littleBits, the award-winning company that empowers kids to be inventors, today announced the launch of its Droid Inventor Kit, which enables kids to create their own Droid. An integral part of the global launch of Disney and Lucasfilm's Force Friday II, the Droid Inventor Kit brings Droids to life, inspiring imagination and invention for kids around the world. Kids can easily create and power up their own mechanical companion using littleBits electronic Bits--along with the free Droid Inventor app--to send their creation on more than 17 special Star Wars missions, complete with authentic Droid sounds from the Star Wars films. As they unlock new capabilities and level up their Droid Inventor skills, kids can also learn how to create their own custom R2 Units and experiences, combining play with real hands-on learning.
“Today we are continuing a global inventor movement that empowers young people to participate in a story that inspires them to be creators, not just consumers of technology,” said Ayah Bdeir, founder & CEO of littleBits. “We’ve created a gender-inclusive product that celebrates kids’ own self-expression and ingenuity, while showcasing the same characteristics of imagination, grit and invention that are embodied in the Star Wars franchise.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8170651-littlebits-droid-inventor-kit-star-wars-kids-toys-stem/
A recent survey fielded by Febreze and ZzzQuil found twenty-two percent of those who struggle to fall asleep more on Sunday night are young adults. Jenni Pulos, star of Bravo’s Flipping Out, has partnered with Febreze and ZzzQuil to help Americans achieve a better night sleep. Jenni dishes on bedtime routine and bedroom design tips to fall asleep easily and sleep soundly.
UNCF and the Ad Council are joining Paramount Pictures to launch a series of public service advertisements (PSAs) featuring footage from the upcoming film SELMA and original music written for the film by Common and John Legend. The :30 television spot, created pro bono by Paramount Pictures, will air on television stations in donated media around the country starting this week.
The PSAs are an extension of UNCF and Ad Council’s Better Futures campaign which aims to help African American students get to and through college by demonstrating how an investment in young people is an investment in all our futures. The campaign is a focused effort to remind Americans that their investments in education can change the life of a well-deserving student, and more importantly, the lives of generations to come.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7390751-uncf-ad-council-join-paramount-pictures-to-close-the-african-american-college-completion-gap/
Today at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York City, the Ad Council in partnership with Year Up, the Employment Pathways Project, ConPRmetidos, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, New Options Project, and Opportunity Nation launched the national “Grads of Life” campaign to help businesses fill more than 4 million vacant positions within the United States with qualified workers. The launch took place during CGI’s inaugural in-person meeting of the new Youth Employment Action Network attended by both business and non-profit leaders.
Secretary Hillary Clinton shared a message in support of the launch: “As we continue the work of Job One at The Clinton Foundation, we need to continue to build partnerships and to recruit more businesses to solve this important economic challenge. The Grads of Life PSA campaign is the first effort to drive employer demand for the millions of low-income young adults that are a huge source of untapped talent in our country and through GradsofLife.org employers can now access the first-ever online platform for the information, tools, and resources they need to take action today. I am asking employers, educators, non-profits, community leaders to join me and the Grads of Life campaign in this bold agenda to grow our economy and to create new opportunities for tomorrow’s leaders.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7328451-new-grads-of-life-campaign-launched-to-bridge-the-gap-between-employers-and-opportunity-youth/
Providence Place at the center for higher independence help the young adults with disabilities gain the work, life and social skills to live independently.
Rife with edgy suspense, and epic conflict, The Ivory Staff follows a young woman as she journeys to save a nation broken by warfare, armed with nothing but determination.
Praised by critics for her knack for storytelling, M.Lachi showcases her talent with prose, and intricate subplotting in this Socio Fantasy. http://www.mlachi.com Fantasy
Chocolate milk brand YUP! and digital media company Onion, Inc. are rallying teens and young adults across the nation to join the ‘Nothing Hour’ movement.
The beverage brand is shaking up the chocolate milk market by bringing an unconventional twist to a familiar category, using social marketing to appeal to young adults and teens rather than the usual mom and kid target.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7862951-the-onion-yup-nothing-hour/
Set in an alternate history where the the sun never set on the British Empire and the Crown uses the power of Steam to rule most of the world, Gideon Smith is a rollicking steampunk adventure of how a lowly young lad can become the Hero of the Empire. Learn more about this book http://bit.ly/GideonSmith and author http://davidbarnett.wordpress.com Steampunk / Fantasy
“A broad river is in waves, the rice flowers are sweet smelling over the banks…” On August 1, Chinese Army Day, an eye-catching ‘Flash Mob’ took place at Ginza Square, Tokyo, three Chinese young men, with deep affection, performing a ‘Red Song’ My Motherland, one of the classic songs written in praise of the Communist Party of China.
As they said, to fulfill their shared promise made five years ago, these three youngsters travelled a long distance from Nanchang, ‘the City of Heroes’ of China, gathering in Japan to express their patriotism and affection for their home country in the form of singing red song chorus. Accompanying their singing was an official promo of Nanchang displayed on the huge screen at the back of them. As images of Nanchang’s unique landmarks like the Monument of Nanchang Uprising, Tengwang Pavilion and the Twin Tower flittered one by one, their melody brought passersby, especially overseas Chinese back to that heroic city which, 90 years ago, once gave birth to the first authentic people’ army led by the Communist Party of China.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8155151-nanchang-tourism-chinese-army-day/
Today, Atom Factory CEO Troy Carter announced plans to host a second season of Smashd Labs from September 6 to November 18. For the inaugural class, there were over 200 applicants in two weeks, six startups in the inaugural cohort, 30 mentors, founders as young as 19 years old, and over $2M raised from investments within six months of the lab’s concluding Demo Day.
“We’re proud of the success the participating startups have had to date, and look forward to growing the Smashd Labs family by adding an additional set of startups led by talented founders with platforms and tech that can disrupt entertainment and culture,” stated Atom Factory CEO Troy Carter, who most recently served as a guest shark on the latest season of ABC’s hit prime-time show Shark Tank.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7817451-atom-factory-smashd-labs-startups/