Did You Know?

Children spend more time watching television than in any other activity except sleep. - Huston and Wright, University of Kansas. "Television and Socialization of Young Children."
Source

Now the question is WHAT are they watching?

Beating the Odds

NBC's Today show surprised students who are beating the odds in three different parts of the U.S. with holiday goodies to help them achieve their goals. Check out this video to see the faces of youth V.I.P.s hopes to reach:

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V.I.P.s Target Audience

About this photo: A small playground is seen near of one of the few remaining Chicago Housing Authority Cabrini-Green public housing buildings January 12, 2005 in Chicago, Illinois. The run-down and dilapidated buildings sit on prime real-estate property that the city of Chicago wants to tear down and redevelop. At one time, the CHA's Cabrini-Green development had 22 high-rise buildings on 70 acres of land with 3,500 apartment units housing approximately 15,000residents. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

The purpose of V.I.P.s is to expose minority youth, specifically those from low-income households, to the importance of education & hard work in order to achieve success in all areas of life. V.I.P.s targets middle & high school students in an effort to counteract the imagery in today's pop culture which puts a large emphasis on the entertainment industry as a means of success. We live in a world where lifestyles of so-called overnight success stories, fast money, violence & fame are all glorified, but education & hard work are often overlooked. V.I.P.s hopes to inspire & enlighten minority youth as an educational guide or teaching tool in the classroom. This is the first film that will highlight or raise awareness about young successful minorities who have achieved monetary success and gained recognition in other fields besides the typical entertainment and athletic world despite their socio-economic struggles.


About this photo: A boy prepares to fire his paintball gun at the basketball hoop with demolished B.W. Cooper buildings in the background in the B.W. Cooper housing projects May 24, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. B.W. Cooper and the three other major New Orleans housing projects are being torn down to make way for "mixed-income developments". The demolition has sparked protests and lawsuits as affordable housing stocks have dwindled and homelessness has doubled following Hurricane Katrina. (May 24, 2008 - Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images North America)