Brooklyn, NY — KidSpirit, the online magazine and community for 11- to 17-year-olds, is proud to announce that it has won a 2015 Wilbur Award for The Best Of KidSpirit Online, Volume III, its newest compilation publication. The Best of KidSpirit Online, Volume III won in the Youth Books category, and was honored alongside work from noteworthy media outlets such as CBS-TV, the Oprah Winfrey Network, BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, and Religion News Service.
The 140-page book contains work by over 40 youth from 11 states and five countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and China. Articles were edited by seven editorial boards made up of over 50 young people. Featuring writing, poetry, and artwork, this volume of The Best of KidSpirit Online represents diverse global voices engaging in conversation on the themes of education, time, money, God, heroism, gender, beauty, and truth. All pieces were originally published in KidSpirit’s online magazine in 2013 and 2014, and were selected for inclusion by KidSpirit’s all-youth editorial boards. Both print and digital editions of The Best of KidSpirit Online, Volume III can be purchased through Magcloud.
In addition to original artwork and poetry, the compilation includes a piece entitled “Uncovering the Hijab,” an in-depth feature by a teen who has chosen to wear the hijab; several reflections on pivotal moments of self-discovery; an article co-authored by a boy and girl on whether gender is central to identity; and essays by a Quaker, a Catholic, and a Muslim, exploring the search for truth in their respective spiritual traditions. Also in the volume are articles by a single adult mentor with expertise on each theme. Distinguished adult contributors include Caroline Myss, Lynne Twist, Dr. Arthur Zajonc, Dr. Elizabeth Debold, and Rabbi Rami Shapiro.
KidSpirit previously won Wilbur Awards in 2012 for The Best of KidSpirit Online, Volume I, and in 2014 for its Interfaith Connections section. The awards are given each year by the Religion Communicators Council, an interfaith association founded in 1929, and recognize the work of secular media outlets in communicating religious issues, values, and themes. This year, the Wilbur Awards will be presented at the council’s 86th annual national convention in Alexandria, Virginia on April 11.
