Splash Magazine

09/08/2022

We need this to happen here in Nebraska and in every state. A clear majority believes abortion in most cases is a right. Although our humanity as women and civilians, whose right to privacy and right against undue search and seizure is protected by the US Constitution, it is better that voters decide rather than right-wing and/or ignorant politicians.

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The Michigan Supreme Court ordered Thursday that a citizen-initiative ballot measure seeking to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution be added to the November ballot.

07/05/2018

A woman who had climbed up to the robes of the Statue of Liberty in a protest over the separation of migrant families on the border was taken into custody after a standoff with police on the Fourth of July.

06/21/2018

Photo by Gage Skidmore ● The number of children separated from their parents at the border since April is almost equal to the number t...

06/21/2018

Are we ready to denounce this practice in EVERY CASE that involves the unnecessary traumas caused to children and parents when crude and incompetent government authorities forcibly remove children from their homes for reasons other than imminent injury or threats of death? I certainly hope so.

The inhumane act of taking crying children from their desperate parents and even nursing newborns from the arms of their mothers, has been so thoroughly dismissed as non-important by the general public and agencies like the ACLU for so long, it’s a wonder people can see at all the incredible cruelty and harm perpetrated by child removals at the border.

Just because in one case these same government agents say “illegal migrants” vs “child protection,” doesn’t change the effect or the realities faced by children who are traumatized every day by crude parent-child separations.

This practice must be STOPPED across the board.

Responding to revelations by Tampa, Florida television station WFLA-TV, revelations that included foster children forced to spend their days, and sometimes nights, literally parked in cars in a convenience store parking lot, the head of the Florida Department of Children and Families,

09/28/2015

Splash! Magazine at the Small Business Expo - hosted by Small Guy Promotions at the Kroc Center in South Omaha yesterday.

08/23/2015

We are back in the process of putting together our pilot issue of Splash! Magazine. It's going to be AWESOME!

07/14/2014

Are you a kid? Are you interested in helping make magazines? If you are, and you're between ages 10-19, you might be just what we are looking for!

------ More details:

Join our very first Youth Editorial Board (YEB)! We especially want youth who are committed to learning about journalism and magazine publishing, as well as young people who are already engaged in various aspects of newspaper or magazine production in school.

Youth Editorial Board Members should be between the ages of 10 - 19.

To apply (or ask questions about this opportunity), send a note to [email protected] (NOT dot com) with "Youth Editorial Board" in the subject line. Then supply answers to the following (13) questions:

1. Your name
2. Your age / grade
3. Your school
4. Your contact information (email / phone number)
5. Your parent's contact information (email / phone number)
6. The reason(s) you are interested in serving on the editorial board
7. Being a YEB member requires a year commitment (2-hour educational meetings once each week and 3-hour production meetings every other Saturday morning. Occasional field trips). Are you able to commit to this schedule?

(You MUST be serious about learning, interested in contributing to creating Splash! each month, be able to work kindly and respectfully with your team, and be willing to attend the majority of scheduled editorial meetings (Youth Editorial Board members serve for "sessions." Sessions last one year. Meetings are held each week: Tuesdays from 6-8pm and every other Saturday from 9-noon. -- The Tuesday meetings are educational, and the Saturday meetings are for issue-planning and creation. Additional special meetings and events will be announced).

8. Three main reasons why you think you'd be great on the Splash! Magazine team.
9. Three main ways you think serving on the board will help you in your life.
10. Share your favorite hobbies, activities, and interests.
11. Share three story ideas you would like to see written about in Splash! Magazine (stories can be about a general topic, an important social issue, a person, a profession, a local business or organization, etc...).
12. Why do you think your story ideas would be good for Splash! Magazine?
13. Share a favorite joke or riddle!

07/12/2014

Progress! We are getting so much closer!

Last week we met with a wonderful mentor from the Omaha Chamber of Commerce and our incorporation papers have now been sent off to the Secretary of State.

We have a roadmap for getting a pilot issue created and published, so we can encourage sponsors and donors to help us fund this very worthy endeavor.

So, get ready all you adults! We will be calling on you to either be a mentor to a young writer for a story, or to be the subject of an interview.

And if you are a kid, let us know if you want to learn some journalism skills and become published. We need you now!

email us at [email protected] (NOT dot com ;)).

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Also, we're looking for members of our first Youth Editorial Board (YEB). We especially want youth who are committed to learning about journalism and magazine publishing, as well as young people who are already engaged in various aspects of newspaper or magazine production in school.

Youth Editorial Board Members should be between the ages of 10 - 19.

To apply (or ask questions about this opportunity), send a note to [email protected] (NOT dot com) with "Youth Editorial Board" in the subject line, and answers to the following (13) questions:

1. Your name
2. Your age / grade in the upcoming school year (if applicable)
3. Your school
4. Your contact information (email / phone number)
5. Your parent's contact information (email / phone number)
6. The reason(s) you are interested in serving on the editorial board
7. Explain your ability to commit to your role as a "YEB."

