Brilliant Star Magazine and Website Honored
This article refers to the first version of our website,
launched in Fall 2013.
Brilliant Star inspires kids to care for our planet through activities and stories on environmental stewardship and climate change. Our latest issue on this theme, “Healing Our Home,” March/April 2013, earned a 2014 APEX Award of Excellence in the “Green Magazines” category.
This is Brilliant Star’s eighth APEX award, honoring graphic design, editorial content, and overall communications excellence. “Healing Our Home” is one of eight Brilliant Star issues produced in support of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014).
Brilliant Star and the new Brilliant Star Online website also received three 2014 DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards for excellence in communications from the Religion Communicators Council (RCC), an interfaith organization. The honors were presented at a convention held April 3–5, 2014, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The website earned praise for fostering kids’ exploration and offering clear and educational content with a consistent design. The 2013 print series was called “entertaining and outstanding in all areas!” A review of the July/August 2013 “Quest for Peace” issue noted:
“This is a very good magazine for the youth market it is designed for. I like the colorful graphics and eye-catching visual presentation.”—Judge’s Critique
Brilliant Star empowers kids to develop as world citizens and use their virtues to be of service and bring about positive change in their communities. Brilliant Star Online, launched in Fall 2013, is designed to meet the critical need for positive, interactive websites that encourage kids’ character development.
On the website, kids can enjoy games and activities, discover Brilliant Star’s characters, read blogs from other kids, and much more. A special Parents & Teachers section offers helpful resources from expert contributors on a variety of topics, such as developing virtues, building family unity, handling social and emotional challenges, and fostering effective communication. Lesson plans and effective teaching techniques support the efforts of educations in homeschool or classroom settings.
The Mystic Explorer
All aboard for adventure!
The website features a virtual adventure-research ship, the Mystic Explorer. Kids can explore and share engaging content about Bahá’í teachings and history. They can create art using an exciting custom drawing application, the Imagination Station. Brilliant Star developed the website in partnership with Pax Rodentia, Sketch.IO, and the Office of Web Development at the Bahá’í National Center.
The Brilliant Star team welcomes ideas and submissions from kids, parents, and teachers. Go to our Contact page or e-mail brilliant@usbnc.org.
Check out Brilliant Star on Facebook to learn about updates to the Parents & Teachers section of the website and other important news.
About26 Brilliant Star21