school year. 

03:

KidNuz’ Welcomes a Roving Reporter

Briggs Kossman first lit up a KidNuz podcast when he became the youngest sailor to navigate solo from Cape Code to Martha’s Vineyard. 

Briggs’ background: He is a home schooled, full time sailor who travels with his family anywhere the waves take him. He is the official Ambassador for the Zim Sailing brand and showcases their equipment at regattas nationwide. Briggs just finished the winter sailing season at the US Sailing Center in Jensen Beach where he qualified for the US Optimist Dingy Association National Team Trials. The Team Trials will bring together the top sailors ages 10-15 to compete for placement on International Teams representing the United States world wide. Briggs has been involved in raising money for charities such as St Jude Hospital and Make-a-Wish. When he is not sailing Briggs enjoys skiing, fishing, racing go karts … and reporting for KidNuz!

04:

Teachers Rule!

The 15 members of this year's Teacher Advisory Panel provided excellent feedback and advice to help KidNuz better serve the thousands of students listening in classrooms in the US and around the world. Briggs really resonated with our TAP members and they hope we will continue to include soundbites from as many kids as we can (we will!) They also wisely suggested removing our quiz answers from our transcript to keep prying eyes from doing an end-around.  Many TAP members say they provide a link to KidNuz whenever they have a substitute teacher for the day.

05:

Shout Outs are a Hot Commodity.

For the classroom: At the beginning of each school year, we invite all interested teachers to sign up for a free shout out by filling out a short form on our website. If you or any teacher you know would like to be added to the list, we encourage you to get in the queue as soon as possible. Typically, hundreds of educators sign up within the first month. This year, despite our best efforts, we won't get to all the teachers on our list. 

For the quiz: These aren't free, and are crucial to the financial health of KidNuz. This school year, we had 75 generous families sponsor our quiz to get a personalized mid-roll message delivered by Kim or Tori. If you' re interested, schedule your perfect day soon. We already have days reserved in August and November!

And That's a Wrap

Our annual report for 2023 can be found here. It has a summary of the highlights from last year plus a few of the top stories we covered. It also includes our financial data and growing listener numbers. 

Thank you for your contributions of money, time and talent, that have helped KidNuz thrive for the last 5 years. Your ongoing involvement will be key to our future growth and success. 

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Have a wonderful summer! Please let us know what you think of the Summer Slump Busters and we hope you tune in for new fresh episodes of the KidNuz podcast in mid-August.

In Gratitude,
The KidNuz Team