(You MUST be serious about learning, interested in contributing in a real way to creating Splash! each month, able to work kindly and respectfully with your team, and willing to attend the majority of scheduled editorial meetings (Youth Editorial Board members serve for "sessions" that last one year each. Meetings are held each week - Tuesdays from 6-8pm and every other Saturday from 9-noon. -- The Tuesday meetings are educational, and the Saturday meetings are for issue-planning and creation).

8. Three main reasons why you think you'd be great on the Splash! Magazine team
9. Three main ways you think serving on the board will help you
10. Your favorite hobbies, activities, and interests
11. One story idea you would like to see written about in Splash! Magazine (could be a general topic, an important social issue, a person, a profession, a local business or organization, etc...)
12. Why you think your story idea would be good for Splash! Magazine
13. Your favorite joke or riddle!

Thanks!

11/04/2013

We are collecting contacts for interested children and mentors! If your children or teens would like to be part of Splash! Magazine (as writers, photographers, artists or poets) send them our way!

Just go to http://splashmagazine.org/ and sign them up!

10/11/2013

October 1997

09/18/2013

Just had one of the COOLEST experiences (which is what makes Splash! Magazine so magical).

I was sitting at my desk in the Splash! office (located in the Metro Media Productions building at 4200 N. 30th Street in Omaha), and I just signed up our first young Splash! reporter.

His name is Christopher, and he's 10 years old. A 5th grader at Miller Park Elementary who told me he loves to write and that he won $100 by passing the NeSA writing test.

I told him we needed him for the magazine, and I asked what his interests are. He said meteorology. PERFECT!!!

So of course, the way Splash! works is this:

I explained that I would pair him with one of our adult mentors and assign him to do a story on weather/meteorology.

He said he knows which local meteorologist he would love to interview, and that he has written a letter to this guy before telling him about how much he admired him.

I already know that any meteorologist we contact will not only grant the interview to this child, but will likely show him around the station and give him a behind-the-scenes experience, so he can learn hands-on how this professional does his job.

THESE are only a couple aspects of what makes Splash! Magazine so valuable to children.

When I pair Christopher with his mentor, they will come in to the Splash! office for their packets and official media name tags. We will discuss ideas for brainstorming for questions, interviewing, and writing a story. Then they will coordinate with the meteorologist for a good date/time to do the interview (hopefully at the station!).

When it's all done, we will do a final edit to the story, and then it will be published - along with a photo and bio for both the writer and the mentor.

Pretty cool, eh? :) It warms my heart!!!

HELP US GET THESE ISSUES FILLED! SIGN UP TO BECOME A YOUNG REPORTER, A SPLASH! MENTOR, and/or an artist or photographer for upcoming issues!

09/18/2013

Lots of good Splash! Magazine planning going on...

We are now signing people up to be mentors to a child for an assignment. It's FUN and highly rewarding. We need adult volunteers to help a child experience becoming a published journalist and/or photographer. It doesn't take a lot of time, and the difference you make in the life of a young person is undeniable.

The project works around your schedule, so no pressure! We welcome local celebrities and career professionals, civic leaders and others who are simply interested in offering great experiences to our community's youth! The only requirement for this volunteer project is you must have valid transportation and want to become a positive mentor to a young person for a story.

Message me here. We need at least 20 adult mentors and 20 child reporters signed up to get Splash! Magazine in development.

We just signed up our first THREE mentors. YAY! We also have a teen artist/photographer who is anxiously awaiting the chance to get started.

As soon as we fill our roster for the first three issues, we'll discuss pairing and assigning the stories, providing brief introductory training and guidance throughout the story, and publishing these labors of love.

Sign up today!

09/13/2013

First published in 1997 in Des Moines, Iowa, Kent and Melanie Smotherman are now bringing Splash! Magazine back to life for Omaha-area kids!!

Splash! Magazine is a unique monthly publication that pairs children with adult mentors in our community for the purpose of learning journalism skills - such as preparing a story, interviewing, writing, editing, and photography.

Because the magazine is not only for - but also BY - kids, the pages provide an opportunity for local children to voice their thoughts, opinions, and to share their talents!

Whether kids want to submit poetry, artwork, book reviews, inventions, joys, concerns, or become a reporter and write or photograph for the magazine, the project works to promote literacy and engagement in a unique and compelling way.

Every child and mentor who works "on assignment" to complete a story for the magazine has their photo and a short bio of them attached, so kids and their mentors will always have that proud accomplishment to hold and share.

The intention is to provide the magazine FREE to local children at many distribution locations - supported by grants, private donation and appropriate family-friendly advertising. The publication will also be offered online - which will add even more interactive content.

Sign up today to become a Splash! reporter or photographer (if you are under 19) and a mentor (if you are older than 19). Message us from this page to express your interest, and you will be paired and assigned!